§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) staff and (b) patients were affected by radiation overdose incidents reported to the Health and Safety Executive within the National Health Service in 1986, 1987 and 1988.
§ Mr. NichollsNo staff were affected.
Information on how many patients were affected is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment under what circumstances, as specified in the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985, radiation over exposures of(a) staff and (b) patients within the National Health Service are required to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
§ Mr. NichollsThe Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 require that patient exposures suspected to be greater than intended which arise from faulty equipment and suspected overexposures of staff from any cause are immediately investigated by the employer. Unless it can be shown beyond reasonable doubt that no excessive exposure occurred, the employer is required to notify the Health and Safety Executive forthwith.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff are employed by the Health and Safety Executive to carry out its responsibilities within the National Health Service under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985.
§ Mr. NichollsThe information requested is not available.
Inspectors in Her Majesty's factories inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive have a range of inspection responsibilities. Inspectors are not employed solely on work in connection with the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 within the National Health Service.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the responsibilities of the Health and Safety Executive to staff and patients of the National Health Service under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985.
§ Mr. NichollsThe Health and Safety Executive enforces the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 in the National Health Service as in all other places where work with ionising radiations is carried out. The regulations control the exposure of employees or other people affected by work with ionising radiations principally by requiring all doses to be kept as low as reasonably practicable and in any case below dose limits. The regulations also cover the equipment used for medical exposures and exposures of patients that were much greater than intended because of faulty equipment.