A DENTIST today said she was in limbo after being banned from treating 1,100 of her patients on the NHS even though she wants to.

Dr Roshan Hakeem, who runs the Reedyford Dental Pratice, Reedyford Road, Nelson, has used up her year's supply of "treatment credits" under the controversial new government contracts in just two months.

Dr Hakeem has 1,500 patients, but she said she had managed to see just 400 of those patients before her credits were used up.

Now she has been told she is not allowed to treat anymore NHS patients until the contract expires in 10 months.

She is thought to be the first NHS dentist in the country to have used up her credits.

Today the British Dental Association (BDA) and the leader of Pendle Council hit out at the situation.

And health bosses said they were urgently discussing raising the amount of patients the practice could treat.

Under the old contract, abolished on April 1, dentists were paid for the work carried out. The new contracts set a pre-agreed level of cases to be seen each year by the dentist, known as "units" or "credits".

Units of dental activity are subtracted each time work is carried out ranging from one for a check-up to three for treatments such as crowns or bridges.

Dr Hakeem, who lives in Reedley, signed the contract by the PCT in March and said she was given 2,000 units.

She said she had been forced to cancel about 30 appointments for patients currently undergoing surgery for treatments such as crowns and dentures as well as 1,100 check-ups.

Among the patients left in the lurch is a woman who is getting married this weekend who was supposed to be having false teeth fitted this week.

Dr Hakeem, 33, said: "I know lots of dentists have been unwilling to see NHS patients but when someone is willing and cannot that is unacceptable.

"The only way I can treat them is for them to pay.

"Nelson is a phenomenally high-need area, over 70 per cent of my patients are on benefits and many are children, so it is not fair to even consider that or ask them to pay.

"This is going to happen a lot more. I am almost like a test case."

John Hilsden, spokesman for the BDA, said he was aware of Dr Hakeem's problems.

He said: "We think this reflects the poor way the new contract was introduced. Many dentists have been awarded contracts that do not reflect the amount of care they need to provide."

Council leader Coun Alan Davies added: "We are conscious of the fact there is a serious dental shortage in the area.

"Surely it would be cheaper for the PCT to extend this contract then set one up with a new practice."

Victoria Robertson, of the PCT, said bosses were investigating extending Dr Hakeem's contract.

She added: "She does have contract and that was for a set amount of activity.

"The activity in the contract is relatively small but that would have been agreed with her.

"I can confirm she has been in touch and discussions are under way with regard to possibly increasing her levels. I would hope it would not be long before an agreement is reached."