Introduction The FORCE initiative, funded by the EU, was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on radiography education. It offers a virtual learning environment (VLE) filled with clinical simulation scenarios targeting Diagnostic Imaging, Nuclear Medicine, and Radiotherapy. These scenarios are designed to provide open-access, simulation-based learning (SBL) resources that help radiography undergraduates engage in problem-based learning across relevant clinical knowledge and professional awareness. This study presents the results of an online survey aimed at evaluating the FORCE VLE and SBL resources to guide future development. Methods The survey targeted academic and clinical staff in Radiography and student Radiographers. It was based on the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and modified to include topics relevant to online learning, using a five-point Likert Scale (LS). The questionnaire consisted of four sections: research information and consent; socio-demographic data; LS-based questions on case structure, content, interactivity, technical aspects, multimedia quality, and overall experience; and open-text responses. Results Of the 407 invited participants, 109 (27 %) responded, with 77 % being students and 23 % clinical or academic radiographers from 13 countries. English proficiency was reported by 76 % of respondents. The median LS was consistently 4 across all categories, indicating high satisfaction. Content analysis of 159 open-text comments revealed 139 positive opinions on the SBL resources. Conclusion The FORCE VLE SBL resources were highly regarded for their interactivity, applicability, and support in consolidating knowledge and enhancing patient care. Suggestions for improvement were minor, mainly focusing on navigation and specific content preferences. Implications for practice Expanding the availability of online SBL cases could enhance Radiographer education and promote inclusivity across the field.

OBJECTIVES:In the United Kingdom (UK) Radiography advanced practitioners (RAPs) report mammographic images, however unlike other professional groupings who read mammograms, no data are available describing factors that impact reading performance. This preliminary study explores whether or not factors such as experience, mind set, access to prior images encountered by RAPs could impact upon their performance. METHODS:The performance of 15 RAPs interpreting a test set of 60 mammographic cases with known reading outcomes was assessed. Twenty of these 60 cases contained a cancer, whilst the remaining cases were normal or benign. Sensitivity, specificity, lesion sensitivity, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and free response operating characteristic (AFROC) values were established for each RAP and Student-T and Mann Whitney tests were used to identify specific features that had a significant impact on accuracy. RESULTS:In terms of ROC values, higher values (p = 0.0042) were seen in those readers who: had less than [10 years experience] (0.93), compared to readers with greater than 10 years of experience (0.84); read greater than [100 cases/week] (0.93), compared to those who read less than 100 cases per week (0.87) (p = 0.0358) as well as readers who believed that emotional mind-set impacted their image interpretation (0.91) compared to those who did not (0.84) (p = 0.0272). Similar higher ROC values were noted in readers who consistently relied on [prior imaging](0.94), compared to those who occasionally relied on prior projections (0.89) (p = 0.0231). CONCLUSION:This preliminary work suggests that factors may impact upon the diagnostic performance of RAPs when reading mammograms. These early results from a small sample size demonstrate that further explorations are required to optimise RAP reporting.

Introduction: Professional Supervision has been described across multiple professional groups, however to date, minimal research has been conducted exploring the use of professional supervision within the United Kingdom (UK) sonographer workforce. Methods: An online self-administered survey was conducted to explore UK sonographers views on the use of professional supervision in practice. The survey was open to sonographers, consultant or clinical specialist sonographers, ultrasound managers and professional body officers. Multiple choice questions were utilised to obtain quantitative data on the provision of support mechanisms, with free text questions allowing qualitative data to be elicited further to explore thoughts of participants. Results: A total of 112 participants completed the survey in full and response rates varied across the subgroups. Varying support mechanisms were in place for sonographers. However only 55.4 % of sonographers felt supported in the clinical workplace. Thematic analysis of qualitative data highlighted that workload pressures, staffing and retention of sonographers, were key concerns that professional supervision could improve. It was highlighted that time to undertake professional supervision could be challenging, however if training for professional supervision was in place then this could provide improved quality of care and staff support. Conclusion: Participants highlighted the challenges faced by UK sonographers and the positive impact that professional supervision could have on retention and staff support. There are limited support mechanisms in place for UK sonographers and this is impacting on how participants felt they were being supported in the workplace. Stage 2 of this research project will explore sonographers' views in more detail. Implications for practice: The approach to support mechanisms for sonographers should be considered to support improvement of professional wellbeing and retention of the sonographic workforce. (c) 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The College of Radiographers. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Objectives In the United Kingdom, radiographers with a qualification in image interpretation have interpreted mammograms since 1995. These radiographers work under the title of radiography advanced practitioners (RAP) or Consultant Radiographer. This study extends upon what has been very recently published by exploring further clinical, non-clinical and experiential factors that may impact the reporting performance of RAPs. Methods Fifteen RAPs interpreted an image test set of 60 2D mammograms of known truth using the Detected-X software platform. Unknown to the reader, twenty cases contained a malignancy. Sensitivity, specificity, lesion sensitivity, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and jack-knife free response operating characteristic (AFROC) values were established for each RAP. Specific features that had significant impact on accuracy were identified using Student's-T and Mann Whitney tests. Results RAPs with more than 10 years' experience in image interpretation, compared to those with less than 10 years’ experience, demonstrated lower specificity (51.3% vs 84.8%, p = 0.0264), ROC (0.83 vs 0.91, p = 0.0264) and AFROC (0.75 vs 0.87, p = 0.0037) values. Further, higher sensitivity values of 90.7% were seen in those RAPs who had an eye test in the last year compared to those who had not, 82% (p = 0.021). Other changes are presented in the paper. Conclusion These data reveal previously unidentified factors that impact the diagnostic efficacy of RAPs when interpreting mammographic images. Highlighting such findings will empower screening authorities to better examine ways of standardising performance and offer a baseline for performance benchmarks. Implications for practice This study for the first time performs an initial exploration of the factors that may be associated with RAP performance when interpreting screening mammograms.

IntroductionPolicymakers wish to extend access to medical records, including medical imaging. Appreciating how patients might review radiographs could be key to establishing future training needs for healthcare professionals and how image sharing could be integrated into practice.MethodA pilot study in the UK using a survey was distributed to adult participants via the online research platform Prolific. All subjects were without prior professional healthcare experience. Participants reviewed ten radiographs (single projection only) and were asked a two-stage question. Firstly, if the radiograph was ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ and secondly, if they had answered ‘abnormal’, to identify the abnormality from a pre-determined list featuring generic terms for pathologies.ResultsFifty participants completed the survey. A mean of 65.8 % of participants were able to correctly identify if radiographs were normal or abnormal. Results in relation to the identification of a pathology were not as positive, but still notable with a mean of 46.4 % correctly identifying abnormalities. Qualitative data demonstrated that members of the public are enthralled with reviewing radiographs and intrigued to understand their performance in identifying abnormalities.ConclusionIn the pilot, members of the public could identify if a radiograph is normal or abnormal to a reasonable standard. Further detailed interpretation of images requires supportive intervention. This pilot study suggests that patients can participate in image sharing as part of their care. Image sharing may be beneficial to the therapeutic relationship, aiding patient understanding and enhancing consultations between healthcare professional and patient. Further research is indicated.

INTRODUCTION:In 2014 the National Health Service (NHS) in England released the Five Year Forward plan1, envisioning a shift in power from health professionals to patients and the public. In response the Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR) produced the "Patient, Public and Practitioner Partnership within Imaging and Radiotherapy: Guiding Principles" (P4) document which was implemented within four domains of radiography practice; service delivery, service development, education and research2. This project explored how these guidelines were implemented; and whether improvement to the quality and scope were needed, leading to making recommendations for updating the document. METHODS:A mixed methods design was adopted with two phases. Phase 1 - a survey exploring use of the P4 document's guiding principles. There was no maximum number of participants to ensure inclusivity. Phase 2 - one focus group and four one-to-one interviews from the four domains3. RESULTS:626 participants completed the phase 1 survey. 18.85% (n=118) of participants were aware of the document and used it as a reference tool for practice, teaching, and research. 81.15% (n=508) of participants stated they were unaware of the document. Themes from phase 2; importance of service user involvement in service delivery and evaluation, resources to ensure service user involvement, suggestions to update the P4 document and use of the P4 document in radiographer education. Participants acknowledged guidance in the document was best practice. They reported more awareness of patients' needs and the effect this has on radiographers in supporting their needs. CONCLUSION:Participants recommended the document be given greater visibility. The voices of patients and the public must be heard within radiography practice. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE:Feedback from this study can be used for the future development of the P4 document.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women worldwide. In 2018 almost 12% of all cancers diagnosed were female breast cancer1. Early detection and treatment can achieve survival probabilities of 90% or higher2. When the disease is non-invasive, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%.3 This provides an opportunity for a treatment pathway that allows for the best chance of recovery. An inexpensive solution to detecting malignancies that are impalpable and measure less than 10 mm is Mammography4.

OBJECTIVES:This narrative review aims to identify what factors are linked to diagnostic performance variation for those who interpret mammograms. Identification of influential factors has potential to contribute to the optimisation of breast cancer diagnosis. PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar databases were searched using the following terms: 'Radiology', 'Radiologist', 'Radiographer', 'Radiography', 'Mammography', 'Interpret', 'read', 'observe' 'report', 'screen', 'image', 'performance' and 'characteristics.' Exclusion criteria included articles published prior to 2000 as digital mammography was introduced at this time. Non-English articles language were also excluded. 38 of 2542 studies identified were analysed. KEY FINDINGS:Influencing factors included, new technology, volume of reads, experience and training, availability of prior images, social networking, fatigue and time-of-day of interpretation. Advancements in breast imaging such as digital breast tomosynthesis and volume of mammograms are primary factors that affect performance as well as tiredness, time-of-day when images are interpreted, stages of training and years of experience. Recent studies emphasised the importance of social networking and knowledge sharing if breast cancer diagnosis is to be optimised. CONCLUSION:It was demonstrated that data on radiologist performance variability is widely available but there is a paucity of data on radiographers who interpret mammographic images. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE:This scarcity of research needs to be addressed in order to optimise radiography-led reporting and set baseline values for diagnostic efficacy.

Background/Aims In the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System, a community organisation and a hospice have collaborated to develop an innovative specialist palliative care service in a community hospital. The aim of this service evaluation was to review the specialist palliative care service 2 years after implementation began across the integrated care system. Methods A multi-method approach was used to evaluate this service. Data were collected from pre-existing datasets on referrals, discharge and service use and described using descriptive statistics to assess how the service was used during the evaluation period (1 April 2019–31 March 2021). Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 25 patients, carers, staff and other stakeholders. Interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Results During the 2-year evaluation period, the service recorded 1800 referrals, 189 admissions to specialist beds and 19 712 telephone calls to the 24-hour advice line. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts identified four themes: impact of the specialist palliative care beds, implementation of changes to practice, communication and coordination, and challenges related to providing the service. Overall, patients and carers had very positive views of the quality of care they received. Staff also identified benefits, including access to training and improved morale. Challenges included the limited number of beds and difficulties balancing the care needs of palliative care patients with other patients in the inpatient ward. Conclusions The specialist palliative care service promoted collaborative working, leading to enhanced knowledge and skills for staff supporting patients with specialist palliative care needs. The service was well-used and patients and their carers were generally very satisfied with the care they received.

Introduction: This article presents the patient outcomes of a CoRIPS funded study which investigated the values of patients in both a diagnostic and therapeutic setting. Little work has been conducted to ascertain patient values and these have previously been presumed.Method: The study used focus groups, conducted by two experienced researchers, to allow participants the opportunity to discuss their values during imaging examinations and therapeutic treatments. The resultant discussions were audio recorded and transcribed before a thematic analysis was conducted. A sample of the data was reviewed by both researchers to demonstrate credibility and confirmability. Results: The main themes identified were related to radiographer professional skills, communication and compassion. Both diagnostic and therapeutic participants shared values despite the difference in their examinations and treatments. They valued being seen as an individual and felt that radiographer communication contributed to this. Patients value being able to access information to help them prepare for their examination or treatment. During the examination they value the skills of the radiographer which they assumed. The patients also value the radiographer taking their time over the examination as they relate this the quality of the examination or treatment. After the imaging or treatment they valued being able to see their images and have their questions answered. Patient responses suggested that their values were not always met in practice.Conclusion: The values of the patients were successfully explored using focus groups. Patient values relate to radiographer professional skills, communication and compassion. Patients do not always have their values met during their examinations and treatments. Radiographers in practice should be mindful that patients value being treated as individuals and be provided with information throughout their imaging and treatment. Recommendations for practice were identified.(c) 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The College of Radiographers. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

The demand for an expanded mammography workforce is pressing, but formidable challenges hinder the recruitment, training, and retention of professionals in this field. 1 Wilson M. Tackling shortages in the breast imaging workforce. PHE screening blog. 2020; (Available at:)Tackling shortages in the breast imaging workforce - PHE Screening (blog.gov.uk)Date accessed: January 10, 2023 Google Scholar At present, recruitment primarily targets cis-gender females, with an emphasis on promoting a ‘sisterhood’ ethos. Notably, in 2017, Motion 64 at the Society of Radiographers' trade union congress called upon the UK government to permit male radiographers to conduct breast screening examinations 2 Society of RadiographersRadiographers call for breast screening to be carried out by men as well as women. Radiographers call for breast screening to be carried out by men as well as women | SoRDate: 2017 Date accessed: January 10, 2023 Google Scholar . Yet, there appears to be no publicly available outcome to this motion to date.

Background:The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 posed significant challenges to the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK). Existing workforce shortages were further exacerbated with staff absence, and the need to redeploy staff into frontline clinical areas became a necessity. Purpose:The exploration of the experiences of an Advanced Practitioner Radiographer volunteering in the Intensive Treatment Unit (ITU) during the Covid-19 pandemic. Method:Interview using Microsoft Teams© involving one participant facilitated by two researchers using a semi-structured interview schedule. Discussion:Redeployment to ITU has allowed individuals to work outside of their normal scope of practice. The non-hierarchical structure within teams, focussed minds and demonstrated interprofessional collaboration at its best, ensuring the best patient care was delivered to those critically affected by the virus. Conclusion:The interprofessional practice demonstrated in ITU during the pandemic should be applied to future learning and training opportunities, to develop individuals and prepare for future pandemics.

Objectives:Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) have a crucial role in reducing health inequalities. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the ways they can fulfil this role. This rapid review explores the ways in which AHPs can decrease health care or health outcome inequalities; address inequalities in the social determinants of health; and support disadvantaged groups at an individual, organisational and system level. Study design:Rapid review following Cochrane criteria and narrative synthesis. Methods:MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and AMED were searched combined with grey literature, to identify quantitative or qualitative review articles published between January 2010 and February 2021. Results:From 8727 references, 36 met the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed with the AMSTAR tool and was generally low. Meta-analysis was not possible due to the heterogeneity of the studies, and a narrative synthesis was produced. Three themes emerged at patient and organisational level: 1) access to AHP services; 2) quality of care; and 3) social determinants of health. Two themes emerged at system level: 1) unequal workforce distribution and 2) lack of inclusive clinical guidelines. Conclusions:This rapid review offers a broad range of evidence on the ways AHPs can contribute to the reduction of inequalities in health care, both in terms of access and quality of care and in health outcomes. More research is needed to further understand the impact of AHPs on inequalities affecting specific groups and their contribution to equitable distribution of social determinants of health.

IntroductionDiagnostic Radiography plays a major role in the diagnosis and management of patients with Covid-19. This has seen an increase in the demand for imaging services, putting pressure on the workforce. Diagnostic radiographers, as with many other healthcare professions, have been on the frontline, dealing with an unprecedented situation. This research aimed to explore the experience of diagnostic radiographers working clinically during the Covid-19 pandemic.MethodsInfluenced by interpretative phenomenology, this study explored the experiences of diagnostic radiographers using virtual focus group interviews as a method of data collection.ResultsData were analysed independently by four researchers and five themes emerged from the data. Adapting to new ways of working, feelings and emotions, support mechanisms, self-protection and resilience, and professional recognition.ConclusionThe adaptability of radiographers came across strongly in this study. Anxieties attributed to the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), fear of contracting the virus and spreading it to family members were evident. The resilience of radiographers working throughout this pandemic came across strongly throughout this study. A significant factor for coping has been peer support from colleagues within the workplace. The study highlighted the lack of understanding of the role of the radiographer and how the profession is perceived by other health care professionals.Implications for practiceThis study highlights the importance of interprofessional working and that further work is required in the promotion of the profession.