A top Harley Street cancer consultant – who lectures on radiation safety – was exposed to levels 6 times above normal at an NHS hospital and has been fined £4,000 for flouting safety rules.
Dr. John Buscombe, 50, a Nuclear Medicine specialist, based at The London Clinic, 149 Harley Street has published 151 medical papers and 4 books and is a senior lecturer at Kings College and University College London.
As Consultant Physician in Nuclear Medicine to the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, he was in particular peril of radiation exposure and also ignored procedures.
The Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, of Pond Street, Hampstead admitted two summonses brought by the Health and Safety Executive at City of London Magistrates’ Court and was also ordered to pay £9,704 costs plus a £15 victim surcharge.
They admitted failing to take all necessary steps to restrict the extent their employees were exposed to radiation by failing to take adequate dose control measures and failed to designate Dr. Buscombe as a classified person between January and June 2007.
Prosecutor Mr. Michael La Rose told the court the hospital were duty-bound to monitor the radiation levels employees were exposed to and medical staff had to wear Thermo Luminescent Doseneters – basically badges that absorb radiation.
However, Dr. Buscombe (pictured above) failed to properly hand his badge in on several occasions – and the hospital failed to ensure he did – resulting in no records of his radiation exposure.
The consultant was exposed to danger when injecting cancer patients with radioactive matter used to track tumours.
Eventually checks detected Dr. Buscombe’s radiation exposure was six times the level normally associated with his role.
“We had safety at the forefront of our minds. We had competent people in place,” the Trust’s lawyer Mr. David Wood told the court, adding Dr. Buscombe himself lectures on radiation safety.
“There is no failure to provide protective equipment. It was all there for staff to use,” added Mr. Wood. “With the exception of Dr. Buscombe they utilized that equipment.”
The consultant was urgently referred to the Occupational Health Clinician and he was removed from duties involving exposure to radiation when the true levels were discovered and there have been no known ill effects.
The Trust agree they failed in not ensuring and insisting on the prompt return of the radiation badges.
“Dr. Buscombe’s badges were returned late or not at all,” added Mr. Wood. “They were also left in a different office and not with the others handed in by clinical staff.”
Bench Chairman Mr. Simon Morrison announced: “The Trust clearly fell short in its duty, however a significant part of the blame lies with the medical and technical staff and with Dr. Buscombe. He chose not to comply.”
A spokeswoman at The London Clinic said: “I don’t think it would be right for me to say anything about this.”
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