Radiology |
B7
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Guidelines
Guidelines
Making the best use of clinical radiology services (MBUR) is now iRefer.
New name, new guidelines, new evidence
The latest edition of The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR's) imaging referral guidelines, iRefer is now in its seventh edition:
- Developed to ensure patients benefit from timely and accurate diagnoses
- Guides justification under IR(ME)R
- Provides the most appropriate imaging investigation(s) or intervention for any diagnostic or imaging problem
- Informs decisions about the commissioning of imaging and interventional services
- Practical guidance based on the best available evidence, with expert medical and radiological opinion
Why are the guidelines needed?
- The evidence-based referral guidelines, iRefer, help in the choice of the right radiological investigation.
- Early exclusion of serious pathology reassures and empowers patients and referring clinicians.
- Prompt diagnosis will lead to the patient having the most appropriate treatment
- The right imaging leads to patient referral to the appropriate specialty (if needed) and reduces inappropriate specialist referral
- Best use of available funding.
- Direct access to the right imaging helps the commissioners to reduce any unnecessary referrals to hospital specialists and to ease the pressure on the acute hospitals and also helps in optimal utilisation of resources and funding.
- The use of imaging guidelines (iRefer) is supported by NHS Evidence.
Why do I have to pay for the guidelines?
The sixth edition of the guidelines was made available to all UK NHS professionals via a licence agreement with the Department of Health. Regretfully this arrangement ended on 30 November 2011 and the seventh edition will therefore not be available to all UK healthcare professionals free of charge.
Discussions are under way with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to provide country-wide access to the guidelines.
The Royal College of Radiologists has endeavoured to keep the prices as low as feasibly possible, given the need to support the development of further editions, and iRefer is available in variety of formats to suit all budgets.
For further details and prices please see:
Anticoagulant Advice for Radiology Guided Drainages and Biopsies
High Risk Anticoagulation Flowchart
Low Risk Anticoagulation Flowchart
Guideline documents
GP referral for musculoskeletal MRI (RAD-016)
GP referral for musculoskeletal Ultrasound (RAD-017)