§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services who is responsible for monitoring levels of radiation, and controlling safety standards for equipment which emits radiation in radiotherapy and other units in hospitals; and what is the current safety margin that obtains to this machinery.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe responsibility for the safe operation and maintenance of all ionising radiation equipment in the NHS, including radiotherapy units, rests with individual health authorities. The procedures for carrying out these functions are set out in the Department's code of practice for the protection of persons against ionising radiations arising from medical and dental use. This sets out maximum permissible levels of leakage radiation and radioactive contamination. The code of practice is in line with the radiation protection standards recommended by bodies such as the International Commission on Radiation Protection. Radiotherapy departments in the NHS are also subject to inspection by the Health and Safety Executive under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
In compliance with the EC Directive 80/836 Euratom which lays down basic standards of radiation protection, the Health and Safety Commission is preparing regulations and an approved code of practice covering all uses of ionising radiations. The regulations, the approved code and the related guidance notes will embody much of what 349W is currently in the DHSS code of practice. These will require health authorities to notify HSE of any dangerous malfunction affecting ionising radiation equipment.