{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/ionising-radiation-medical-exposure-regulations-2017/regulation-12",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/ionising-radiation-medical-exposure-regulations-2017/regulation-12.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2017/1322",
  "legislation_title": "The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/ionising-radiation-medical-exposure-regulations-2017",
  "path": "regulation/12",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "12",
  "heading": "Optimisation",
  "text": "(1) In relation to all exposures to which these Regulations apply except radiotherapeutic exposures, the practitioner and the operator, to the extent of their respective involvement in an exposure, must ensure that doses arising from the exposure are kept as low as reasonably practicable consistent with the intended purpose.\n(2) In relation to all radiotherapeutic exposures the practitioner must ensure that exposures of target volumes are individually planned and their delivery appropriately verified taking into account that doses to non-target volumes and tissues must be as low as reasonably practicable and consistent with the intended radiotherapeutic purpose of the exposure.\n(3) Without prejudice to paragraphs (1) and (2), the operator must select equipment and methods to ensure that for each exposure the dose of ionising radiation to the individual undergoing the exposure is as low as reasonably practicable and consistent with the intended diagnostic or therapeutic purpose and in doing so must have regard, in particular to—\n(a) quality control;\n(b) assessment and evaluation of patient dose or administered activity; ...\n(c) adherence to such diagnostic reference levels for radiodiagnostic examinations and interventional radiology practices falling within regulation 3(1)(a), (b), (e) and (f) as the employer may have established, and\n(d) adherence to such dose reference levels for radiotherapeutic practices for typical localisation or verification exposures falling within regulation 3(1)(a) as the employer may have established,\nas set out in the employer’s procedures.\n(4) For each medical or biomedical research programme falling within regulation 3(1)(c), the employer’s procedures must provide that—\n(a) consent to take part in the research programme is given by or, where appropriate, on behalf of, the individuals concerned;\n(b) the individuals concerned , or their representative (if there is one) where appropriate, are informed in advance about the risks of the exposure;\n(c) the dose constraint set down in the employer’s procedures for individuals for whom no direct medical benefit is expected from the exposure is adhered to; and\n(d) individual target levels of doses are planned by the practitioner, either alone or with the input of the referrer, for patients who voluntarily undergo an experimental diagnostic or therapeutic practice from which the patients are expected to receive a diagnostic or therapeutic benefit.\n(5) In the case of regulation 3(1)(d), the employer’s procedures must provide that appropriate guidance is established for the exposure of carers and comforters.\n(6) In the case of patients undergoing treatment or diagnosis with radioactive substances, the employer’s procedures must provide that, where appropriate, written instructions and information are provided to—\n(a) the patient, where the patient has capacity or, as the case may be, competence to consent to the treatment or diagnostic procedure;\n(aa) where the patient is in England or Wales and is a child under the age of 16 who lacks competence to consent, a person with parental responsibility for the child;\n(ab) where the patient is in Scotland and is a child under the age of 16 who lacks capacity to consent, a person with parental responsibility for the child; or\n(b) where the patient is a person aged 16 or older who lacks capacity or, as the case may be competence, to consent, the person who appears to the operator to be the most appropriate person. ...\n(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(7) The instructions and information referred to in paragraph (6) must—\n(a) specify how doses resulting from the patient’s exposure can be restricted as far as reasonably possible so as to protect persons in contact with the patient;\n(b) set out the risks associated with ionising radiation; and\n(c) be provided to the patient or other person specified in paragraph (6) as appropriate prior to the patient leaving the radiological installation where the exposure was carried out.\n(8) In complying with the obligations under this regulation, the practitioner and the operator must pay particular attention in relation to—\n(a) ... exposures of children;\n(b) ... exposures as part of a health screening programme;\n(c) ... exposures involving high doses to the individual being exposed;\n(d) where appropriate, individuals in whom pregnancy cannot be excluded and who are undergoing an exposure, in particular if abdominal and pelvic regions are involved, taking into account the exposure of both the individual and any unborn child; and\n(e) where appropriate, individuals who are breastfeeding and who are undergoing an exposure involving the administration of radioactive substances, taking into account the exposure of both the individual and the child.\n(9) The employer must take steps to ensure that a clinical evaluation of the outcome of each exposure, other than where the person subject to the exposure is a carer or a comforter, is recorded in accordance with the employer’s procedures including, where appropriate, factors relevant to patient dose.\n(10) In this regulation, the references to—\n(a) a person’s capacity are to be read—\n(i) in relation to England and Wales, in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (in the case of a person aged 16 years or older); and\n(ii) in relation to Scotland, in accordance with the Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991 (in the case of a person under the age of 16) and the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 (in the case of a person aged 16 years or older); and\n(b) “parental responsibility” are to be read—\n(i) in relation to England and Wales, in accordance with the Children Act 1989; and\n(ii) in relation to Scotland, in accordance with the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Word in reg. 12(3)(a) substituted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(2)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in reg. 12(3) omitted (1.10.2024) by virtue of The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(2)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in reg. 12(3)(c) inserted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(2)(c)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in reg. 12(3)(c) substituted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(2)(c)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Reg. 12(3)(d) and word inserted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(2)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in reg. 12(4) substituted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(3)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Reg. 12(4)(a) substituted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(3)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in reg. 12(4)(b) inserted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(3)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in reg. 12(5) substituted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in reg. 12(6)(a) inserted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(5)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Reg. 12(6)(aa)(ab) inserted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(5)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Reg. 12(6)(b) substituted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(5)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Word in reg. 12(6) omitted (1.10.2024) by virtue of The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(5)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "Reg. 12(6)(c) omitted (1.10.2024) by virtue of The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(5)(e)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F15",
      "text": "Word in reg. 12(8)(a)-(c) omitted (1.10.2024) by virtue of The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(6)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F16",
      "text": "Word in reg. 12(8)(d) substituted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(6)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F17",
      "text": "Word in reg. 12(8)(e) substituted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(6)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F18",
      "text": "Reg. 12(10) inserted (1.10.2024) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/896), regs. 1(2), 11(7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Reg. 12 in force at 6.2.2018, see reg. 1"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/1322/regulation/12",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T23:03:58.483618+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}