Hundreds of dental patients have been left in the dark about the future of an NHS service in Cleator Moor.

Cumbria Partnership Foundation Trust will cease to provide the dental service at Cleator Moor Health Centre. It is understood this will happen by the end of the year, leaving health chiefs having to urgently look for an alternative.

A trust spokeswoman said the decision was taken because all three of the service’s dentists have handed in their notice. There are fears as to what will become of the service if no alternative is found.

Concerned patients have contacted The Whitehaven News saying appointments from January are no longer being taken at the Birks Road centre.

One patient, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I tried to ring to book an appointment for next year and was told I wasn’t able to.

“It was a shock because I have been going for years and I hadn’t received any word about the loss of the dentists.

“It was a lovely practice, very friendly, so it will be a real loss to the area if they are unable to provide dental care. It was difficult enough, all those years ago, finding a practice which would take NHS dentists.

“It’s a worry if we won’t now be able to find someone to take on all those patients.’’

Cumbria Partnership Foundation Trust said it will write to patients to let them know what is happening with the service and ensure that patients complete courses of treatment before any changes are made.

The £6.5m Cleator Moor Health Centre opened in May 2013 when dentists Mr Broad & Associate moved from the high street to the centre.

The complex is part of Fellview Healthcare Ltd, which provides services to around 22,310 patients from four locations, including Flatt Walks Health Centre in Whitehaven, Beech House in Egremont and at Griffin Close, Frizington. Fellview was given a “good rating” in a CQC inspection in December last year.

Dave Farrell, chairman of the Cleator Moor Chamber of Trade, said Mr Broad & Associate had to move to the new building from its high street shopfront in 2013 in order to keep its NHS service going.

Mr Farrell said the move took business away from the town and that the potential loss of the service “compounds the whole sorry affair”.

He added: “First the dental service was taken off the high street, which has had a huge impact on the town’s trade, and now it looks like it could be lost all together.”

A spokeswoman for Cumbria Partnership Foundation Trust, said: “Cumbria Partnership can confirm they are working with NHS England on arrangements for NHS England to continue to provide general dental practice provision at Cleator Moor when the Partnership Trust ceases to provide this service.

“NHS England are working with the Partnership Trust and other practices in the area to ensure patients continue to have access to dental treatment, and we will be writing to patients to provide further information.

“We will keep patients updated about developments.”