Hi,
(apologies for cross posting on ynic-users and psych lists)
We'd like to update you on the current University guidelines on research
scanning, the restrictions we have, and what we have put in place to
keep everyone as COVID-safe as possible. Lauren Welbourne has put
together the following summary for all of us:
Under current Government, University, and Departmental guidelines, we
are able to resume MRI research scanning at YNiC under our new COVID
procedure. However, during the current National lockdown we are only
permitted to scan participants that are either University staff or
students - you cannot scan anyone who is not part of the University.
Due to a number of staff organizational changes at YNiC (and the
challenges we are all facing at the moment) we are limited in the amount
of operator scanning hours we can provide to users. Therefore, we are
investing a large proportion of our timetabled scanning hours into
helping research groups complete (or renew) their operator training, to
enable groups to scan at more flexible hours without the need for YNiC
operators. The benefits of this are not only that research groups will
have the flexibility to scan outside of operator-covered scanning slots,
but this also protects ongoing research at YNiC - should any member of
staff be required to isolate (which may cease all operator-covered
scanning temporarily) research groups that are already operator trained
will be able to continue scanning safely.
We have put together a detailed and thorough COVID protocol, and all
researchers that wish to resume scanning will be required to undergo
training on this protocol. This also covers what information you must
communicate with your participant - we have produced a document which
the participant must sign in order to take part in a YNiC research scan,
which ensures that the participant understands their responsibilities,
and also reassures them of what our responsibilities are to them and the
procedures we have put in place. Our goal is to resume research
scanning whilst keeping our staff, researchers, and participants as safe
as possible.
Until we are satisfied with the timings and requirements of each
research group, operator-covered slots will last two hours, which
includes the time required for cleaning between each participant - only
one participant will be permitted in the centre at any time. These
scanning slots will be identifiable on the PTS booking system as
operator-covered slots that last 1hour 45minutes.
At present, on Tuesdays and Thursdays YNiC will provide 2 operators for
each scanning slot (i.e. the researcher does not need to have any
operator training), whereas on Wednesdays and Fridays only 1 YNiC
operator will be provided - these slots are intended for researchers
that intend on renewing their operator training, or who have one
qualified operator and so require YNiC to provide the second operator
for the scanning session.
Following feedback from research groups that are ready to resume
scanning, the operator-cover we provide will only be for the Siemens
scanner. However, we will regularly review the scanning allocations,
and adjust as necessary, including introducing scanning/training hours
on the MEG and GE scanners when possible.
I appreciate that this is a large amount of information to digest, but
we encourage anyone who is hoping to resume/begin scanning to get in
touch with us at support(a)ynic.york.ac.uk where we can assist you further
and get you ready to scan.
Lastly, we are planning to have a period of training in December (out of
term) so that labs can get themselves equipped to run more independently
and flexibly when (hopefully) services resume in the new year. Details
will follow in a separate email.
Best wishes,
--
André
************************************************************************
André Gouws PhD
Oparations Manager
York Neuroimaging Centre and York Diagnostic Imaging
University of York
The Biocentre
York Science Park
Heslington
YO10 5NY
Tel: +44 (0) 1904 435327
Fax: +44 (0) 1904 435356
