Radiation Protection Policy
The Ashford and St Peters Hospitals NHS Trust policy for Radiation Protection is in accordance with their general Health & Safety Policies. The overall the aim is to ensure the safety of staff, patients and public.
This policy applies to all employees (including contractors, volunteers, students, locum and agency staff) working whilst working within Ashford and St Peters Hospitals NHS Trust and covers all members of the public, patients and contractors whilst they are within the Trust.
Ashford and St Peters Hospitals NHS Trust will ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its employees, of contractors working on the premises and of members of the public who may be exposed to the hazards arising from the use of ionising radiations, lasers and other non-ionising radiations.
Ashford and St Peters Hospitals NHS Trust will ensure that all diagnostic examinations involving medical exposures are performed with the radiation dose to the patient being as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) to achieve the required clinical purpose, consistent with the employer’s written procedures and protocols.
Imaging Referrals via Non-Medical Healthcare Professionals
This document sets out the standard operating procedures for the entitlement of non-medical referrers, as duty holders under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Examination) Regulations 2017, (IR(ME)R), for medical imaging performed within Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (ASPH). This encompasses the requesting of imaging examinations by entitled non-medically registered professionals, and the responsibilities of non-medical referrers (NMRs) both when requesting, and for maintaining and evidencing their competence.
Changes in the delivery of healthcare brought about by the NHS and Community Care Act, Care Act 2014 – Community Care and the NHS Long Term Plan have resulted in the delegation of some traditionally led tasks to non-medical, but professionally registered healthcare professionals. This development has brought with it new opportunities for Nurses, Allied Health Professionals (AHP’s) and other health and care professionals and has led to an increase in their scope of practice.
