In February 2018, regulations setting out a framework to protect patients from the hazards associated with medical exposure to ionising radiation came into force in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
MEG joined working parties established by professional bodies to update two separate IR(ME)R guidance documents for diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy exposures:
The two national guidance documents are intended to support all staff groups involved in medical and non-medical exposures, and to enhance patient safety when ionising radiation is used in the clinical setting.
The guidance explains how the regulations should be interpreted in clinical practice in both the NHS and independent sector. It also extends to research laboratories, universities and sports facilities where medical and non-medical exposures are undertaken. The inclusion of diagnostic nuclear medicine and molecular radiotherapy exposures has now provided the nuclear medicine community with guidance on IR(ME)R.
Breast screening guidance for the implementation of IR(ME)R 2017
The Medical Exposures Group coordinated and supported a working party of breast screening experts (radiographers and medical physicists) to update the NHS Breast Screening programme's guidance on the practical implementation of IR(ME)R 2017. The guidance published in January 2023, supports clinical teams in breast screening services, to deliver safe clinical practice in compliance with IR(ME)R and provides a practical approach for implementing IR(ME)R. It describes how the regulations apply to duty holders and is particularly helpful for:
Guidance for compiling training records for clinical oncologists
Responding to a call from radiotherapy providers, the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), regulators and members of the Medical Exposures Group (MEG) supported the development of guidance for compiling training records for clinical oncologists. The guidance provides advice on the training records required by clinical oncologists to support their roles as operators and practitioners under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R). This guidance exemplifies the work MEG undertake in support of the NHS and healthcare providers in improving patient safety in medical exposures. The Radiotherapy Board published the guidance with the support of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), the Society of Radiographers (SoR), Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) and UK IR(ME)R regulators.