Can I become a HRA-registered radiation reviewer?

Last updated on 1 Oct 2020

We are continuing to recruit a panel of HRA Radiation Assurance reviewers made up of lead Clinical Radiation Experts (CREs) and Medical Physics Expert (MPEs) to assist us in reviewing studies through the UK wide Radiation Assurance process.  

We are inviting MPEs and CREs to register to become HRA Radiation Assurance reviewers. This includes, but is not limited to, reviewers with the following expertise:

  • radiology, including general radiology exposures for CREs
  • nuclear medicine 
  • radiotherapy
  • cardiology
  • gastroenterology
  • oncology
  • neurology
  • paediatrics
  • rheumatology
  • vascular specialities

Candidates should have experience of carrying out local IRMER compliance reviews, as well as lead MPE/CRE reviews. We will provide a short online training course about the review process to successful candidates.

As a HRA-registered reviewer, you can opt to review studies on behalf of your employer, as an independent reviewer (eg registered as a sole trader or limited company), or both. You can also opt to review HRA-managed studies, self-managed studies, or both. There are further details about HRA-managed and self-managed studies on the Applying for Radiation Assurance page.

Can being a reviewer help with CPD?

CREs who are members of the Royal College of Radiologists and are registered to review through Radiation Assurance can claim one continuing professional development (CPD) point for each review they complete.

MPEs who are registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) may be able to claim the reviews they complete through Radiation Assurance as CPD activities, which can be contributed to a CPD portfolio.

Further details about the role:

If you have any queries around the role, or would like an informal chat, please contact radiation.assurance@hra.nhs.uk.

Giles Morrison

“Radiation is an explicit part of the ethical approval process. I see the reviewer role as being about assuring patient safety in research that uses ionising radiation.

"The changes have been piloted, with the intention of reducing the burden of approval at local sites by ensuring that high quality protocols, participant information sheets and comprehensive IRAS applications are submitted to Research Ethics Committees. 

"The outcome was that the quality of applications improved and it is anticipated that ultimately local approval processes become simply a question of capacity and capability, reducing delays to study recruitment."

Giles Morrison, Medical Physics Expert and HRA expert advisor

Interested in applying? 

There are different document requirements depending on whether you want to apply to review for your employer, as an independent, or both.

All candidates who are interested in registering should provide:

  • proof of registration to the appropriate professional body
  • a current CV (two-pages maximum)
  • a completed HRA reviewer registration form
  • a covering letter describing how they meet the role requirements.

Candidates who are applying to review studies on behalf of their employer should also provide:

  • a letter of support from their line manager confirming that:
    • they are content for the candidate to take on this role on behalf of the employing organisation; and
    • which specialist areas they are content for the candidate to review within.

Candidates who are applying to review as an independent reviewer should also provide:

  • an email confirming that they are registered as a sole trader or limited company
  • a professional indemnity certificate.

MPE candidates who are applying to review studies for both their employer and as an independent reviewer should also provide:

  • agreement from their line manager that they can work in an independent capacity. This can be included in the line manager's letter of support if applying to review studies on behalf of their employer and as an independent reviewer at the same time.

The above documents should be submitted to radiation.assurance@hra.nhs.uk, with the subject line: 'Reviewer registration application'. 

You can see how we use any personal data provided to us in our privacy notice.

Candidates who are part time workers should notify us of this together with their working days in their submission. This is to ensure that we communicate with them effectively and, if successful, only assign studies for review on their working days.

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