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NHS dental patients test positive for Hep C, after dentist is suspended for infection control failures (18 March 2015)

Date: 18/03/2015
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, NHS dental patients test positive for Hep C, after dentist is suspended for infection control failures

An investigation into patient safety among patients of a dentist who refused to follow NHS infection control guidelines has found that five dental patients have tested positive for hepatitis C.

The Daily Mail reports that health investigators tested a total of 4,526 patients after 60-year-old dentist Desmond D’Mello was suspended.

In November 2014, NHS England alerted 22,000 of Mr D’Mello’s patients that they could have been exposed to blood-borne diseases during dental treatment at the Daybrook Dental Practice in Nottingham, which he had run for 32 years. It is the biggest patient recall ever.

Despite five patients testing positive for hepatitis C, no cases of hepatitis B or HIV were found, however.

Patients who tested positive were informed by their GPs and then referred for further clinical advice and testing, the Mail reports.

Since August 2014, the former Daybrook Dental Practice has been under new ownership with Southern Dental – the new owner is not connected to Mr D’Mello and allegations of poor hygiene.

Mr D'Mello is still being investigated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the General Dental Council, after being covertly filmed by a whistleblower at the dental surgery.

He was filmed treating166 patients over a three-day period. It is alleged that he failed to change his medical gloves between patients – and also did not properly sterilise dental equipment.

Mr D’Mello has so far not spoken publicly about the allegations against him.

Medical Director for NHS England in Nottinghamshire, Dr Doug Black, said:

“We have always been clear that the risk to patients was low, but we still had a duty to inform patients of this and offer the option for them to be tested.

“Treatments are available for all of the blood-borne viruses tested for, so we are pleased that these individuals have been identified and offered clinical support to aid their wellbeing.

”Now that this patient screening exercise is complete, we will be focusing our efforts on what we can learn from this incident – and ensuring all our findings are shared with the General Dental Council to inform their ongoing investigation into Mr D'Mello.”

A spokesman for NHS England said any former patients of Mr D'Mello who had not yet been tested for hepatitis and HIV and wished to be should contact their GPs.

Some of Mr D’Mello’s former patients are now taking legal action for dental negligence compensation.

Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence Solicitors – No win no fee Dental Negligence Claims

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of clinical negligence solicitors able to advise NHS dental patients and private dental patients on how to make a no win no fee claim for dental negligence, including compensation claims relating to:

• Anaesthetic errors
• Anti-wrinkle treatments
• Bridges
• Cosmetic dentistry negligence
• Crowns
• Dental hygiene
• Dental infections
• Dental implants
• Dentures
• Failure to diagnose/treat dental decay
• Misdiagnosed oral cancers
• Mouth injuries during dental treatment
• Nerve damage
• Root canal work.

Clinical negligence claimants usually have three years from the date of injury in which to make a claim for dental negligence – children can make claims for dental negligence compensation up to the age of 21.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Dental Negligence Claims, call Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence Solicitors on 020 7923 4020.

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