Up to 50 people are reportedly ready to set sail on the “Tooth Ferry” – a package booking from Portsmouth to Cherbourg for urgent dental treatment they have been unable to get in the UK.
Residents of the Isle of Wight have reportedly been flocking to sign up for the trip, organised by a councillor from the island who says he has organised the trip because of the “appalling inequalities” of dental care in the UK.
The Times reports that the patients will have their treatment carried during a two-day stay in Cherbourg, and that the £120 price-tag for the trip, which includes travel, accommodation and treatment, is being seen as a bargain.
On the Isle of Wight, none of the 26 dentists are accepting new NHS patients and private treatment costs £50 for a basic consultation. Councillor Bernard Buckle told the newspaper that he has 25 provisional bookings for the trip, which is scheduled for next month.
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad
