Commitment to Quality and Safety
Eastbourne Healthcare Partnership has a robust auditing process to ensure it continues to provide a safe, effective and high quality scanning service to patients. The following audits are conducted regularly and any learning points are shared with all relevant members of the team.
Ultrasound
Eastbourne Healthcare Partnership reviews a minimum of 5% of ultrasounds undertaken across all our sites each month. The audit looks at the quality of the images, diagnosis and report.
DEXA (Bone Density) Scans
Regular audits are undertaken to look at the quality of DEXA scans to ensure that the images taken are of high quality. Comparisons are made with previous audits to ensure that continued improvement and shared learning amongst the team.
X-ray
Rejected images – This audit looks at the percentage of X-ray images which are rejected due to poor quality. A rejection rate of 2% to 5% is considered acceptable. At Eastbourne Healthcare Partnership the rejection rate is frequently below the 2% minimum threshold which demonstrates the quality of scanning by our team of Radiographers.
Referral to Report
This audit looks at the time taken from a referral being received (the beginning) to the report being sent back to the referrer (the end). Eastbourne Healthcare Partnership averages just five working days with patients often offered an appointment the same day as their referral is received.
Radiation Exposure
Both X-ray and DEXA scans involve the use of radiation. However, the amount of radiation used in a DEXA scan is very low. While X-rays emit a slightly higher dose than DEXA scans, the level remains significantly lower than that of other imaging techniques, such as CT scans.
To ensure safety, radiographers always follow the ALARP principle—As Low As Reasonably Practicable—to minimise radiation exposure. At EHP, a Local Diagnostic Reference Level has been established by our Consultant Physicist. This ensures that radiographer exposure remains low and that patients receive only the minimum necessary dose during their DEXA scans and X-ray emanations.
Although patients are exposed to a small amount of radiation, these levels are considered extremely safe. In nearly all cases, the clinical benefits of the scan far outweigh any potential risks associated with radiation exposure.
