Diagnostic Imaging Non-Medical Referrers (NMR)

This page is for non-medical colleagues based at community sites who refer, or would like to be able to refer patients for imaging at DCH.

To apply you will need to complete an application form and return it to NMR@dchft.nhs.uk. You will also need to book onto IRMER training.

Please note before applying that we only accept applications from NMRs who have at least two years’ experience post registration.

Your application will be reviewed by the NMR governance team who may request to discuss your application with your delegating clinician or clinical lead before agreeing your protocol.

Once your application has been accepted and IRMER training attended you will then receive your signed entitlement to refer.

Please note there is a legal requirement for you to have a separate documented entitlement with each Trust that you refer to. 

All NMRs for diagnostic imaging must:

• Refer within their defined protocol and specified requesting agreement
• Adhere to the NMR responsibilities
• Have initial IRMER training and maintain three yearly refresher updates
• Submit an audit of compliance every two years
• Request more than five exams per annum to justify this requirement
• Once the clinical report is available the referrer has a duty to act upon the results, within their clinical context.

IR(ME)R initial training dates

• 16 October 2025, 9am – 11.30am

All training takes place in the Education Centre Lecture Theatre at DCH. Please email NMR@dchft.nhs.uk to book your place and specify the course date you require.

Refresher training is required every three years. If this lapses your requesting privilege will be revoked. This training is to ensure that NMRs understand their responsibilities as a Referrer under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IRMER). The NMR training sessions cover ionising radiation awareness and IRMER legislation including how these fit into your clinical practice.

New referrers

Please download the application form and email your request to NMR@dchft.nhs.uk (we will not accept paper copies).

Select the appropriate protocol with the relevant imaging modalities you require – the protocol number will need to be listed on your application (see protocol options below)

Please ensure you specify when you attended/planning to attend IRMER training.

Protocol options

Diagnostic Imaging NMR responsibilities

NMR imaging competency table

How to refer to DCH
Please read our PowerPoint presentation on how to refer to DCH.

Existing referrers

Audit template

Diagnostic Imaging NMR responsibilities

Acting on reports
It is the referrers responsibility to read and act on imaging reports, this is a crucial requirement of your role as a referrer. 

If you are sent an email from the iCommunicator inbox regarding a Radiological result, you must acknowledge the result by clicking reply and send on the email. You must reply to the email by sending a completely blank “reply” email – please ensure there are no words and no signature.

If you do not send a blank reply email the alerts will continue to be sent to you and will be registered as unacknowledged.

National Patient Safety Agency 16 notice – ‘Failure to act on Radiological Reports’

IR(ME)R

Below is information relating to your responsibilities under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposures) Regulations (IR(ME)R).

One Dorset IR(ME)R Policy

Royal College of Nursing NMR Guidelines

British Institute of Radiology NMR Statement

Diagnostic Imaging Department responsibilities for NMRs
Below sets out the responsibilities of the Diagnostic Imaging Department for the governance of non-medical referrers (NMRs), referring to DCH.

The NMR governance team includes:

• Chair of the Medical Exposures Group
• Imaging Department Manager
• Senior Radiographer/s
• Medical Physics Expert
• Radiologist/s.

Responsibilities

• Make appropriate documentation available to referrers
• Approve, adjust or reject applications
• Process applications and liaise with applicants/ delegating clinicians as required
• Agree scope of entitlement (inclusion criteria) for individual NMRs
• ·Keep up to date records of referrers
• Determine and advise on the level of training required relating to the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IRMER)
• Ensure that referrers have undertaken initial IRMER training prior to accepting imaging requests
• Offer update IRMER training
• Ensure that referrers are aware of any update/revisions of IRMER regulations that may be applicable to their practice
• Audit NMRs to ensure requests are appropriate, adhere to their requesting agreement and demonstrate professionalism and accountability in referring patients for diagnostic imaging procedures
• Monitor audit compliance with IRMER 2017
• Radiographers have the right to question a request for imaging before they justify the imaging exposure. These queries should be addressed in the first instance to the named referrer
• Remove requesting privileges if standards are not met and communicate this to the referrer.