With the support of the SoR, Louisa Coxon is inviting members to express their interest in forming a Radiation Protection Special Interest Group, open to all radiation protection supervisors, IR(ME)R leads, or those with an interest in the topic.
Louisa Coxon is a radiation protection lead radiographer at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The group will provide a safe space to seek advice from peers and support fellow radiation protection supervisors (RPS).
Special interest groups (SIGs) are independent groups of members and non-members who are supported by the SoR. The SoR hosts the space, but the group will be led by its members.
'A psychologically safe space'
Louisa has been working in her role as radiation protection lead for two years now, a role which includes assisting in writing employer’s procedures, local rules and radiation risk assessments.
She also undertakes regulatory audits and radiation safety compliance audits for radiology across the trust’s sites. As radiation protection lead, Louisa is also responsible for the entitlement and compliance of non-medical referrers within the trust, and out in primary care.
Louisa also chairs a Radiology Radiation Protection Group for radiology RPSs, and a trust RPS peer group – which provides an informal platform whereby non-radiology-based RPSs can ask advice from radiology in a “psychologically safe space”.
She explained: “It was this group that made me think about a bigger platform which can be peer-led lead providing psychological safety for RPS, IR(ME)R leads, and anyone with an interest in Radiation Protection to gain advice and equally support peers. My hope is that we can help each other ensure a safe environment for staff and patients.
“I am passionate about radiation protection and hope this group helps other like-minded colleagues!”
Lynda Johnson, SoR professional officer for clinical imaging and radiation protection, said: “Working differently to the existing SoR RP forum, the SIG would provide excellent additional opportunities for members to get together and discuss current topics and create learning opportunities that matter to them. Discussions would be led and informed by members. With the increasing challenges of day-to-day workloads it feels like the right time to create this additional resource and the SoR is grateful to Louisa for suggesting it."
Those interested in joining should contact Louisa at [email protected].
Find out more about the SoR’s Special Interest Groups online here.