Analysis of ultraviolet phototherapy and photochemotherapy resources in Ireland.
BACKGROUND
Ultraviolet (UV) phototherapy is widely used and very successful in the treatment of skin conditions. As such a safe and efficient service is essential. At present, there are no standard Irish guidelines regarding the operation, calibration or inspection of UV equipment nor is there an Irish policy on staff/patient safety or training issues.


OBJECTIVE
To survey all known phototherapy centres in Ireland.


METHODS
A postal questionnaire was sent to all known phototherapy centres in Ireland addressed to the consultant dermatologist or the physiotherapist-in-charge. It was divided into six sections: Instrumentation, Quality Assurance, UV meters, equipment maintenance, patient/staff safety and training. Comments on current practice were invited. Non-respondents were contacted by telephone, in some cases the survey was mailed a second time.


RESULTS
This study demonstrated a substantial quantity of suboptimal equipment in use and a lack of consensus regarding quality assurance inspection and UV meter calibration frequency.


CONCLUSIONS
Guidelines must be established for calibration of UV equipment and standardisation of phototherapy protocols in Ireland.
Donohoe
A
A
Medical Physics and Bioengineering Department, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
O'Hare
N
N
Barnes
L
L
D002138:Calibration; D003880:Dermatology / Q000592:standards*; D004869:Equipment Safety; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008283:Maintenance; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D010814:Physical Therapy Department, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D017751:Safety Management; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires