An audit of the hepatitis B vaccination status of staff in general dental practices in Lancashire.
OBJECTIVE
To audit compliance, by general dental practitioners working in two health authorities in Lancashire, with the British Dental Association recommendations on vaccination against hepatitis B.


METHODS
A postal questionnaire to dental practices.


RESULTS
Replies were received from 85% of practices. The respondents consisted of 187 dentists, 270 dental nurses and 132 non-clinical staff. Totals of 98.9% of dentists, 96.7% of nurses and 72.7% of the non-clinicians reported that they had been vaccinated but fewer had undergone a blood test in the past five years. The poorest compliance was in having written evidence of immune status, with only 46.5% of dentists, 51.0% of nurses and 62.5% of non-clinical staff having this.


CONCLUSIONS
Greater publicity about the BDA recommendations is needed to improve compliance. An extension of the occupational health services currently being set up for general medical practitioners and their staff to dental practices would also help.
Whittle
J Gary
JG
Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust, Leyland, UK. gary.whittle@chorley-pct.nhs.uk
D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003726:Dental Assistants; D019230:Dental Audit; D003797:Dental Staff; D003815:Dentists; D004739:England; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D014611:Vaccination
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines