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A dental surgery has banned obese patients weighing more than 20 stone over fears their chairs cannot cope with their weight. <br>Furious customers accused Hove family dental lincoln Dental in, Hove, East Sussex, of fat-shaming after it informed patients it would not be treating anyone over 127kg, or just under 20 stones. <br>In a warning email to customers, bosses said they would not see people who were too heavy for their chairs over worries they may ‘exceed equipment capabilities’. <br>The chairs, each costing about £20,000, have already broken twice under the weight of its heaviest customers. <br>The email read: ‘This is a polite message to all our patients from the Hove family dental practice. <br>‘Due to health and safety regulations, we will unfortunately not be able to treat patients that exceed the safety weight limit restrictions for our dental chairs of 127kg [20 stones]. <br> Practice manager Tracey Stephens, 55, said the chairs, each costing about £20,000, have already broken twice under the weight of its heaviest customers (Pictured: Stock photo of a dentist’s chair)<br>‘We appreciate and understand that this is a sensitive issue and want to address this with our patients in a delicate manner, but we do have a duty of care to all our patients and a legal obligation under the health and safety at work act 1974 to operate in a safe environment and not exceed equipment capabilities. <br>‘If you feel this restriction may apply to you, please call [redacted] before your next appointment. <br>‘We will discuss with you your referral options for your future care in full confidentiality.
We will endeavour to ensure that your care continues uninterrupted.’ <br>The private surgery was previously forced to close while technicians replaced a part that twice broke under heavy pressure. <br>On some occasions, staff have even been forced to step in and help overweight customers in and out of the chair. <br>Practice manager Tracey Stephens, 55, said a boom in obese patients has forced the surgery to act. <br> Furious customers accused Hove Family Dental in, Hove, East Sussex, of fat-shaming after it informed patients it would not be treating anyone over 127kg, or just under 20 stones<br>She told the Mail: ‘It is getting to that stage where we are seeing more and more overweight patients and we’ve had the chair break twice. <br>‘We’re getting occasions where staff are having to help patients in and out of the chair which is a health and safety issue as well. <br>‘We don’t want to discriminate against anybody and we know it is really difficult and sensitive. <br>‘Chairs can be up to £20,000, they are really quite expensive bits of equipment.
There is a part every time the technician has come in that has been a few hundred pounds. We’ve had to close the surgery as well in that time. <br>‘There is a maximum weight limit of 20 stone and we have never refused anybody at all.’ <br>As pressure on the health service continues to grow, one furious customer said the move ‘body shames’ overweight people who struggle to keep their weight down.<br> RELATED ARTICLES
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Share‘This is fattest to people who can’t keep their weight down. I’m shocked, I couldn’t believe the email when I got it. <br>‘It is an absolute disgrace. It body shames people who may have underlying health conditions. <br>‘With pressures already on the health service and difficulties in funding a dentist, this only makes the problem worse. <br>‘I would expect better from those providing care at a price.’ <br>The Health Survey for England 2019 estimates that 28 per cent of adults in England are obese and a further 36.2 per cent are overweight. <br>Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers are expected to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure that people with disabilities aren’t disadvantaged. <br>According to Dental Defence Union guidance, dentists who believe a patient cannot be treated safely in the practice will still need to make sure the patient has access to ‘a reasonable alternative’ for their dental care. <br>