Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the medical sector and radiation protection meeting events in which ASN usually participates were postponed or held on-line. On the other hand, ASN was able to meet the radiology professionals during the French Radiology Days organised for the first time in a “hybrid” mode in October 2021. 1.2.2 A platform to facilitate on-line procedures The regulatory procedures are gradually undergoing their digital transformation on teleservices.asn.fr, the on-line services portal. ASN thus aims to facilitate the procedures for professionals, which helps to promote the culture of safety. Twelve declaration and notification forms were already available (including the declarations for possessing devices and sources and reporting events in the transport of dangerous goods). As of 1 July 2021, entry into effect of the new simplified authorisation system –the registration system– has been accompanied by the placing on line of 12 new registration application forms available to nuclear activity supervisors in the industrial, medical, veterinary and research sectors. ASN was thus able to allow a dematerialised procedure, as soon as the new regulations came into effect. 1.2.3 A newsletter for sharing good practices The newsletter Patient safety –Paving the way for progress was created in March 2011 to keep radiotherapy professionals informed of the lessons learned from significant radiation protection events. Since July 2019 it alternates between subjects devoted to radiotherapy, diagnostic medical imaging (conventional, computed tomography scanning and nuclear medicine) and FGIPs. Produced by multidisciplinary working groups coordinated by ASN, the newsletter offers a thematic presentation of the good practices of medical departments and the recommendations developed by the learned societies of the discipline concerned and the health and radiation protection institutions. Two issues were published in 2021, Ionising radiation: limiting the exposures of women unaware of their pregnancy (September) and Patient follow-up further to radiotherapy incidents –A review of the ASN‑SFRO scale after 10 years of existence (October). Three events formed the subject of a “Lessons learned” sheet, namely Jamming of the radioactive source during a Pulsed Dose-Rate (PDR) brachytherapy treatment (February), Error in the calibration of a linear particle accelerator (October) and, in medical imaging, Installation of a computed tomography scanner with spectral technology (September). These publications are available on asn.fr. 1. According to Article L. 592-32 of the Environment Code. 1.3 ASN and the media ASN maintains regular relations with the regional, national and foreign media throughout the year. Each year, the ASN spokespersons respond to more than 500 press requests and give some twenty local and national press conferences. The majority of the press requests relate to specific facilities. Some nevertheless concern more general issues: continued operation of the reactors, safety improvements, radioactive waste management and decommissioning. ASN also maintains relations with the medical press on the subjects of patient and medical personnel radiation protection. Each year at the time of the publication of its annual Report on the situation of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France, ASN meets regional press journalists. In 2021, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ASN held regional video conferences between late May and mid-September which brought together 80 journalists. At these meetings, the ASN regional divisions report on ASN’s assessment of the safety of the facilities in the regions. The current regional news in the area of radiation protection is addressed, whether it concerns the medical and industrial sectors, sites contaminated by radioactive substances, population exposure to radon, or former mining sites, etc. Lastly, ASN has a duty to inform the public in the event of an emergency situation(1). In order to prepare for this, ASN staff receives specific training and take part in emergency exercises. Emergency exercises are held each year, with simulated media pressure from journalists designed to test ASN’s responsiveness to the media, as well as the consistency and quality of the messages put across by the various players, both nationally and locally (see chapter 4). 1 • LA SÉCURITÉ DU PATIENT • Rayonnements ionisants : limiter les expositions des femmes ignorant leur grossesse POUR UNE DYNAMIQUE DE PROGRÈS LA SÉCURITÉ DU PATIENT # RAYONNEMENTS IONISANTS : LIMITER LES EXPOSITIONS DES FEMMES IGNORANT LEUR GROSSESSE Bulletin à l’attention des demandeurs et réalisateurs d’actes médicaux utilisant les rayonnements ionisants Conseil National professionnel de radiologie et imagerie médicale (G4) AUTORITÉ DE SÛRETÉ NUCLÉAIRE Septembre 2021 POUR UNE DYNAMIQUE DE PROGRÈS LA SÉCURITÉ DU PATIENT # LE SUIVI DES PATIENTS À LA SUITE D’INCIDENTS DE RADIOTHÉRAPIE BILAN DES 10 ANS DE L’ÉCHELLE ASN-SFRO Bulletin à l’attention des professionnels de la radiothérapie AUTORITÉ DE SÛRETÉ NUCLÉAIRE Octobre 2021 Patient safety newsletters published in September and October 2021 THE SUBJECTS AT THE CORE OF MEDIA ATTENTION A number of subjects received particular attention from the media and the public opinion in 2021: the construction site of the Flamanville EPR reactor, the fourth periodic safety review of the 900 Megawatts electric (MWe) reactors, the position of ASN concerning the break preclusion approach of the EPR 2 reactor, the safety improvements made to the French nuclear fleet further to the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident, the incident that occurred on the Taishan EPR in China. The year 2021 was also marked by the continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic. A great many questions were asked concerning the state of safety of the nuclear facilities and the organisation put in place by ASN to check them. The journalists moreover remained attentive to the question of the anomalies in the welds of certain nuclear equipment items, announced by EDF in 2018‑2019. The anomalies in the Flamanville EPR reactor penetration welds in particular were the subject of numerous interactions with the press. The incidents that occurred on certain nuclear sites (Penly, Flamanville, Golfech, Bugey) also interested the local media. With regard to current events in the medical sector, the press focused more particularly on dose optimisation, especially in the area of nuclear medicine, and exposure to radon. 184 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2021 05 – INFORMING THE PUBLIC AND OTHER AUDIENCES
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