Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

PUBLISHED IN LONDON F ollowing a review by a group of leading ex- perts, a consultation into relaxing the restrictions placed on the work that can be undertaken by HIV positive healthcare workers has been launched by Chief Medical Of- ficer Dame Sally Davies. For some time the current regulations on HIV positive healthcare workers have been deemed as out of date, especial- ly when you take into account the current standards of infec- tion control and advances in medicine. However, the Expert Ad- visory Group on AIDS, the UK Advisory Panel of Health- care Workers Infected with Blood-borne Viruses and the Advisory Group on Hepa- titis have examined jointly evidence around the risk of HIV transmission from health- care workers with HIV to pa- tients. They found that there have been no reported trans- missions of HIV from health- care workers, even though there have been investiga- tions involving 10,000 patients who were tested for HIV. They concluded that the risk of HIV transmission from a healthcare worker who is undiagnosed and untreat- ed is extremely low, even for the most invasive proce- dures such as open cardiac surgery. Dame Sally said: “Patient safety is always our top pri- ority. Our knowledge and un- derstanding and the treatment of HIV have all developed enormously over the last 25 years. It is right that we now consider our current guide- lines to reflect what the sci- ence is telling us about the risk of HIV transmission from healthcare workers with HIV to patients. “There are currently around 110 healthcare work- ers with HIV [in England] who might be affected by the cur- rent restrictions. We need to ensure that the guidelines and restrictions imposed are evidence-based and achieve a fair balance between patient safety and the rights and re- sponsibilities of healthcare workers with HIV.” Dentist Allan Reid, who lost his job after he was diag- nosed with HIV in 2007, spoke to Dental Tribune about his take on the issue:“I’m really happy to see that a sensible evidence-based approach is finally going to be adopted at last…however, my own feelings are that it comes far too late and is long overdue. This evidence on the role of anti-viral treatment on re- ducing transmission risk to essentially zero for all dental procedures has been known about for years and certainly since the last DH review back in 2005, when there was a missed opportunity to change the policy at that time, in line with most other EU countries and the US. “My opinion is that preju- dice, discrimination and pan- dering to misinformed pub- lic opinion was the driver for that missed opportunity back in 2005. In the mean- time, between then and now, myself and other dentists and healthcare workers in the UK have had to not only come to terms with our HIV status, but as a result of the policy, been plunged into poverty, had our livelihoods taken away from us and all that includes: homelessness, loss of dignity and self-respect, victimisa- tion and facing subsequent prejudice and discrimination when trying to rebuild our shattered lives when looking for alternative employment… for all this I am absolutely fu- rious. “I had to go through a GDC hearing in my case because I chose not to disclose my 2007 December 12-18, 2011 VOL. 5 NO. 28 Tobacco ban victory The Major League Base- ball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players As- sociation have taken a his- toric step and have made up an agreement which will see the end to seeing tobacco at ball games. They have an- nounced that under the new agreement, big-league play- ers, managers and coaches will no longer be able to carry any form of tobacco products on them either during games or at any time that fans are in the ballpark. The move comes as a great way in helping protect the health of big-league players and millions of young fans who look up to them. Those involved in the agreement will be prohibited from us- ing smokeless tobacco at autograph signings, televi- sion interviews and team- sponsored appearances; the restrictions will also be put in place at any function where players and the teams meet fans. The restrictions will take effect in 2012. Drilling down into the roots A new centre dedicated to improving dental care and our understanding of oral disease through world-class research is being opened at the Newcastle Dental Hospi- tal and School of Dental Sci- ences at Newcastle Univer- sity. The new director of the Dental Clinical Research Facility, Professor Philip Preshaw said; “These new specialised facilities have the latest equipment includ- ing operating microscopes for advanced surgical pro- cedures and will allow us to run cutting-edge research and clinical trials.” Based within the Newcastle School of Dental Sciences and Den- tal Hospital, a collaboration between Newcastle Uni- versity and The Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Hospitals Trust, the facil- ity has four new dental sur- geries and is supported by three research laboratories. Smiles all round A Dundee orthodontic prac- tice has been voted the best specialist dental practice in Scotland. Beam received ‘Best Specialist Practice’ award at the Dentistry Scot- land Awards 2011 at Gle- neagles Hotel. The practice was also voted ‘Highly Com- mended’ in the ‘Best Team’ category. The awards rec- ognise outstanding achieve- ments and excellence within the country’s dental and orthodontist practices. www.dental-tribune.co.uk A hindsight wonder Laura Hatton delivers the final installment Facebook flop Rita Zamora provides some real life examples Dress to impress Cathy Johnson suggests how to think outside the box News in Brief Social Practice ManagementFeatureNews Christmas nightmare The Benevolent Fund calls for support page 4 pages 12-13 page 16 pages 22-23 A positive step forward New consultation on the potential relaxation of restrictions on HIV positive health workers launched by Dept of Health page 2DTà