Guidance outlining good practice for imaging in the operating theatre has been shared by GIRFT.
The new resource is for use by all NHS colleagues responsible for providing radiography in theatres – theatre managers and staff, radiology service managers, and radiographers – and covers how best to maximise efficiency, at the same time as maintaining patient and staff safety and complying with legislation.
It has been developed in collaboration with the Society of Radiographers.
The guidance has been developed in response to questionnaire data received by GIRFT suggesting that delays are occurring in some trusts’ theatres due to a shortage of qualified staff available to support procedures requiring radiographic imaging, and that this can have a negative impact on theatre utilisation.
Good practice case studies outlining trusts’ innovative approaches are included in the guide, along with suggestions for effective planning and communication and staffing considerations. The guide also contains a summary of the legal and regulatory framework which governs the use of ionising radiation in theatres, together with safeguards required if any innovative approach is considered.
