University Hospital Galway has welcomed the publication of a HIQA report on compliance with medical exposure to ionizing radiation regulations at the hospital.
An announced inspection of the radiotherapy and radiology departments at UHG was carried out at the hospital on the 16 May 2023.
This inspection assessed compliance with European Union safety regulations related to ionizing radiation.
A medical exposure to ionising radiation is when a patient receives ionising radiation as part of their diagnosis or treatment.
During this inspection, HIQA looked at 14 Standards in relation to governance and management arrangements for medical exposures and safe delivery of medical exposures.
Of these, University Hospital Galway was compliant in 9 areas, substantially compliant with 4 standards and non-compliant with one standard.
UHG welcomed the acknowledgement by HIQA that inspectors were assured that the hospital had systems in place to ensure appropriate governance and oversight of the delivery of medical exposures at Galway University Hospitals.
The hospital also noted that inspectors were satisfied that University Hospital Galway had multiple systems and processes in place to ensure patients undergoing medical exposure involving high radiation doses and where high doses were a possible outcome of a procedure were appropriately protected.
The hospital was found non-compliant on one regulation (13: Procedures). Inspectors noted that a number of written policies and procedures specific to the radiotherapy service were available to staff, and staff spoken with demonstrated how they accessed these documents on the hospital’s internal document control system   system.
Similarly, written protocols for medical radiological procedures in the radiology department were available within the department.
However, the undertaking did not have a robust governance system in place for the management of these written policies, procedures and protocols.
To address this, actions include improving radiation protection document stewardship with the standardisation of all controlled documents and progress with uploading these to the hospital’s quality management document control system.
The hospital has also taken steps to strengthen pathways where it was found to be substantially compliant.
Policies, Procedures and Guidelines for the Safe Use and Application of Ionising Radiation including Standard Operating Procedures is also being updated to satisfy regulatory requirements and reflect current legislative language.
Chris Kane Hospital Manager at Galway University Hospitals said: “We welcome this report and recognise the important and valuable role of HIQA in promoting safety and quality in the healthcare services.
“Regulation drives better, safer care for patients and regulation of medical exposures helps ensure that each hospital that administers radiation meets Irish and European legislative requirements.
“I would like to acknowledge the on-going commitment and dedication of our staff in providing a patient centred approach and we will work together to build on the good practice highlighted in this report.”
