Guide
Diagnostic imaging CQC compliance: policies, procedures and guidance
Imaging carries a distinct safety and governance weight, from ionising radiation to the never-off MRI magnet. This guide gathers the policies, procedure checklists, regulations and articles an imaging service has to get right, in one place.
What CQC weighs in diagnostic imaging
Diagnostic imaging services are inspected under the same five key questions as every CQC-registered service, but imaging carries a distinct safety weight: ionising radiation under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R), the never-off MRI magnet, contrast media reactions, and findings that have to reach the right clinician in time.
The weight falls on IR(ME)R local rules and radiation safety, MRI safety and screening, contrast media safety, image reporting standards and turnaround, and the disclosure of incidental findings. The materials below are organised around that evidence trail.
Start with the guidance
Two reads that frame what inspectors actually look for in an imaging service.
Safety
MRI safety and CQC compliance
MRI looks like the safe modality, but the magnet is never off. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) safety framework, the named roles, and the governance evidence CQC expects.
Read
Sector focus
IR(ME)R compliance for imaging services
Duty-holders, local rules and the radiation-safety evidence CQC looks for in a diagnostic imaging service.
Read
Policies for diagnostic imaging
5 sample policies written for diagnostic imaging services. Each is a starting point to adapt to your service, roles and local arrangements, not a document to adopt unchanged.
Reg 12
Contrast media safety and reaction management policy (diagnostic imaging)
Regulation 12 applied to contrast media: screening, consent, safe administration and anaphylaxis response. A Verivius sample template to adapt, not ready to use.
Read
Reg 12
Image reporting standards and turnaround policy (diagnostic imaging)
Reporting standards, reporter scope, urgent-finding alerts and turnaround monitoring under Regulations 12 and 17. A Verivius sample to adapt, not a live policy.
Read
Reg 20
Incidental findings disclosure and follow-up policy (diagnostic imaging)
How incidental findings get recorded, disclosed and followed up under duty of candour (Regulation 20) and Regulation 12. A Verivius sample, adapt before adoption.
Read
Reg 12
IR(ME)R local rules and radiation safety policy (diagnostic imaging)
IR(ME)R 2017 and IRR 2017 duties, from local rules and justification to dose-incident response, under Regulation 12. A Verivius sample template, adapt before use.
Read
Reg 12
MRI safety and screening policy (diagnostic imaging)
Covers MRI screening, Zone 1 to 4 access control and quench response against Regulation 12 and MHRA guidance. Adapt this Verivius sample to your scanner.
Read
Checklists
Audit and readiness checklists to self-check a single area before an inspection.
Reg 17
Incident reporting and learning procedure checklist
A practical incident reporting and learning checklist for small CQC-regulated providers, focused on recording, investigation, candour and shared learning.
Read
Reg 12
Infection prevention and control procedure checklist
A practical infection prevention and control checklist for small CQC-regulated providers, focused on hand hygiene, cleaning, PPE and outbreak readiness.
Read
The general checklists (consent, staffing, training, governance) apply to imaging services too. Browse the full checklist library.
The regulations that carry the most weight
The standards an imaging service is most often tested against, each with the duty quoted from the primary source.
Reg 9
Regulation 9: person-centred care
Care shaped around the patient, including how findings are shared.
Read
Reg 12
Regulation 12: safe care and treatment
Safe care: radiation, MRI safety and contrast media.
Read
Reg 13
Regulation 13: safeguarding
Recognising and referring safeguarding concerns.
Read
Reg 17
Regulation 17: good governance
Reporting standards, turnaround and the records that show learning.
Read
Reg 20
Regulation 20: duty of candour
Being open and honest when a finding is missed or delayed.
Read
Reg 18
Statutory notifications
What CQC has to be told about, and when.
Read
See the diagnostic imaging setup in your service
The policies and checklists are free to download and adapt. Verivius loads the diagnostic imaging content into your account from day one, so radiation safety, MRI screening, contrast reactions, reporting turnaround and CQC notifications sit in one structured trail. A Verivius consultant (an ex-CQC inspector) can also work through any of this with you against the live regulation and your service shape.
Free to start, no card. A 14-day trial when you subscribe.
Last reviewed 30 June 2026