When it comes to medical discoveries, the unveiling of the X-ray process in 1895 undoubtedly ranks among the most significant. With X-rays being such a useful and prominent way of diagnosing pathologies, it’s hard to imagine a time without them.
We take a staggering number of X-rays each year. NHS England reported in their 2023 Diagnostic Imaging Dataset Statistical Release that 43.4 million imaging tests were logged between February 2022 – January 2023. In January 2023 alone GPs asked for 29.5% of X-ray tests used to diagnose or dismiss cancer in patients.
These days X-rays are an essential diagnostic tool that enable primary care providers to provide treatment plans to millions of patients each year.
Interesting X-ray facts:
- They were discovered by accident – in 1895 by German Physicist Wilhelm Rontgen when he was experimenting
- One of the first ever X-rays was one that Rontgen took of his wife’s hand with her wedding ring on
- X-rays were first used in a clinical setting in Birmingham in 1896, when John Hall-Edwards took an X-ray of a needle stuck in his colleague’s hand
X-rays are not only used for medical purposes, as well as keeping us safe while going through airport security, they are also used for many other interesting purposes, including:
- X-ray astronomy – the study of X-ray emission from celestial objects
- Studying paintings – to see if a painting is an original, if it has another painting underneath it, or has been restored
How can QCS help you with your X-ray needs?
We provide various policies and documents to help our dental and GP customers keep their patients safe when referring them for X-rays (or taking X-rays themselves), while meeting legislative and CQC regulations:
- Regulation 12 (safe care and treatment): Regulation 12: Safe care and treatment – Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)
- Regulation 15 (premises and equipment): Regulation 15: Premises and equipment – Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)
- The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017: The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (legislation.gov.uk)
QCS Compliance Centre offers:
- Radiography Policies and Procedures for dental customers
- Radiography Referral Policies and Procedures for GP and Healthcare Clinic customers
- Dental X-Ray audits
- GP Referral Quality Audits
The audits we provide offer a tangible way of tracking your X-ray referrals and the quality of X-rays taken, thus providing evidence that the correct guidelines are being followed and quality is tracked and improved, as necessary.
X-rays have made such a difference to our lives, from medicine to industry and beyond. Using them safely is key and we are here with the policies, procedures, and audits to help you do just that.
*Please note that our radiography policies and procedures highlight the necessity of consulting with, and adhering to, the advice provided by an RPA at all times. *
