Nick Fletcher accuses voter concerned about lack of dentists in Doncster of 'trolling' him

Adelle Greenham, a constituent in Mr Fletcher’s Don Valley constituency, sent the MP an earlier several weeks ago, flagging up her concerns about NHS dentists in Doncaster not taking on new patients and the risk to patients.

After failing to receive a response, she posted her original message on the MP’s Facebook page – and was stunned when he accused her of ‘trolling’ him.

She said: “He publicly accused me to his eleven thousand followers of being an internet troll.

"As Nick is an elected Member of Parliament, I am distraught by his public actions.

"I do not feel I received a respectful or professional response from him. I think it is imperative to request that Nick acknowledge the impact of his harsh words and urge him to review his approach to how he engages with his constituents on social media.”

The row erupted after she failed to receive a response to the MP she sent on September 7.

Writing beneath a recent post on his Facebook page, she wrote: “I sent an email to yourself regarding the NHS dental crisis in Doncaster. I have not received a response or an acknowledgment of my email. Is this issue not important enough to warrant a reply?”

In return, Mr Fletcher replied: “I see that you have posted this same comment on 12 or more of my posts.

"That is classic “trolling” and I hope you will not do that again.

"Every email sent to me generates an immediate auto response confirming receipt.

"All emails are then responded to.

"If you have not seen the auto response it could be that it is in your spam folder or that we have not received the email. Parliament is often misspelled. So please check the spelling. It should be [email protected].”

In response, she replied: “Dear Nick, this is not a case of classic “trolling” as per the Oxford Dictionary.

"My comments do not contain any offensive terms or am I deliberately provoking an argument. I am a concerned community member reaching out after not receiving a response after following the correct communication channels.

I can also confirm as per the image attached, that I can spell your email correctly and received an automated response which is not an acknowledgment of my full email.

It comes after a recent call from Mr Fletcher demanding to be treated with ‘respect’ – and threatening to ban people from his page if they didn’t follow his rules.

In a five point plan, he called for:

Respect for others including myself.

No profanity

No expletive deleted like *** etc

No threatening language

No trolling.

He added: “So if you find yourself blocked on social media for any of the above, then you will know why.

"You can always write to me or email me. We get over 3,000 emails a month. All emails are answered.”

ADELLE’S EMAIL TO NICK FLETCHER ON THE NHS DENTAL CRISIS IN DONCASTER IN FULL

"Dear Nick Fletcher,

“I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to express my deep concern and frustration regarding the lack of available NHS dentists accepting new patients in our area.

"It has come to my attention that countless people and I have been consistently advised to join a substantially long waiting list (a minimum of eighteen months to three years without guarantee), seek private dental treatment or contact 111, even for routine check-ups and treatments that would be covered under the NHS.

"The unavailability of NHS dentists poses a significant challenge to many individuals, including myself, who rely on the NHS for quality and affordable dental care.

“The absence of accessible NHS dental services leaves a significant gap in Doncaster's healthcare provisions and disproportionately affects those who are unable to afford more costly private treatments.

"As a responsible, hardworking taxpayer, I believe everyone should have equal access to essential healthcare services, including oral hygiene.

"I would like to highlight the fact that dental problems, if left untreated, can significantly deteriorate an individual's oral health, causing unnecessary pain and discomfort and potentially leading to more complex, costly treatments and absences from work.

"It is our entitlement as taxpayers to have access to timely NHS dental assistance without having to experience rapid degradation of our oral hygiene before receiving the necessary care.

“The demand for dental services may exceed the available resources, making accommodating everyone difficult. However, the continuous advice given to go private for dental treatment is presumptuous and distressing, particularly for those like myself who rely on the NHS due to financial constraints. It seems more than unfair that individuals who are unable to afford private dental care are left with limited options for addressing their dental needs.

"Moreover, the suggestion to contact 111 for dental treatment is deeply concerning. While I appreciate the role of the 111 helpline is to provide necessary guidance, support and relief during emergencies, it is disheartening to learn that our only recourse left for NHS oral health is a service meant to address a wide range of urgent medical emergencies and issues. Urging patients to rely on the 111 helpline only adds further strains to an already overwhelmed system.

"I understand that the current circumstances are challenging. However, addressing this issue is crucial for individual oral health and the wider community's overall well-being - please consider the impact. It is imperative that appropriate measures are in place to ensure individuals have timely access to dental treatment, which is crucial for maintaining overall oral health and preventing further physical and mental health complications.

"I kindly request your assistance in addressing this issue promptly and finding a solution that ensures the accessibility of NHS dental services for both routine and emergency treatments. It is vital that individuals are not forced to incur additional financial burdens in our current living crisis by seeking private dental care simply due to the unavailability of NHS dentists.

“Thank you for your attention to this pressing matter. I would appreciate an update on how I can proceed in registering with an NHS dental practice and any actions taken or plans for improvement. Please let me know if there is any further information or support that I can provide to address this issue effectively.”