The radiographer’s role in tackling drugs crime
 The Society has issued new guidance to help members understand the implications of legislation that allows police to use x-ray and ultrasound to search suspects for drugs.
The Drugs Bill states that a police officer of at least the rank of inspector can authorise an x-ray or ultrasound scan if he has reasonable grounds to believe that a person in detention has swallowed a Class A drug, or was in possession of it with the appropriate criminal intent before his/her arrest.
The officer is required to get the consent of the suspect in writing and the x-ray or scan can only be carried out by a 'suitably qualified person' at a 'hospital, a registered medical practitioner's surgery or some other place, used for medical purposes'.
The SoR raised a number of concerns over the implications for radiographers and for those being examined. Following an investigation with the help of Mark Viner from the Association of Forensic Radiographers, the SoR has affirmed that x-ray examinations fall under IR(ME)R and that the referrer should be medical practitioner (normally a forensic medical examiner) and not a police officer.
The information is contained in The Society and College of Radiographers' The United Kingdom Parliament Drugs Act 2005 PDF
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