Law regulating radiation physicians from June

The qualifications of occupational physicians with expertise in radiation will be regulated under a new act as of 1 June 2017, said an official press release.

In addition to familiarity with occupational healthcare, the physicians must also have completed training in radiation protection which ensures a sufficient level of expertise in the health effects of radiation and the risks of radiation in different work tasks that expose employees to radiation.

The President intends to confirm the relevant legislative changes on 24 March.

In future, only a physician that has been recognised through the new procedure can work as an occupational physician monitoring the health of workers in category A, either in the private or the public sector.

Workers in category A are employees that may in their work be exposed to radiation to such an extent that personal monitoring of radiation doses must be arranged for them.

The right to work as an occupational physician with expertise in radiation will in future be granted by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira).

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health estimates that 30 to 40 physicians will apply a year to Valvira for recognition of this qualification.

The majority of occupational physicians do not work with employees that are exposed to radiation in their work. All occupational physicians are therefore not required to complete the radiation protection training referred to in the new act.

Until now, the qualification of a physician responsible for medical surveillance has been recognised by the Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) on application.

Valvira will begin to maintain on their website a list of occupational physicians with expertise in radiation who are recorded in the Central Register of Healthcare Professionals (Terhikki).

Currently, about 460 qualified physicians are in the STUK register. The details of these physicians will be submitted to Valvira for verification. After verification, Valvira will add the approved physicians to the Terhikki register, provided that they wish to continue as occupational physicians with expertise in radiation as defined in the new act.

Valvira will make contact with all physicians who presently have this qualification and will provide instructions as to how they can provide Valvira with a notification of their desire to continue as occupational physicians with expertise in radiation.

The radiation protection training referred to in the new act can in future be provided by universities and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health is currently the only institution providing this kind of radiation protection training.

The new act implements the EU’s new directive on radiation safety. At the same time, the provisions and regulatory guidelines on the recognition of physicians have been stipulated in the act as required by the Constitution.