A strange decision from a dental clinic regarding obese patients
Patients at a dental clinic in Sussex, England, have been told that obese patients would not be able to attend for fear of damaging the clinic's expensive equipment.
And according to the British newspaper, “Daily Star”, the “Hove Family Dental” company, East Sussex, sent a letter expressing its concern that people who weigh more than 127 kg may put their expensive equipment at risk of breaking. by some of its heavy clients.
The email to patients said: “This is a polite message to all of our patients from Hof Dental Clinic. Due to health and safety rules, we will unfortunately not be able to treat patients who are overweight.”
"We appreciate and understand that this is a sensitive issue and want to address this with our patients in a meticulous manner, but we have a duty to care for all of our patients and a legal obligation under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to operate in a safe environment and not exceed the capabilities of equipment," she added.
"If you feel this restriction may apply to you, please call before your next appointment. We will discuss with you your referral options for your future care in the strictest confidence. We will endeavor to ensure that your care continues uninterrupted," the letter continued.
Technicians have had to come twice in the past to repair damaged chairs from severe stress, and staff have had to step in to help patients with overweight in and out of the chair in the past.
One of the technicians at the clinic said, "We have reached that stage where we see more and more patients who are overweight," noting that there have been more than one chair fracture incidents, in addition to the difficulty of sitting and getting up for extremely obese patients.
"We don't want to discriminate against anyone and we know it's really difficult and sensitive," he added.
For their part, some patients expressed their displeasure with the letter, and one said in response to the clinic’s decision, “It is an absolute disgrace. It is an embarrassment for people who may have underlying health conditions.” With already pressures on health services and difficulties in finding a dentist, that is just It makes the problem worse."
The 2019 Health England Survey estimated that around 28% of adults in England were obese and 36.2% were overweight.
The Equality Act 2010 makes clear that medical providers are expected to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities.
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