This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Conry, B G Articles by Burwood, R J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Conry, B G Articles by Burwood, R J

Radionuclide radiologist directed nuclear medicine services in district general hospitals in the South Thames Region

¹Pembury Hospital, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 4QJ and ²Royal Sussex County Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, West Sussex BN2 5BE, UK

The equipment, staffing levels and imaging workload of all 14 radiologist directed nuclear medicine services in district general hospitals in the South Thames Region are presented. These are generally single camera departments providing a broad range of imaging procedures, including cardiac studies and white cell labelling, as well as the more usual renal, lung, thyroid and bone examinations. All departments have a high throughput, averaging 2358 examinations per year. Departmental staffing levels are variable, with some institutions having inadequate consultant radiology sessions free of other commitments as well as inadequate physics support. Potentially, these are important quality and legal issues that departments may need to address with hospital Trusts and Commissioning Agencies. Four small departments provided a service without any formally contracted radiologist sessions for nuclear medicine in the radiologists' job plans. The three medium sized departments have a closer match between sessions contracted and those actually worked, but in only one of these did the contracted sessional commitment equal the recommendation of the Nuclear Medicine Committee of the Royal College of Physicians. There is a disparity between the number of contracted consultant sessions and those actually worked in most institutions (86%), being at least two sessions in eight hospitals. Recommendations are made regarding the adequacy of some of the elements of provision in South Thames and the legal and safety implications for hospital Trust management and Commissioning Agencies.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B G Conry, C W N Wetton, and J J Flanagan Limited ARSAC licence acquisition for radionuclide radiology Br. J. Radiol., July 1, 2005; 78(931): 631 - 633. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]