About the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations programme
The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (amended 2018) (IR(ME)R).
Delivered in partnership by the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) and Health Education England (HEE) e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH), e-IRMER is a free training resource covering the following topics:
- Interpretation of the regulations
- The basic physics associated with ionising radiations
- The risks associated with ionising radiations
- The radio-biological effects of exposure to ionising radiations
- The production of x-rays
- The applications of ionising radiations for diagnostic x-ray imaging
- The application of ionising radiations in nuclear medicine
- Practical examples of the roles of duty holders
- The application of ionising radiations for radiotherapy to follow
- Practical examples of how to reduce patients’ exposures to ionising radiations
e-IRMER is an interactive online training resource supporting the training of NHS and other healthcare professionals who work with patients undergoing ionising radiation medical exposures.
e-IRMER provides easy access to learning materials, and through formative and summative assessments, allows the learner to both develop competence and demonstrate compliance with the regulatory requirements of the IR(ME)R.
Approved by IPEM course accreditation panel on 5th December 2012 and updated in March 2019.
More information
e-IRMER is made up of the following modules that cover topics in IR(ME)R Schedule 3:
- Fundamental Physics of Radiation
- Radiation Protection
- Legal Requirements
- Diagnostic x-ray and interventional radiology
- Nuclear Medicine
Modules covering Radiotherapy will follow soon.
Each module contains a number of e-learning sessions each approximately 20-30 minutes in duration that are designed to:
- Be engaging
- Validate prior knowledge
- Deliver only relevant content that the learner is expected to remember
Each e-learning session contains interactive content which delivers the educational objectives using a variety of techniques, including animations and video.
Project executive
Kathryn Surtees
Project Champion, IPEM
Mark Knight
Clinical Lead, IPEM
Patricia Howe
Project Manager, HEE e-Learning for Healthcare
Neha Baj
Content Development Lead, HEE e-Learning for Healthcare
Project team
Patricia Howe
Project Manager, HEE e-Learning for Healthcare
Claire Beattie
Instructional Designer, HEE e-Learning for Healthcare
Angelina Montinaro
Instructional Designer, HEE e-Learning for Healthcare
Editorial team
Mark Knight
Lead Editor and Head of Radiation Physics at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
John Dickson
Module Editor and Principal Medical Physicist, Institute of Nuclear Medicine, University College London Hospital
Paul Charnock
Module Editor and Radiation Protection Adviser, IRS Limited
John Byrne
Module Editor and Consultant Clinical Scientist and Deputy Head of Radiotherapy Physics, Northern Centre for Cancer Care
Phil Orr
Module Editor and Clinical Scientist. Belfast Health & Social Care Trust
Acknowledgements
e-IRMER acknowledges the following individuals for their enormous contribution to the HEE e-Learning for Healthcare e-IRMER e-learning programme.
- Steven Evans
- Julia Moore OBE
- Alan Ryan
- Chris Gibson
- Tony Denman
- Karen Goldstone
- Peter Childs
- Dudley Ibbett
- Habib Zadir
How to access
In order to access any e-LfH programme, you will need an e-LfH account. If you do not have one, then you can register by selecting the Register button below.
If you already have an account with e-LfH, then you can enrol on to the Ionising Radiation to Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (e-IRMER) programme by logging in to the e-LfH Hub, selecting My Account > Enrolment and selecting the programme. You can then access the programme immediately in the My e-Learning section.
How to license
In the event that you do not qualify for free access to the e-IRMER programme, you are able to license access through eIntegrity, a community-interest company established for this purpose.
For more information on the licensing options available for the e-IRMER programme, please visit the eIntegrity website.
NHS healthcare staff in England
The e-IRMER programme is also available to NHS healthcare staff via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). Accessing this e-Learning via ESR means that your completions will transfer with you throughout your NHS career.
Further details are available here.