The Regional Radiation Protection Service has an expert role in mammography physics and is integrated with the National Centre for the Co‑ordination of Physics in Mammography (NCCPM).
Services are provided to the NHS Breast Screening Programme regionally, at the Jarvis (Guildford), West Sussex (Worthing), North and East Devon (Exeter) and Barking, Havering and Redbridge (Romford) together with NHS and Private Hospitals.
The physics support includes advice on optimisation of dose and image quality. Commissioning surveys are carried out for new equipment and 6 monthly routine testing is performed on each unit.
Testing protocols reflect current national guidance including IPEM Report 89 “The Commissioning and Routine Testing of Mammographic X-ray Systems”, NHSBSP Report 0604 “Commissioning and Routine Testing of Full Field Digital Mammography Systems” and NHSBSP Report 1407 “Routine Quality Control Tests for Breast Tomosynthesis”. Advice is also given on local Quality Control programmes.
Mammography physics support is also provided to one of the largest national independent healthcare providers with 3 monthly postal audits of the local quality control systems at each centre.