Website of the Department of Health

23 April 2007:

The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 require employers undertaking medical exposures to establish diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) and to undertake appropriate reviews if these are consistently exceeded.  DH has issued guidance on national DRLs which is available from the link below.

• Guidance on the establishment and use of diagnostic reference levels (DRLs)

1 November 2006:

On November 1st 2006, the Healthcare Commission assumed responsibility from the Department of Health for the inspection and enforcement for incidents under Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000. Service provider information is available from the link to the Commission's website below.

Added on 23 October 2006

The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure)(Amendment) Regulations 2006, SI 2006/2523  ('the Regulations') amend the  2000 Regulations and can be found at  by following the link below. They pass the enforcement powers under the 2000 Regulations in respect of England to the Commission for Healthcare, Audit and Inspection ('the Healthcare Commission'). The Regulations also make amendments to certain definitions in the 2000 Regulations in order to clarify their meaning; reflect changes to terminology used in the 2000 Regulations; and make transitional provision for incomplete matters or matters not finally disposed of before the Regulations come into force on 1 November 2006.

The e-mail address for the notifications of radiation incidents is IRMER@Healthcarecommission.org.uk.  The content of emails will be treated in strictest confidence.

The postal address for such notifications is:

Joanne Riggs, IRMER Co-ordinator, Healthcare Commission, 1st Floor, Finsbury Tower, 103-105 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8TG

Telephone number - 020 7448 9393

Added 21 March 2006

In March 2006, the Health and Safety Executive made available the third edition of PM77 'Equipment used in connection with medical exposure' on the HSE website by following hte link below.

This document addresses the requirement for reporting of incidents where a radiation employer suspects or has been informed that a person was, while undergoing a medical exposure was, as a result of a malfunction or defect in radiation equipment, exposed to ionising radiation to an extent much greater than intended - the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999, Regulation 32(6).

Currently, there is no similar specific guidance issued by DH regarding the reporting of incidents resulting in a person undergoing a medical exposure who was, otherwise than as a result of a malfunction or defect in radiation equipment, exposed to ionising radiation to an extent much greater than intended - the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 Regulation 4(5).   DH is currently reviewing this and guidance is expected to be issued in the near future. Until then, the advice given by DH in the general guidance document on IR(ME)R should be followed: - ie the term much greater than intended for IR(ME)R 2000 should be interpreted as in the HSE guidance PM77 second edition issued in 1998.

• Healthcare Commission pages on the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 (opens new window)
• email: IRMER@Healthcarecommission.org.uk (opens new window)
• Health and Safety Executive - PM77 Equipment used in connection with medical exposure - third edition (opens new window)
• The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (opens new window)

If you wish to discuss the Regulations and Guidance, the Radiation Protection Team at the Department of Health can be contacted as follows: