Suspension and fine for dentist
Inverness dentist Andre Basson has been suspended for six months and ordered to pay back grants totaling £175,000.
Basson, who runs The Keep dental practice in the town’s Castle Wynd, was found guilty at a GDC hearing of poor hygiene and endangering patients.
Reported to be one of the highest paid NHS dentists in Scotland, earning in the region of £245,000 last year, Basson was found to have repeatedly failed to wash his hands between patients or to wear gloves while carrying out procedures.
The whistle had been blown on Basson by four dental nurses who had worked at the practice and had witnessed his poor hygiene regime.
They told the hearing that his failing to wash his hands was a daily occurrence and that he had even wiped and re-used dental tools without proper sterilisation.
Two nurses said they had never seen him use an alcohol rub at any stage of his practice and told the hearing that he had been in the habit of not wearing proper medical clothing.
The conclusion to the report said: “The committee considers that you wilfully disregarded the safety of your staff and patients.
“The committee is in no doubt that both fellow professionals and informed members of the public alike would regard your conduct as deplorable. Accordingly, the committee is satisfied that the findings against you are serious and that they amount to misconduct.”
A spokesman for NHS Highland said: “Mr Basson received a Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) grant of £175,000 to assist with setting up The Keep dental practice.
“As he has breached the conditions of his grant, he will be required to repay grant monies.”
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