MOST dental clinics in the Malvern area have not signed new contracts with the NHS.

Out of seven practices contacted by the Malvern Gazette this week, only two, Richmond Dental Practice in Richmond Road, Malvern and The Dental Surgery in School Lane, Upton, are remaining with the NHS.

The new contract, which took effect on Saturday, April 1, said practices offering private treatment to adults would no longer be paid to provide free NHS treatment for children.

Many dentists said they were angry at the way they had been treated by South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust.

Rupert Parsons, of Parsons Dental Surgery, called the PCT's decision "completely inequitable".

He said: "The PCT had the option of providing a contract which allowed NHS treatment for children and exempt patients, but chose not to do so."

Bill Fleming, of the Barnards Green Dental Practice, said: "We've not been granted a contract with the NHS. The trouble is there's no half-way house here. I think there are other PCTs that have negotiated with practitioners to provide these services."

Christine Bayliss, practice manager at Buckingham House, Graham Road, said: "We now have no contacts at all with the NHS.

"The PCT refused to renew our children-only contract, despite saying they would in December. We will honour all the appointments that have already been made."

Nicola Fieldhouse, practice manager at Pickersleigh House practice, Pickersleigh Road, said: "We haven't signed the new contract, so we no longer have a contract with the NHS. We were mainly a private practice anyway."

The Shrawley House practice, Malvern Link, has not signed up either.

Janet Ferguson, of the PCT, said provision was being expanded with a new dentist at the Richmond Dental Practice and a new practice at Spring Lane, Malvern.

"We're also setting up an action plan to take things further," she said.