Department of Medical Physics

DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL PHYSICS

QUALITY OF CARE POLICY AND OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

NHA/CD/QOCP/MEP/001

Dr. C. Nwachukwu

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

• 1.0    INTRODUCTION

  The Department of Medical Physics, National Hospital Abuja was established in 1999 as one of the units of the then Radiotherapy Department founding departments in NHA. It was subsequently expanded and metamorphosed into a separate department in 2004, providing quality Clinical Radiation services to clients all over the nation. It is one of four separate but related departments; Medical Physics, Radiotherapy, Nuclear Medicine and Radiology. The Department is involved in training of Residents, Interns, Corps members and students on Industrial attachment.

  1.1       Vision Statement

  To take the lead in optimizing the use of ionizing radiation to treat cancer while estimating radiation doses from radiological imaging procedures.

  1.2       Mission Statement

  To take the lead as a service department to all departments and units that makes use of ionizing radiation for diagnosis and treatment of cancer diseases.

  2.0       QUALITY ASSURANCE POLICY

  The Department of Medical Physics, National Hospital, Abuja in line with the mission and vision of the hospital is committed to the delivery of effective and efficient high quality Medical Physics services to our clients without compromise. We offer Clinical Physics services in Radiotherapy, Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, this is in compliance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) protocols, American Association of Physicist in Medicine (AAPM Task group report 142) and Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) guidelines towards achieving our objectives.

  Our core values are Quality, Empathy and Dedication.

  3.0    STRENGTH OF THE DEPARTMENT

  The Medical Physics Department has state-of-the-art automated equipment enabling us provide basic clinical radiation treatment planning, verification, promotion and delivery. The department also has competent personnel who are committed to efficient service delivery and generation of quality radiation reports to facilitate patient/client care.

  In line with the vision of the hospital, the department is poised to ensure quality health service delivery to Nigerians and clients from other parts of the world. The department of Medical Physics consists of health professionals in Medical Physics and other related Science specialties. It is headed by an Assistant Chief Medical Physicist.

  The head of department is supported by Consultant Medical Physicist, Principal Medical Physicists, Chief Works Superintendent Technician, Locums and other administrative staff including a departmental secretary who coordinates the departmental secretariat.

  Specialized services offered in the Department Of Medical Physics include:

  1. Acceptance Testing and Commissioning of all medical ionizing radiation emitting equipment for clinical use. (Examples are Linear accelerators, Computed Tomography machines, Bukky machine, and Fluoroscopy machine).
  2. Maintain a comprehensive documented daily, weekly and monthly Quality Assurance of the Radiotherapy Machines (Linear Accelerators and Computed Tomography machines).
  3. Patient Treatment Planning (both computerized treatment planning and Hand planning) for safe and precise treatment i.e. accurate dose delivery on the tissue that is diseased while sparing the Organs at Risk (OAR).
  4. Validation and Promotion of Treatment Fields on MOSAIQ.
  5. Professional advice on Selection and Procurement of Ionizing Radiation Emitting Equipment and Machines for Medical Purposes.
  6. Design and Guidance in Clinical Workflow in Radiotherapy.
  7. Radiation Safety Advisory Role for Radiological Machines in the Hospital and acquiring of licenses for regulatory purposes.
  8. Quality Assurance and Control for all Radiological Machines and Equipment in the Hospital.
  9. Radioiodine administration and patient monitoring.
  10. Trouble shooting of treatment planning system (TPS) and MOSAIQ.
  11. Quality Assurance and Control of Radio-diagnostic machines and
  12. Medical Linear Accelerator data acquisition.
  13. Ensure proper patient Clinical Mark-up for Hand Planning.
  14. Instruction and Supervision of Fabrication of lead cut-out for electron patients’ treatment.
  15. Dosimetry service provision to Personnel within National Hospital, Abuja and without.
  16. Area survey and Monitoring.
  17. Brachytherapy Treatment and Monitoring.
  18. Ensure the safe use of ionizing radiation in the user’s departments and the entire Hospital.
  19. Training of other Healthcare Practitioners e.g. Radiology Residents, Radiation Oncology residents, Oncology Nurses, Therapy Radiographers, Physicists Trainees and the General Public.

  4.0       OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

  • Ensure all Medical Linear accelerators are warm-up and pass the entire Quality Assurance (QA) test using DAILY QA3 every morning before it is use for clinical use.
  • Plan patients for safe and precise treatment i.e. accurate dose delivery on the tissue that is disease while sparing the organs at risk (OARs).
  • Administer radioisotopes (such as iodine 131 in the treatment of thyroid cancer, TC^99m use for whole body bone scanning) and monitor the decay of the radioisotopes until the activity is less than 100μSv/hr before the patient is discharged.
  • Provide Radiation protection services through personnel monitoring for all departments and clients outside National Hospital using ionizing radiation equipments for diagnosis and treatment.
  • Carry out area survey in all departments having radiation emitting equipments and machines.
  • Carry out daily, monthly and annual Quality Assurance (QA) on the medical linear accelerators.
  • Participate in the training of resident Doctors, Therapy radiographers, Oncology nurses, Trainee physicists, Corpers, IT students etc.

   

 

  

5.0    WEEKLY ACTIVITIES AND SCHEDULES

6.0    ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

KEY: DCS – Director Clinical services; CMAC – Chairman Medical Advisory Committee

 

 

7.0    HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

Medical Physics department of National Hospital is committed to the policy of keeping exposures to ionising and non-ionising radiation as low as reasonably achievable. The department will ensure that as far as reasonably achievable, the safety of staff, the patients, and members of the public who may be exposed to the hazards arising from the use of ionising radiation which includes: X-rays, gamma rays, beta particles, alpha particles and non-ionising radiations which includes: lasers, magnetic fields, ultrasound, ultraviolet, optical radiation sources.

The department will ensure that the regulations in The Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act CAP N142, LFN 2004, The Nigerian Basic Ionising Radiation Regulations, 2003, The Nigerian Radiation Safety in Nuclear Medicine Regulations, 2006, and other radiation safety laws are followed and adhered to.

Safe working practices will be established for the safe use of ionising radiation equipments, MRI scanners, Optical equipment and Radionuclides.

This policy applies to all members of staff, patients, students, volunteers, locum, and members of the public whilst they are on working environment.

The department:

• Provides a radiation protection management structure to implement radiation safety requirements
• Appoints suitable Radiation Safety Adviser (RSA) to advice on all matters concerning the safe use of ionising or non-ionising radiation
• Ensure the regulations and good practice guidelines covering the use of ionising and non-ionising radiation in Nigeria
• Where appropriate, appoint supervisors to cover each department using ionising or non-ionising radiation to enable work with radiation to be carried out safely
• Ensure that the radiation doses for all staff will be as low as reasonably achievable
• Ensure that the radiation doses to patients from diagnostic procedures are kept as low as reasonably achievable and consistent with the clinical outcome.
• Also ensure that therapeutic doses of ionising radiation will be in accordance with the protocols developed by the oncology team
• Carry out radiation dose monitoring by the RPA for all staff regularly using the ionising radiation. This includes, whole body, eyes and extremities monitoring
• Ensure that all personnel monitoring is carried out by the Dosimetry unit, recorded and approved by the RPA

 

  

8.0    MINIMUM STANDARDS POLICY

The department would maintain a framework through which all staff is competent, efficient and accountable for continuously improving the quality of radiation services, support  and safeguarding high standards of care; by creating an environment in which excellence in radiation planning, practice and delivery is achieved.

 

9.0    LIST OF STAFF AND QUALIFICATIONS

The current members of staff of Medical Physics Department and their respective qualifications are listed as follows:

Contact email : hod.medicalphysics@nationalhospital.gov.ng