I’ll start by just saying that this is all speculation based on what we can see about Desmond D’Mello’s activities since he has been suspended by the General Dental Council. What we can see is evidence of a swift appointment as the director of a new company within weeks of his ownership of the Daybrook Dental Surgery coming to an end.
So we ask the question – did D’Mello have a backup plan all along? Does this add more insult to the hurt he has caused the former patients we are now acting for?
Through records on Company Check (link) you can see that Mr D’Mello was appointed as a director of Oak Hill (Management) Company Limited within weeks of being struck off following the investigation in to the Daybrook Dental scandal. We were aware that Mr D’Mello had agreed to be cooperative with the NHS as part of their investigations, only to u-turn on this decision and instruct lawyers.
We don’t know any more in relation to the cooperation issues with the NHS so far, but what we can tell you is that we have received no response to our numerous letters to him about the clients we now represent. We have been told by former patients who are now claiming with us that he used to discuss having other ‘business interests’ outside of the practice.
What we find odd is the short period of time between him being struck off and having to leave the Daybrook Surgery to him becoming the director of this new company. Little is known about the Oak Hill (Management) Company Limited other than that the wheels of change began turning when it came to directors in July; less than a month after D’Mello stopped practising at Daybook.
We have read the reports in to the CQC investigations; we know the allegations against him; and hundreds of our clients have had their say on their experiences as former patients – it seems clear to us that D’Mello knew full well what he was doing when he was ignoring important infection control procedures for reasons that are still yet to be determined. As we have blogged about in the past, given the high volumes of patients he saw, the most prominent theory so far is that he was putting profits before patients by seeing more than he could handle.
So, knowing that he was putting people at risk, did he always figure that he would eventually get caught? They say that people who conduct themselves in ways like this are normally aware that their ‘run will come to an end’ as such; did D’Mello always know he would eventually get caught and move to his backup plan as the director at Oak Hill (Management) Company Limited?
Again, I stress that we can only speculate at this stage – but it seems that it has taken him nothing more than weeks to find himself a new career following his significant fall from grace as a well liked and well respected member of his local community. News of this may serve only to add insult to injury as it becomes abundantly clear that D’Mello seems to have no remorse or care for his actions at all.
The whole situation seems remarkably familiar to the way Jean-Claude Mas, the man behind the PIP Breast Implant Scandal, conducted himself after he was caught. He just didn’t seem to care, and even went as far as to suggest that he didn’t do anything wrong.
We can still but guess at this stage, but the charming and well liked man that D’Mello was known as to his community and patients seems to be far from the man he seems to be today. Did he ever care? Was his friendly facade a total act as part of him making his patients feel as comfortable as possible so no one would ever question or notice his blatant disregard for their health and wellbeing?
Time will tell – we’re still waiting for responses from the opponents, and we’ll keep you informed of any developments.