Mark Graham

A DENTAL surgery could be set up on a Weston estate by the summer as the new man in charge of a health and well-being centre reveals his vision for the community hub.

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Plans for the clinic, which is to be located at the For All Healthy Living Centre on the Bournville, are in the early stages but it is hoped the new service could be up-and-running by September.

The proposals have been unveiled as the centre’s parent corporation the For All Healthy Living Company appointed Mark Graham as its new chief executive.

Former development manager Mark, who has been involved with the centre from the very start, began his new role last week following the retirement of Jenny Hendy.

The company runs the Lonsdale Avenue centre, manages the GP practice and runs a variety of other services and projects for people within south ward.

Mark will be responsible for the social enterprise’s annual budget of £1.7million and 42 staff, and has already outlined a number of improvements to services he would like to see.

He said: “It is early days but we are looking at developing some sort of dentistry service.

“Access to dentistry is not readily available here, there are dentists around but not based here and we have been working to address that.”

A surgery would be based at the centre certain days of the week, and Mark is also looking to promote a ‘community dentistry element’, where families encourage dental hygiene in children from a young age.

The company is working closely with North Somerset Primary Care Trust, which will fund the surgery and talks are ongoing.

Other aims revealed by Mark include narrowing the health inequality gap between south ward and other areas in North Somerset by holding more smoking cessation groups, increasing well being activities and encouraging new mums to breast feed.

A patient forum where a focus group can discuss ways of improving the GP service will also be created.

He added: ““I’m very excited about my new role. I will be managing a great team and will oversee how we can provide the best service to the community.

“I also hope to continue to strengthen the partnership with local people, which is what the social enterprise is all about.”