MARLIN concludes with new publication on radiation incident reporting and learning

As part of the SAMIRA action plan in support of implementing Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom and improving radiation safety for Europe’s patients, the results of the 2-year MARLIN study yield a final report of guidelines and recommendations for reporting and learning from patient-related incidents and near misses in radiotherapy, interventional cardiology, nuclear medicine, and interventional and diagnostic radiology. Now published in the European Commission’s Radiation Protection Series, the report reiterates the mandate to monitor the use ionising radiation in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, report and investigate incidents and near misses, and disseminate the lessons learned, which are then utilized in staff training and safety measures. The incident learning system can be a comprehensive tool for reporting incidents, gathering evidence, analysing data and disseminating lessons, but their use varies across Europe. In one aspect, they can be administered by clinical facilities, competent authorities and professional societies, and some may contribute to international systems such as the IAEA’s Safety in Radiation Oncology (SAFRON) or ESTRO’s Radiation Oncology Safety Education Information System (ROSEIS).  The consortium led by EIBIR and containing experts also from EFOMP and ESTRO surveyed clinical facilities, competent authorities and professional societies to understand the advantages and disadvantages of systems in operation and best practices for implementing and maintaining them, leading to the formulation of consensus guidelines and recommendations, which were refined and adapted following consultation with competent authorities and European professional organisations in addition to a workshop held just before the end of the project. Professional societies, competent authorities, patient representatives and independent clinical experts comprised the project’s Advisory Board, which also provided vital guidance during the course of the study.  The final report explores additional topics such as particularities for each clinical field, protection of reporters, criteria for reporting, classification of incidents, just culture, disclosure and patient relations. Moreover, the benefits of collaboration among clinical facilities, competent authorities and professional societies are detailed, adding to a comprehensive perspective in this practice. The document should ease the implementation and maintenance of incident learning systems, a key component in ensuring the safe and quality use of ionising radiation in medicine and better outcomes in diagnosis and treatment for patients.  👉 Read the final report of the MARLIN study.