A DENTAL practice in Oxford has been given an official warning by NHS bosses for refusing to treat a patient unless she paid to go private.

The unnamed practice was given a remedial notice on Monday after one of its NHS dentists allegedly told the patient that while he was unable to provide root canal treatment, the clinic would be able to do so privately.

It now has 28 days to reassure Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust the incident will not be repeated – or face having its NHS contract terminated.

The action taken against the practice was revealed yesterday by Health Minister Ann Keen during a Parliamentary debate.

Ms Keen said she was “disturbed” by the case, adding: “National Health dentists have both a contractual and ethical obligation to deliver all treatment, as clinically required, including root canal treatment.

“It is unacceptable for patients to be told root canal treatment is not available on the NHS. Where this happens it is important PCTs take decisive action.”

Ms Keen admitted in parts of Oxfordshire “people are unable to see NHS dentists as quickly as they would like”, but said new services were due to open this year – including at Oxford’s Leys Health Centre, which is expected to provide access for an additional 7,000 patients from July.

The Health Minister was responding to Oxford West and Abingdon MP Evan Harris, who raised the case of the Oxford practice in a debate.

Dr Harris said: “I wonder whether there is this trend among some dentists to try to deter people from registering as an NHS patient in order to concentrate on private patients. I would be extremely surprised if it was confined to my constituency.”