So what can the HPA offer you?
Table 1 – Useful websites
The Medical Exposure Department is part of an outward looking agency and should
Useful Websites
be viewed as an independent resource but not as a solitary solution. Whilst advice
and tools to enable compliance with IR(ME)R can be provided by the department’s
ARSAC The Administration of Radioactive www.arsac.org.uk
Substances Advisory Committee
staff, their recommendations are not mandatory and service responsibility remains
with each department. It is up to individual clinical departments to decide for
BIR British Institute of Radiology www.bir.org.uk
themselves if they should act on the advice given. This being said, by working in COMARE Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation www.comare.org.uk
partnership it is hoped that any advice given would be acted upon, especially if in the Environment
the recommendations would aid compliance with legislation and lead to improved
CQC Care Quality Commission http://www.cqc.org.uk/
radiation and patient safety. By providing reassurance and support to departments
HCC Healthcare Commission www.healthcarecommission.org.uk
now, it is hoped that clinical staff will continue to grow in a cyclic culture of review,
plan and change and have confidence in their own abilities to detect, highlight and
HIW Healthcare Inspectorate Wales www.hiw.org.uk
resolve concerns in the future.
ICRP International Commission on Radiological http://www.icrp.org
Protection
The work of the HPA is relevant to all professionals involved in the use of ionising IPEM
Institute of Physics and Engineering in www.ipem.ac.uk
radiation in healthcare irrespective of discipline. This permanent, evolving resource Medicine
gives individuals and clinical departments the unique opportunity to obtain
NPSA National Patient Safety Agency www.npsa.nhs.uk
ongoing assistance and support in improving their practices.
RCR Royal College of Radiologists www.rcr.ac.uk
Contacts
SCoR Society and College of Radiographers www.sor.org
More information on the work of the HPA can be found on the website. Please SE Scottish Executive for Health www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health
see details below if you would like to contact the HPA for advice on patient safety,
WA Welsh Assembly – Chief Scientific Adviser http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/health/professionals/
compliance with legislation, process efficiency, or if you have any questions about
scientific/?lang=en
this article.
HPA Health Protection Agency www.hpa.org.uk
Head of Medical Exposures Department:
steve.ebdon-jackson@hpa.org.uk
Diagnostic Radiography:
sally.maclachlan@hpa.org.uk • kathlyn.slack@hpa.org.uk
TABLE 2 – Key aims.
Radiotherapy:
Our key aims are:
una.odoherty@hpa.org.uk
Improving and promoting patient safety
Sally MacLachlan is senior clinical officer in Diagnostic Imaging,
Optimisation of all equipment/processes to improve efficacy and efficiency
Medical Exposure Department; Una O’Doherty is senior clinical Translation of theory into practice
radiotherapy officer, Medical Exposure Department; Kathlyn Slack
Standardisation of practice within sites
is group leader, Medical and Environmental Effects Group, Medical
Exposure Department.
Compliance with legislation
32
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IMAGING & ONCOLOGY
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