Dentist faces final curtain for waiting room (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Dentist warned of magazine health risk

4:54pm Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in News By Adrianne Maslen

A Lyme Regis dentist has been told to throw out her old magazines and net curtains because they pose a health and safety risk.

Monica Symes, who runs Symes Dental Surgery, was told by an NHS official that her patients would be at risk if she kept magazines in her waiting room that were more than a week old.

She was also told to remove a net curtain and not to use Blu-Tack on the walls because they could also harbour germs.

Miss Symes said an NHS infection control worker from Dorset Primary Care Trust (PCT) advised her to remove them, or she could fail an inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

A spokesperson for the NHS Bournemouth and Poole and NHS Dorset Cluster said: “The advice to dispose of magazines more than a week old was not given as is not something either trust would advise; nor do we advise against the use of Blue-Tack.

“The advice we give to NHS dental practice owners is that patient waiting areas should be kept clear of unnecessary clutter to facilitate effective cleaning.

“There is no specific requirement for practices to remove magazines within a specified time period however we would encourage all practices to employa degree of common sense.

“Practice owners should ensure that waiting rooms are clean and free from obvious contamination.”

See this week's Lyme Regis News for full story.