South East Imaging Training Academy

The geographical footprint of the SE Imaging Training Academy is aligned to the geography of the four Imaging Networks. There are 4 Academy Hubs across the South East region; Thames Valley, Surrey, Sussex and Frimley, Wessex, and Kent & Medway. The SE ITA therefore includes Dorset NHS Trusts, and Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust within its scope.  

Imaging Training Academies have the potential to provide greater value to the health system than traditional education models as they:

Enable training and supervision capacity to be expanded quickly and much more cost effectively.

Enable innovation in training through rapid at scale adoption of technology enhanced learning and new multi-disciplinary learning models.

Accelerate independent working and service delivery productivity of trainees.

Enable more geographical equity in the distribution of training and hence the health professional workforce.

South East Imaging Training Academy will support education and training for the following professions:

1.  Diagnostic Radiographers

2.  Reporting Radiographers

3.  Clinical Radiologists

4.  Sonographers

5.  Mammographers

6.  Assistant Practitioners

7.  Radiology Nurses

8.  Radiology ancillary staff: Clinical support workers / Admin & Clerical / management

9. Medical Physicists

Diagnostics: Recovery and Renewal – Report of the Independent Review of Diagnostic Services for NHS England: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/diagnostics-recovery-and-renewal-report-of-the-independent-review-of-diagnostic-services-for-nhs-england/

Diagnostic Imaging Network implementation guide: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/B0030-Implementation-guide.pdf

Tony Newman-Sanders, Academy Lead: t.newman-sanders@nhs.net

Annette Morton, Senior Sonography Lead: annette.morton3@nhs.net

Leslee Henry, SE ITA Senior Project Manager: leslee.henry@nhs.net

For more information about any of the details outlined, please do contact us directly on england.canceranddiagnostics.se@nhs.net

. Education Development Leads – through a Training Needs Analysis and regional Task and Finish groups these roles are leading the identification and development of region-wide profession-specific educational content. Completed thus far:

–  Reporting Radiography

–  Diagnostic Radiography

Planned for 2023/24:  

.   Mammographers

.   Radiology Nurses

.   Assistant Practitioners

·    Senior Sonography Lead – Recruitment underway to appoint a Sonography Lead to support core South East Imaging Training Academy and region wide ultrasound leadership to develop education and training.

·      Radiology Trainee (Medic) curriculum – Development of region wide Academy trainee teaching, through ST1 [E.G., Anatomy and Medical Physics], ST2 – 3 and ST 4 – 5 programmes.

·       New technologies – Procurement of an Image Sharing Platform to enable and support regional teaching and learning. With a 2-phase plan of integration into regional Trust PACs.

·       Medical Physics regional training – Early stages of exploration to support increase of medical physics / healthcare scientist training across the South East.

·       Network / Hub site development – Providing funding to support continuation of Academy hub pilot schemes and further 2023/24 development.

·       Imaging Training Academy sustainability – Through regional assessment and national guidance produce a plan to align the Academy to local systems to become self-sustaining beyond 2024/25.

·       Maturity Assessment – Regional self-assessment of the Academy’s maturity against the national objectives.

NHS careers: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk

 Education and Career Framework (4^th Edition): https://www.sor.org/learning-advice/professional-body-guidance-and-publications/documents-and-publications/policy-guidance-document-library/education-and-career-framework-fourth

·      Radiography Apprenticeship – development of the imaging and radiography workforce at all levels through apprenticeship programmes from Level 3 – 6.

·       Reporting Radiographer training – To support the upskilling of radiographers in image interpretation and reporting, increasing the number of radiographers who can contribute to image interpretation and reporting within clinical imaging teams.

·       Radiology Practice Education – To provide support for learners at all levels, through all routes of education and training, supporting new and existing practice education roles where appropriate, and increasing of practice placement capacity. To include: sonography, mammography, medical physics, clinical engineering, educational route additional support, diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers for all levels of learners.

·       Development and upskilling to enhanced level of practice -To support the upskilling of the imaging and radiography workforce to enable them to practice at enhanced level, through all four core pillars of practice; clinical, education, research and leadership. Support will also be explored in leadership and research at Advanced Practice level.

·       Healthcare Science Apprenticeships and Technologist training – Supporting employers to train medical physics technologists via programmes such as Healthcare Science Practitioner Level 6 Apprenticeship in Medical Physics and IPEM Clinical technologist Training Scheme.

·       CT Colonography training – Supporting radiographers and radiologists to develop skills within scan acquisition and interpretation in colonography.