As a key diagnostic and treatment service, radiology is central to the provision of healthcare services. Improvements to the radiology service can benefit the wider healthcare system, helping to meet ever increasing healthcare demands at a time when funding and resources are limited.Ensuring that the most appropriate imaging test is conducted at the right time can have a major impact on healthcare provision more widely.
To facilitate appropriate referrals to radiology departments, The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) has published RCR iRefer Guidelines: Making the best use of clinical radiology (iRefer) since 1989. iRefer is now widely accepted as a major tool to promote evidence-based imaging.
The guidelines are aimed at clinicians, radiologists, radiographers and other healthcare professionals to determine the most appropriate imaging procedures for a wide range of clinical problems and to help clinicians to meet their obligations under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IRMER). The guidelines methodology has been accredited by NICE Evidence, managed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
These guidelines are intended to inform referring clinicians’ decision-making and their choices in primary and secondary care. It must be understood that guidelines will never replace good communication and discussion between the radiologist and the clinician. The guidelines ought not to be used to restrict practice in specific clinical circumstances. Rather they should direct the clinician to the test that is most likely to give the answer to the question being asked while taking into consideration the small but significant risk from ionising radiation.
The guidelines can be accessed by clicking the iRefer link below.
