P809 Radiography and Radiation Protection (IRMER and IRR)

The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 require employers undertaking medical exposures to establish diagnostic reference levels (DRL) and to undertake appropriate reviews if these are consistently exceeded.

On 1 April 2009, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assumed responsibility from the Healthcare Commission for the inspection and enforcement for incidents under Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000.

Before an exposure can take place, it must be justified by an IRMER practitioner and authorised, as the means of demonstrating that it has been justified. Any X-ray exposure entails a risk to the patient.

Under normal circumstances the risk from dental radiography is very low.

In this module the importance of selection of appropriate equipment and materials in limiting doses (and hence risk) is reviewed.

The purpose of Quality Assurance (QA) in dental radiology is to ensure consistently adequate diagnostic information, whilst radiation doses are controlled to be as low as reasonably practicable.

The QA programme will need to take account of relevant statutory requirements and this will determine many of the operational objectives.

A well-designed QA programme should be comprehensive but inexpensive to operate and maintain for the dentist and staff.

In general, responsibility is placed on the undertaking, i.e. the employer legally responsible for a given work activity, to ensure that staff safety provisions are implemented and that members of the public are not significantly exposed as a result of the work.