Radiation Protection Today Winter 2025 Issue 9 | Page 7

UK Health Security Agency( UKHSA) Updates

In Issue 8 of Radiation Protection Today, we reported that UKHSA was planning to publish an updated review of the ionising radiation exposure of the UK population later in 2025. This is now complete and published as a June 2025 version. Future updates will be made on a more regular basis as new data become available; so, for example, updates on radon / thoron inhalation and diagnostic medical exposures will be included in future versions. The latest version of the exposure breakdown figure( often known as the pie or doughnut chart) is as shown below and reflects current data.

This updated chart is very similar to the version published in 2016( Ionising radiation exposure of the UK population: 2010 review. PHE-CRCE-026). One notable change is that exposure from radon and thoron is now split between home and occupational exposure. Otherwise, the breakdown by source remains almost unchanged. Although the total annual collective dose has increased due to growth in the UK population, the average individual dose has slightly decreased from 2.7 mSv to 2.6 mSv per year.

‘ Living with Radiation '- updated Many readers will be familiar with the old NRPB publication, Living with Radiation. UKHSA is pleased to publish an updated version of this. This edition covers both ionising and non-ionising radiations from natural and artificial sources and is written in a clear, accessible style for non-experts. Differences between types of radiation are explained, along with relevant concepts and quantities and a wide range of radiation sources are described.

The publication also discusses the effects of radiation, and outlines the principles and practices of radiological protection used to manage and control these effects.

These updates can be accessed from www. ukhsa-protectionservices. org. uk / radiationandyou.

Ionising radiation exposure of the UK population, published June 2025

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