Abstract
The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 is concerned with: “the making of safety measures in regard to radioactive substances and the emission of ionising radiation”. Responsibility is placed upon the Practitioner, Operator, Referrer and employer. A clinical evaluation of the outcome of each medical exposure must be recorded.” In Ayr Hospital Radiologist report A&E radiographs but not those in fracture clinic unless a specific request was made. Therefore the Surgeon/Trainee must record their interpretation.
An audit was completed to review the rate of documentation of the interpretation of radiographs in the clinical records of consecutive patients attending fracture clinics Notes and radiographs were reviewed from 6 separate fracture clinics. 106 patients attended during the time period and were seen by 9 different surgeons; 5 consultants and 4 training grade surgeons. 46 out of 106 patients were x-rayed and interpretation recorded in 38 cases. No interpretation was found in 8 cases, giving an overall compliance of 82.6% with no difference between different grades of surgeon: Consultants 79.2% (19/24); Trainees 86.4% (19/22).
These finding were presented at a departmental audit meeting and the audit loop was then closed by a second period of audit with an improvement in the consultants compliance to 100% (22/22) p=0.05 and no significant change in the trainees performance 75% (18/24).
