Press Release
6th October 2014
Survey reveals dental nurses are still at high risk of sharps injuries
51.2% of respondents said to have received a sharps injury at some point, with the
majority of injuries caused after use, before disposal
A survey conducted in conjunction with the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN) and
Initial Medical, has indicated that just over half of dental nurses in the UK and the Republic of
Ireland have had a needlestick injury at some stage throughout their career.
Pam Swain, chief executive for BADN, says: “Needlestick safety is such an important issue.
BADN ran this survey in conjunction with Initial Medical, to gauge how at risk our members are
and how comfortable they feel with their needlestick safety training, particularly since new health
and safety regulations came into place in the UK last year.”
Of those who said they’d received a needlestick injury, 60% said they’d received more than one,
with 11% saying they’d been injured in the past year. In terms of when their injury occurred, 41%
of respondents who’d had a sharps injury said their last injury had happened after use, before
disposal.
Reassuringly, 97.4% of those who’d received an injury knew what steps to take. Out of all survey
respondents, 52% rated their needlestick injury training as very good, with 29% rating it good.
Interestingly, 21% of UK respondents said that since the Health & Safety (Safe Instruments in
Healthcare) Regulations 2013 came into force, their practice had not put in place new safety
procedures or safety devices.
Of those who’d had an injury, 1.24% said they’d acquired a blood-borne virus as a result.
Rebecca Allen, category manager for Initial Medical, says: “The risk of infection following a
needlestick injury is estimated to be 1 in 3 for HBV, 1 in 30 for HCV and 1 in 300 for HIV for
healthcare workers worldwide*, so it is vital that best practice is followed. If you don’t feel like
you have had appropriate sharps safety training or you don’t feel the right procedures are being
followed, then it is imperative you make this known within your practice.”
*Safer Needle Network 2006
- ENDS -
About the survey
1216 British Association of Dental Nurses responded to the survey in August 2014, from across
the UK and the Republic of Ireland. 99% of respondents were from the UK and 1% from the
Republic of Ireland.
*Images and full report attached to email. High res images available upon request
About the British Association of Dental Nurses
The British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), founded in 1940, is the UK’s only professional
association specifically for dental nurses. Membership is open to both student and registered
dental nurses from all areas of dentistry, and includes access to the quarterly digital “British
Dental Nurses’ Journal” – including free verifiable CPD, free telephone Legal Helpline,
discounted registration fees for the National Dental Nursing Conference and other BADN events,
access to the members only area of the website www.badn.org.uk, and BADN Benefits, which
offers discounts and special offers on a wide range of goods and services. Full Membership is
available with* or without indemnity insurance.
Student membership costs £30 per year; Full Membership costs £50 per year without indemnity,
£88.41 with indemnity (basic chairside), or £99.01 with indemnity (extended duties). Special
rates are available for those who work part time. To join, visit www.badn.org.uk/sign-up or call
01253 338366
* subject to underwriting approval
About Initial Medical Waste Experts
Initial Medical is an expert in healthcare waste management, providing a complete collection,
disposal and recycling service for hazardous and non-hazardous waste and offensive waste
produced by businesses and organisations within the UK. The safe management of healthcare
waste is vital to ensure your activities are not a risk to human health. Initial Medical’s healthcare
waste services ensure that all of your waste is stringently handled in compliance with legislation
and in accordance with Safe Management of Healthcare Waste best practice guidelines,
providing you with the peace of mind that you are adhering to current legislation.
For further information please visit www.initialmedical.co.uk or Tel 0800 731 0802.
Media enquiries:
For more information in regard to the British Association of Dental Nurses, please contact:
Pam Swain, pam@badn.org.uk or 01253 338365
Or, in regard to Initial Medical, please contact:
Sarah Bakker sarah@merchantmarketinggroup.com, 023 8022 5478 or 07799423013.