Support Services
The Department provides a comprehensive range of multidisciplinary support services throughout the north east of England and Cumbria.
Design
The Department has facilities to design diagnostic, therapeutic or remedial equipment:
- Mechanical and electronic engineering facilities are available and are used to design and develop novel medical instrumentation.
- Development of computer software for analysis of
clinical data and images.
Quality Assurance
- Acceptance inspections for all new radiological installations in the region.
- Annual quality assurance measurements on all NHS X-ray units in the region.
- Audiometer calibration and repair service on more than 1200 machines to over 140 hospitals and clinics throughout the region.
- Calibration of ultraviolet meters used in conjunction with Phototherapy machines throughout the region.
- Commissioning and acceptance testing all new radiotherapy machines.
- Equipment management support to a number of specialist clinical services, notably radiotherapy.
- Evaluation of patient monitors, non-invasive blood pressure measurement devices, audiometers
and external cardiac defibrillators (funded by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. The evaluation reports we produce are published by the Department of Health and made widely available throughout the NHS.
- Quality assurance programme for approximately 250 diagnostic ultrasound machines.
- Six-monthly quality assurance measurements on all mammography X-ray sets involved in the NHS Breast Screening Programme in the region.
- Surveys of anaesthetic waste gas analysis in operating theatres, and other areas such as dental and delivery rooms where anaesthetic gases are used.
Radiation Protection
- Measurement of doses to 40,000 patients per year undergoing X-ray examination and advice on dose limitation.
- Personal monitoring for 3,000 hospital radiation workers.
- Provide Radiation Protection Advisors to allow Trusts to meet their statutory obligations.
- Advice on the safe use of lasers and ultraviolet phototherapy equipment.
Scientific & Technical Support in Treatment
- Cardiothoracic surgery
- Support to cardiologists and cardiac surgeons in areas including cardiac catheterisation monitoring and electrophysiology.
- Laser Doppler imaging
- Assessment of burn depth in patients prior to reconstructive surgery.
- Laser surgery
- Provide advice to ensure that lasers are used safely and correctly in operating theatres.
- Neurosurgery
- Supporting the Regional Neurosciences Centre in the areas of cerebral blood flow measurements and intra-cranial pressure monitoring.
- Phototherapy
- Providing accurate dosimetry for the treatment of skin diseases with light alone or light in combination with photoactive drugs.
- Radiotherapy
- Ensuring that the correct dose of radiation is administered to patients treated for cancer by machines that function safely and correctly.
- Spinal surgery
- Electrophysiological monitoring of the spinal cord during complex surgery.
Teaching & Training
- Teach undergraduates at the Region's universities.
- Teach medical staff from a range of specialities, especially radiology.
- Teach other professional staff such as Radiographers, Speech Therapists, Audiologists, Nurses and Midwives.
- Operate supernumerary training schemes for Clinical Scientists and Medical Technologists on behalf of NHS Workforce Development Confederations.
- Supervise postgraduate research students registered at the region's universities.
- Accommodate school students on work experience placements.
Top of page
