Welcome

It hardly seems possible that, this time three years ago, we were in “lockdown” – so much has happened since then. As a profession, we continue to see a fast pace of change and a steady increase in workload. 

I want to say a personal thank you to both Colin Cooper and Charlotte Beardmore for giving their continuing support and guidance to me as editor of Imaging & Oncology. Thank you also to all the authors who, despite being busy people, have contributed to this edition. 

The future direction of the profession is one of the themes of this 2023 edition, with a piece from Graciano Paulo calling us to work together across radiography education, research and practice to move the profession forward, and a reflective discussion article from Nichola Jamison and three second-year students, who share their views about the future of radiography.

Andrew England puts forward the benefits of the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS) to radiographers.

Theophilus Akudjedu and Marc Griffiths discuss the changes taking place in academia and the development of the radiography academic. 

Reflecting on the pandemic, Elizabeth Muscat outlines the lessons learned and the impact of Covid-19 on her local breast screening service. I am sure that her reflections will resonate with many of us as we consider what has happened over the past few years and how this has made an impact on each one of us, personally and professionally.

Amy Robertson encourages us to consider the benefits of coaching in developing radiography staff, and Rachael Moses puts forward the case for compassionate leadership and the positive impact this can have on staff and patient care. Laura Charlesworth challenges us to do our bit in improving health equality. 

Julie-Ann Moreland tells us about her role in designing a vague symptoms cancer pathway, the new skills she has learned and what she has been able to contribute to interprofessional working and the enhanced service this has provided for patients. It is clear from her experience that radiographers have a lot to offer the multidisciplinary team. 

It is fitting for us to end this editorial by discussing the care we give to our service users, which, as you will know, is one of my passions. Clare Hollinshead provides a powerful reflection on her experiences of cancer diagnosis and treatment, providing some honest commentary on her interactions with diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers. There are certainly several things for us to think about. 

I hope that you will all find something to take away for your own practice. Happy reading.

Best wishes,

Dr Ruth Strudwick

Editor, Imaging & Oncology. Associate Professor and Professional Lead for Radiography and Interprofessional Learning in the School of Health and Sports Sciences at the University of Suffolk.