A Chalfont St Giles healthcare company has been told it must improve training for staff who transport radioactive material after a package was damaged in a crash. 

The GE Healthcare driver was involved in a crash near York in the early hours of February 16 while their vehicle was in transit from Birmingham Airport. 

Minor damage was caused to a radiopharmaceutical package in the crash but fortunately the driver was not hurt and there was no risk to the public or the environment. 

Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive medicines commonly used for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer which are routinely transported to medical facilities across the country.

But there are strict rules surrounding the transporting of these medicines that are regulated by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) to protect workers and the public. 

An ONR investigation found that there were "administrative shortfalls" in training for staff involved in the transport of radioactive materials. 

They found that GE Healthcare Ltd's employees were not correctly trained for transporting the materials or in suitable emergency response procedures. 

It is required by law that all persons receive suitable training appropriate to their responsibilities and duties for transport of radioactive material.

An ONR spokesperson said: "We have determined that GE Healthcare Ltd, as an employer, is contravening legal requirements with regard to the training of persons involved in the carriage of dangerous goods.

"We will engage with GE Healthcare Ltd during the period of the improvement notice to ensure adequate progress is made to address the shortfalls."

GE Healthcare Ltd, which is based out of Pollards Wood on Nightingales Lane, must ensure duty freight officers are appropriately trained and the improvement notice has to be complied with by September 30 this year.

A GE Healthcare spokesperson said: “Safety is our first priority and our distribution teams have already undertaken additional training. We are reviewing any further requirements and are in regular contact with the Office of Nuclear Regulation to update them on progress.”