Dental Nurse Admits 20 Charges of Poor Hygiene
A dental nurse from Daybrook, Nottinghamshire, has admitted 20 charges relating to poor hygiene. The offences in question took place when she was working with a dentist who caused the ‘biggest recall in NHS history’.
Sally Hague worked alongside Desmond D’Mello, a dentist who allegedly reused gloves between patients and failed to decontaminate dental instruments.
Ms Hague’s charges include using the hand sink at Daybrook Dental Practice to brush and floss her teeth.
Sections of the letter containing her charges were read at a General Dental Council hearing, although Ms Hague was not in attendance.
Ms Hague said the practice had been extremely busy and the dentist was working under immense stress, so he needed extra support in regards to his workload.
She agreed control over contamination ought to have been stronger and said she felt as though she had let her patients down, despite never putting their health at risk intentionally.
The GDC has yet to decide how she should be sanctioned.
The 20 allegations include failing to wash her hands at necessary intervals, failing to change gloves between patients, failing to ensure proper cleaning of surfaces, re-use of equipment that had not been sufficiently decontaminated and re-use of single-use equipment such as bibs, brushes and gloves.
Ms Hague also admitted that she failed to raise concerns about Desmond D’Mello’s hygiene failings.
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