MP cries foul over Government’s dental blocks

Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart has demanded action from the Government over “insurmountable” blocks on dentists wanting to work in the area, caused by their “Certificate of Sponsorship” Scheme.

She wrote to Minister Mike Tapp to object after a dental group trying to employ dentists in Bredbury were blocked from doing so because of red tape around the scheme, which allows dentists who have qualified overseas to work in the UK.

The family-owned dental group simply wanted to get permission for dentists to transfer from their current location in the UK to Stockport, with it taking nearly five months to process an application simply to change their sponsor. 

MP for Hazel Grove constituency Lisa Smart said: “This Labour Government came in – as all governments do – promising to cut unnecessary red tape. Well here is a really simple piece of red tape, and it’s still in place nearly two years later. 

“We’re not talking about someone who needs a new visa to work here, or entry clearance, just a change of their sponsor to a new employer.”

For the dental group, there is an NHS contract in place, they have clinical space available, and there are dentists ready to take the job, as soon as the Government signs off on the administrative change.

MP Lisa Smart added: “We have already seen the failure of the Government’s ‘golden hello’ scheme to get new dentists in Stockport. Now they don’t even need to say hello – just ‘see you in Stockport’, but it seems they can’t do that either.”