Radiation Protection Unit in a New Medical Facility – a unique Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Radiation Protection (original) (raw)

Congress:

EuroSafe Imaging 2020

Keywords:

Education and training, Radiation safety, Audit and standards, Digital radiography, Radioprotection / Radiation dose, Paediatric, Management, Action 5 - Performance indicators for radiation protection management, Workforce, Not applicable

Authors:

L. Bowden

, C. Saidlear, D. Hunters, T. McCrudden, N. smith, A. Snow

DOI:

10.26044/esi2020/ESI-07828

Background/introduction

Council Detective 2013/59/EURATOM was transposed into Irish Law with the enactment of Statutory Instruments SI 256 (2018 & 2019) and SI 30 (2019). While both laws incorporate the basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, SI 256 deals with the topic in relation to patient exposure, while SI 30 applies it to radiation workers and members of the public (Figure 1). The former law is regulated by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) while the latter is...

Description of activity and work performed

The aim of the RPU is to ensure that Irish legislative requirements of SI 30 (2019) and SI 256 (2018 and 2019) are met in relation to radiation protection for staff and patients. Table 1 is an extract from SI 30 (2019), regulation 34 (3), which describes the tasks of the radiation protection officer, while Table 2 outlines the additional duties delegated to the RPU from the Undertaking to meet the requirements of SI 256 (2018 & 2019). Table 1. Extracts from SI 30(2019) on...

Conclusion and recommendations

The RPU is a complex adaptive system, which uses human factors methodology to provide a regulatory mechanism to ensure high radiation protection standards to protect patients, staff, and members of the public at CHI. It allows for clear lines of delegation of responsibility and ownership for radiation protection. The unit sits within the quality and safety governance structure of the hospital and successfully meets regulatory requirements. While this unit was established in the absence of a single RPO to take on the role, it has...

Personal/organisational information

L. Bowden; Dublin/IE - nothing to disclose A. Snow; Dublin/IE - nothing to disclose C. Saidlear; Dublin/IE - nothing to disclose D. Hunters; Dublin/IE - nothing to disclose T. McCrudden; Dublin/IE - nothing to disclose N. Smith; Dublin/IE - nothing to disclose

References

1.Council Directive2013/59/EURATOM of 5 December 2013 laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, and repealing Directives 89/618/Euratom, 90/641/Euratom, 96/29/Euratom, 97/43/Euratom and 2003/122/Euratom. 2. SI 30 of 2019. Radiological Protection Act, 1991 (Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2019. 3. SI 256 of 2018. European Union (Basic Safety Standards for Protection Against Dangers Arising From Exposure to Ionising Radiation). Regulations 2018.