John Kenward MRCVS, a director of Maidstone practice Pet Emergency Treatment Services, has been given a conditional discharge for allowing an employee to X-ray her own foot after a horse stamped on it.
Maidstone Magistrates heard that the employee, a 25 year-old vet and equine intern, was afraid the foot was broken and she might be unable to do that evening's on-call duty.
As a result, she rang Mr Kenward. As they were both concerned she could be held up in hospital A&E, Mr Kenward suggested she use the in-house X-ray kit. He gave her the settings to use and she carried out the test, which showed no break so she continued to work as normal.
Another director, who acts as Radiation Protection Supervisor, later noticed a human image on the digital processor. This led him to notify other practice board members of his intention to interview staff about the suspected breach of site radiation safety policy. He was immediately told by Mr Kenward not to discipline the vet intern as he had suggested that she use the X-ray.
As a result the Health and Safety Executive was contacted and an investigation confirmed a breach of radiation regulations.
Although the vet intern, from Maidstone, was the only person present during the X-ray exposure, she did not wear a personal dosemeter during the procedure.
However, HSE told the court that Mr Kenward was fully aware that the rules of the practice clearly stated nobody should be placed within the beam of the X-ray machine.
Mr Kenward was ordered to pay £1,296 in costs after admitting a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Rob Hassell said: "Any vet practice using ionising radiation for medical exposures must ensure that the X-ray equipment is properly maintained and that the requirements of the Ionising Radiations Regulations are complied with. The view of HSE and the Department of Health is that it is highly unlikely that all these conditions can be met by a veterinary practice.
"It follows therefore that X-rays must not be taken of human beings at practices. We are aware that the X-raying of people may not be unique to this particular practice so I hope others will take note that HSE is prepared to prosecute if such breaches come to light."
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I agree: good exposure.
I agree: life is getting too regulated and tied up with red tape.
I agree: we have to stick to the regulations, unfortunately so,I think at times. I have come to the opinion that many practices are near collapsing in complying with so much red tape and white paper and email, and others are nervously and quietly carrying on older practices whilst some get away with murder. Whilst I never have condoned the practice of routinely restraining conscious animals for xray, I cannot see the harm of xraying oneself with full knowledge of risks (and a dose meter!). Of course, this is illegal and so one can no longer do this, even if, as is so often the veterinary case, it happened at work and the local a&e wait is 3 hours and the service stretched.
Our job was pretty tough before the extra regulation came along, no wonder so many of us succumb to stress-related illness - see 'Depression: The Curse Of The Strong'. Quite a proportion of vets are unhappy and waiting for retirement and scared of litigation and RCVS summonses.
Does anyone know why our standards are not as good as the nhs regarding X-ray standards?
Veterinary physician do not treat thyself is the motto nowadays.
There but for the grace of Universe go many vets and nurses trying to steer between Scylla and Charybdis.
How much more radiation was the vet exposed to than she would have been in an A & E? Would she have had to wear the dosimeter as a patient in the A & E?
While not advocating that vets diagnose or treat humans, they are better qualified than many of the non-vets who want (and are allowed) treat animals as if they were vets.
Good point Wm Cashman!
The article doesn't actually say, and only one view is provided but was her foot broken?? Dear editor, we need further views to be able to (not) diagnose it for ourselves! :-)
Life as a vet is obviously becoming too much of a hassle! Chris B.
That's not THE x-ray, just a random x-ray of a foot!
I trust that some personal experience of the local A&E Department was arranged for the Radiation Protection Supervisor following the court case.
Just dropping in to this chat now the theme that comes across in the comments is that everyone is depressed and waiting to retire. What a sad profession we are. Can't we fight back a bit?
Of course if she had deleted the xray afterwards.......
In one of the presentations on last year's BSAVA it was recommended to use a wooden spoon to flatten the abdomen when taking lateral x rays for suspected fb. This helps a lot to identify linear fbs and intussusceptions. I have done that regularly, wearing appropriate protective apron and dosimeter. Is this now "illegal" or dodgy practice???
Mariette
You can understand the temptation ,on one wants to hang around A&E for 3-4 hours with the drunks, junkies, domestic punch ups, teenage over doser's and ladies of the night. Can't help thinking there are some underlying machiavellian politics underway in that practice, someone in a hurry to see the back of someone else ?.
"The view of HSE and the Department of Health is that it is highly unlikely that all these conditions can be met by a veterinary practice"....obviously the Radiation Protection Supervisor aka Diector has himself managed to meet all the conditions for him to take others to task. Secondly that rule applies where "unintended exposure" is the premise...i.e to protect staff and clients not being x-rayed. In this case exposure was intended and consented to. Question is "did she over expose?" What a shame when your own colleague cannot even sort issues with you inhouse. Vets are becoming an endangered species lol....