Christie Medical Physics and Engineering Newsletter 70 May 2022

Ensuring evidence for presentation to suppliers to demonstrate poor performance when equipment not fit for purpose or appropriate for acceptance against the specification

• Development of the profession and evidence based practice • Multidisciplinary team working and networking • Leadership in clinical services, imaging networks and government bodies • Knowledge transfer between academia and industry and adoption of ideas to improve outcomes • Engagement with the public around science MPE activities contribute to maintaining and improving the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of healthcare services and are based on current best evidence or self driven scientific research when the available evidence is not sufficient. IRMER17 has increased the expectation of the MPE role in diagnostic imaging in both competence and WTE. Simultaneously, the competence expectation of the role has been defined and enhanced with formal recognition through an assessment body. The four main elements of the MPE competence are regulatory compliance, equipment life cycle, patient dosimetry and optimisation of imaging. Diagnostic imaging is the largest manmade source of exposure to the population and it must be managed to ensure the safety of staff, patients and the public. In addition to the MPE role (patient focused) there is the role of the Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) required under IRR17. This focuses on the radiation protection of staff and members of the public to ensure radiation doses are As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) to limit the risk of radiation induced tissue damage and cancer. Medical Physics Expert (MPE) Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA)

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• Integration with manufacturers and managed equipment services to improve equipment management pathways and efficiencies • Development of procedures including in specialised/complex services • Development of imaging protocols & standardisation • Optimisation (dose & image quality), including multidisciplinary optimisation team membership • Patient and staff radiation dosimetry (individual/population) • Increased personalised care • Set up of size specific adult and peadiatric imaging protocols • Effective use of dose management • Research study set up, quality, dose and risk estimation and Medical Physics Expert sign off • Teaching ( regulatory needs , clinical science, academic, bespoke) • Medical physicists, radiographers, radiologists, dentists and clinicians using radiation General leadership and support to organisations • Staff/service management/development • H&S management, incident support • Risk and Quality management • Research and development project design, support and implementation • Data analysis and interpretation • Improvement projects • Regulatory inspection support • Support to infrastructure and software e.g. Radiology Information Systems (RIS), Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), dose management software • Interface between clinical and management staff groups systems that track cumulative dose and support justification of repeat or high dose examination

Legal roles of the Medical Physics Expert and Radiation Protection Adviser

Legal role of the Medical Physics Expert (MPE) Under the provisions of the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017, Regulation 14, a Medical Physics Expert must —

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