Dentists Advised To Throw Away Old Magazines
Dentists have been advised to throw away old magazines from their waiting rooms for health and safety reasons.
NHS officials have issued a warning to dentists to remove old magazines or face a breach of health and safety rules; officials believe that old magazines that have been lying around for a long period of time can facilitate the spread of bacteria responsible for infections and illnesses. Officials have advised dentists to replace magazines every week.
Monica Symes, a dentist from Lyme Regis, was visited by NHS officials, who informed her that she faced failing a Care Quality Commission inspection as a result of having old magazines in her surgery’s waiting room. The 65 year old dentist who has more than 30 years of experience working in dentistry, said that she tries to replace the magazines on a regular basis but added that some patients like to read older copies and often she gets asked whether patients are able to take magazines home with them.
Miss Symes said that she was shocked when she was told that she may fail a CQC inspection due to the age of the magazines; she was also advised to stop using Blu-tak as it poses a risk of cross infection.
All dentists in the UK are required to register with the CQC; however, many dentists have complained about the red tape and claim that all the bureaucracy prevents them from focusing on caring for their patients.
Dr John Milne, chairman of the British Dental Association’s general dental practice committee, said that hygiene and cleanliness were very important but suggested that monitoring the age of magazines in waiting rooms was a little excessive.
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