AT THE CUTTINGEDGE OF THE MEDICALENGINEERING INTERFACE

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RPA 2000 and its role in the qualifications
process
P F Sharp Chairman, RPA2000
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An Assessing Body under IRR99
RECOGNISED 30 March 2000
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STRUCTURE
A company limited by guarantee

• RPA2000 BOARD
• 2 IPEM
• 2 SRP
• 1 AURPO
• 1 IRP

ASSESSORS
DECISIONS
ADVICE
SRP QPSC
IPEM RPWG
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RPA 2000 Assessors
14 NHS 5 Nuclear Power 4 MOD Etc 4
Industry 2 University 2 NRPB
Assessment Secretary (Ian Keyes)
Administrator SRP (Tessa Harris)
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RPA 2000 Assessments
Certificate of Competence to be an RPA under IRR99
Core Competent Assessed against HSE
Criteria Suitability NOT assessed
Specialist Certificate

• Only Specialist Area Assessed
• E.g.
• Laser Safety
• Instrument Calibration
• Dosimetry
• Criticality

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Received
Being processed
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RPA 2000 Evidence
Assessment based on a Portfolio of Evidence

• Personal Information
• Education and Training
• Material to illustrate breadth and depth of
  experience

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Competencies

• Supporting risk control
• updating radiation safety policies
• assessing risk
• establishing radiation controls
• monitoring controls

• Cultivating safety awareness
• legislation compliance
• training of staff
• contribute to advances in safety

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RPA 2000 Concerns
December 2004 Grandparenting rights stop!!
Rush of late applications
Assessors couldnt cope
Applicants disappointed (Job!)
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Deadlines
RPA 2000 Statement (29 October 2003)
Applications for certification
Received on or before 31 March 2004
Guaranteed
Received on or before 30 June 2004
Expect to complete but no Guarantee
Received after 30 June 2004
No assurance of completion
Today is 30 JUNE
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REVIEW
RPA2000 was initially recognised for 3-4
years. Had to submit evidence that it
still meets requirements for an Assessing
Body.
What lessons had we learnt ?
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Timescale for reviewing applications too
optimistic
TARGET 90 DAYS
Time taken to assess applications
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Quality Assurance
ASSESSORS AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS

• Improved guidance on content and structure
  of portfolios

• Annual meeting of assessors

• Random sampling of completed assessments

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SPECIALIST CERTIFICATES
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LPA CERTIFICATION
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National Care Standards Commission
Certification of LPAs
No clarity about depth of required knowledge
and expertise
Draft protocol drawn up and being
circulated for comments
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PORTFOLIO
Basic Underpinning Knowledge
Demonstration of Practical Competence
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Basic Underpinning Knowledge

• Principles of laser operation and beam
  propagation
• Basic eye and skin biology
• Interaction of laser radiation with matter
• Detection and measurement methods for laser
  radiation
• ..

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PRACTICAL COMPETENCIES

• Supporting risk control
• Updating radiation safety policies
• Assessing risk
• Establishing laser safety controls
• .

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HAVE WE GONE TOO FAR WITH CERTIFICATION ?
Should we continue with the specialist laser
certificate for those who dont need the
full LPA one ?
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Are we killing off laser protection
activity ?
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Or making it more healthy ?
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Or making it more healthy ?
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RPA2000 BOLDLY GOES INTO THE FUTURE
Re-Certification