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SRP5 (07) - Press Release

Embargoed until 0000hrs 11th December 2007

Royal Charter for Radiological Protection Professionals

Scientists working to ensure the health and safety of all from exposure to radiation are celebrating a landmark achievement for their learned society. In a ceremony at 3.00pm today in The Queen's Robing Room of the House of Lords today (11th December 2007) the Society for Radiological Protection (SRP) will receive a Royal Charter of Incorporation. The Charter will be accepted from Ian Denyer, Head of the Crown Office and Deputy Clerk of the Crown in Chancery by SRP President Sheila Liddle.

"This achievement has come to fruition after several years of intensive effort by many of the Society's members" said Ms Liddle, "and I am delighted that I have been able to contribute during my Presidential year. Radiation Protection is a multi-discipline science; physicists, chemists, biologists, engineers and statisticians all contribute in different ways to the management of the risks from working with radiation. Until now however there has been no general title that identifies radiation safety practitioners from all these fields to employers and the public as expert specialists. The Royal Charter remedies this. A corporate member of the Society who can demonstrate appropriate qualifications, professional competence and effective work will now be titled Chartered Radiation Protection Professional (CRadP)."

Welcoming the opportunity to present formally the Royal Charter, Mr Denyer said "The Society for Radiological Protection has long been at the forefront of promoting health and safety. Its membership represents all areas involving the use of ionising and non-ionising radiation. In recent years members of the SRP have contributed to resolving issues of national and international importance. Society members are making significant contributions to the management of the nuclear legacy and the debate on new nuclear build. Throughout academia, hospitals and regulatory bodies the SRP plays a key role in promoting high scientific and professional standards. Society members are prominent in the work of the International Commission on Radiation Protection. The award of a Royal Charter is a fitting recognition of one of the UK's leading learned societies."

Ends

Notes to Editors:

1. The grant of a Royal Charter to the Society for Radiological Protection was approved at the meeting of the Privy Council, held by Her Majesty the Queen, on 10th October 2007. The Charter is effective from 10th December 2007.

2. Founded in 1963, the Society for Radiological Protection is the Scientific Society in the UK that covers the whole field of radiation protection. It now has in excess of 2,100 national and international members, who are professionally concerned with safety aspects of the use of ionising and non-ionising radiation in education, central and local government, industry, medicine and research.

3. The Society has the following objectives:-

to promote and advance the science of radiological protection and allied fields;
to promote, advance and disseminate to the public advantage, knowledge of radiological protection and allied fields;
to encourage, support, promote and advance education and learning in radiological protection and allied fields;
to promote and encourage high scientific, educational, regulatory and professional standards in radiological protection and allied fields.
Further information on the Society for Radiological Protection is available at www.srp-uk.org

4. The 2007/2008 President of the Society for Radiological Protection, Sheila Liddle MSc, CPhys, FSRP, CMIOSH is a Consultant Radiation Protection Adviser based near Bristol. She spent thirty years in the nuclear industry before taking early retirement from the MoD and setting up her own consultancy. She now provides advice and support to a range of clients.

5. This press release was written for the Society for Radiological Protection by Brian Gornall and distributed for the SRP by the Institute of Physics Press Office. He may be contacted for further information on 01453 547233 or 07836 667163.

6. The Society's next Scientific Meeting, Education and Training in Radiation Protection, will be held at the Royal Geographic Society, London on 30th January 2008.

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