Radiography winners of the Gold Award for Excellence: ‘Anyone can be a leader’

Shareen Pavaday – deputy director of EDI mandated standards at NHS England

I began my career in the NHS more than 20 years ago as a Therapeutic Radiographer, graduating from the University of Hertfordshire. 

To be a Therapeutic Radiographer, working at NHS England, in a space that affords me opportunities to talk about my lived experience and the privilege to listen to the experiences of others, is something I never thought I could do – let alone wanted to do. 

I often say my career story wasn’t intentional and that it always felt like it had happened by chance. But when I look behind every moment, the natural progression of my career path would have brought me to head of service in radiotherapy, which I reached early on in my career (albeit as an interim position).  

Through managing cancer services and leading the radiotherapy department in my role as chief of staff and now as deputy director of EDI, I am finally starting to recognise the skill and ability I have in managing change and leading for difference. I feel that my skills in EDI have come about by default – a result of me operating in a white, male-dominated environment. Even when ‘maleness’ isn’t present in my workspace, it sure has always been dominant in my personal space. 

As a UK-born Mauritian, the culture in which I was raised places me in a specific space as a female. I still conform to some of those expectations when I am around my family and my tribe – again by default but now with more pride than rebellion. 

I have learnt to be my authentic self within these personal spaces, which is now a point of comfort in my professional spaces. I am aware that when I speak up and join conversations (while clearing tables or serving guests) I am able to do so because of my relevance, experience and knowledge.

To be acknowledged with the inaugural CAHPO Gold Excellence Award still feels like a confusing, proud and emotional moment. When I received the email from Suzanne, my response started with ‘who, me?’ – and I still catch myself looking at the certificate to see if my name is actually on it.

When I started stepping away from a typical clinical career progression, I was very aware that I needed to make sure I role-modelled for others like me. Who did I have to look to when I didn’t have a clue on any aspirations I might wish for?  

This incredible privilege has given me recognition as much as it has validation, to the point that in November 2024 I visited a hospital in Mauritius as part of a quality surveillance team, and it felt like I was able to give something back to my community abroad, for my own people.

If someone were to ask me ‘how did you do this?’ I think I would probably give a different answer each time, because, in truth, there is no ‘right way’ – but there is always a wrong way. So my answer for now would be: be truthful to your values, stay connected to what matters to you and never be afraid to say you don’t know what’s next.

Too often we are expected to know it all, but I think there is power and authenticity in living in the moments where there are no answers.

Jackie Matthew – research sonographer/radiographer and NIHR clinical doctoral research fellow (fetal imaging) at the Centre for the Developing Brain at King’s College London

When I began my career in radiography, I could never have anticipated the path it would take. It’s been a rewarding journey, combining my interests in people, science and healthcare. 

Radiography appealed to me because it brought together physics, biology, anatomy and pathology – all subjects I loved – into a profession focused on improving people’s lives through medical imaging. 

Early on, I was particularly drawn to reproductive medicine, particularly gynaecology, embryology, fetal development and maternal health, so this led me to train in ultrasound some years after gaining experience in plain film radiography, CT, MRI and PACS administration.

Curiosity is a fundamental part of my personality and has likely always been a driving force in my career. I often questioned how and why things were done, and this naturally led me towards research. My first experience of research was as an undergraduate – a positive experience, where I won the student prize for my final year dissertation. 

That probably spurred me on after a difficult final year, when I was very ill and also suffered a bereavement. I had first-hand experience of the importance of healthcare and the stark reality that there are still so many unanswered questions, and we are far from able to provide ‘perfect’ healthcare and services for our patients. 

This early chapter motivated me to seek opportunities in research-active environments, eventually leading to a fully funded one-year research secondment to complete a research training Master’s degree. 

I later worked as a research radiographer and sonographer in my favourite subject area: fetal MRI and ultrasound studies. My career progressed in a less conventional way, working closely with biomedical engineers and researchers in the field of AI, computer vision, workflow optimisation and clinical trials.  

I was able to work up and secure a competitive NIHR doctoral fellowship during this time which, as I understand, was the first awarded to a sonographer. While this was a proud moment, it also highlighted the need for clearer pathways to support those pursuing non-traditional roles in radiography.

At the time, there were few research leaders in radiography, and following a less well-defined career route often felt uncertain to me. This lack of structure gave me the motivation to contribute to the profession’s development, working with the Society and College of Radiographers in various roles. 

As chair and vice chair of the research group and an AI special interest group, I was involved in creating guidance and policy aimed at supporting others navigating similar challenges. My hope was to help make it easier for future professionals to explore new areas of the profession and develop their own leadership potential.

One of the most impactful projects I’ve been involved in focused on health equity, examining biases in public participation in research studies, particularly related to pregnancy. In this work, supported by the College of Radiographers, the team and I explored how factors such as race, socioeconomic status and gender may influence perceptions of, and inclusion in, research. 

The project brought me closer to patients and stakeholders, including charities and public health leaders. Engaging directly with these groups was a powerful reminder of the importance of listening and incorporating diverse perspectives in healthcare initiatives.

Receiving the CAHPO Gold Award was a deeply humbling moment. It encouraged me to pause and reflect on my career, which is not something I often do. The award was not just a recognition of my own work but a testament to the collective effort of the profession and those who have supported me along the way. It is a privilege to share the honour with other outstanding AHPs.

For those looking to take a less conventional path in their careers, my advice is to embrace the challenges that come with it. It’s not always easy when there isn’t a clear roadmap, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth pursuing. 

Seek mentors, collaborate widely and don’t be afraid to question established practices. The ability to adapt and learn will serve you well, even when the journey feels uncertain.

As I move into the next phase of my career, I remain passionate about equity, innovation and supporting the next generation of professionals. Radiography has offered me a career filled with opportunities to grow and contribute, and I’m excited to see how the profession will continue to evolve. 

I hope that the work I’ve been part of has helped lay a foundation for others to build upon, and I look forward to seeing the innovative ways future radiographers will shape the field.

Naman Julka-Anderson – research radiographer at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Cancer Research, AHP clinical adviser at Macmillan Cancer Support and co-founder of the Rad Chat podcast and education platform

I qualified as a Therapeutic Radiographer in 2017 following an 18-month accelerated pre-reg MSc from UWE Bristol university. I’ve worked in the South West and in London since, and I am also a proud ambassador for the charity Radiotherapy UK.

I first raised my concerns about the lack of people of colour in medical education, skin care guidance and consent forms in 2021. I watched a black person with head and neck cancer who was having chemo-radiation treatment be dismissed by my colleagues despite having a severe skin reaction. I could see it, but they couldn’t as they were using tools and their past education, which only highlights ‘redness’ as a clinical symptom to identify a radiation-induced skin reaction on their skin. People of colour may never go red; we could have maroon, grey, purple or yellow, and/or the skin may go darker than the surrounding unaffected area. We also need to use touch to identify changes in temperature.

This is where my passion for this subject started – I wanted justice for this person and people like me. 

I was very fortunate to be invited as a suggested speaker at ESTRO 2021 in Copenhagen. This is where I took the opportunity to present to the European radiotherapy and oncology community, highlighting how we have failed people of colour for decades within skin assessments. 

It was my first international conference in front of future colleagues, peers and friends I hadn’t even crossed paths with yet. I’ve often been the one to speak up and challenge problems, often to my detriment, but someone has to take the first step. Change within the EDI world relies on people like me to raise problems, fix them and ‘get on with it’, but this takes away from the work that others need to do. 

Since that talk, I’ve spoken more than 70 times on this topic in conferences, webinars, podcasts and lectures, as well as on social media. I’ve published two journal articles on the subject, supported others with their research, co-founded a special interest group and I am now supporting students and researchers looking into this. 

Through Rad Chat, in 2025, we aim to start a free CPD image library to tackle the lack of equity in medical imagery. It’s exciting to be part of a revolution where people are considering that skin changes are different across all skin tones. It’s a special thing to consider that I’ve been a small part of this needed change that has positively impacted millions of people with lived experience of cancer, and will continue to.

Reflecting on the past few years, people have tried to remove their guilt through gaslighting by saying ‘there was no evidence’ or ‘I’ve always known this’ or ‘it can’t be that bad’. People of colour have been around for centuries; some scientific evidence states longer than people with white and lighter skin tones. If you have known there are problems then why haven’t you spoken up to help people of colour? If it’s not that bad then why are there many more people looking into the lack of equity in skin assessments across the whole of medicine? You cannot challenge what you cannot see, and you certainly cannot dismantle what you do not understand.

I’m very humbled and surprised to say I’ve been awarded several awards in 2024: the Alan Nichols Memorial Award, London Radiographer of the Year, Patient’s Choice Award for Exceptional Care, CAHPO AHP Leadership for EDI, the overall AHP of the year and a Beacon of Light Award from the Leanne Pero Foundation. 

And along with Shareen and Jackie, I was one of 22 AHPs to win the inaugural CAHPO Gold Award for Excellence. To be hand-picked by Suzanne Rastrick to receive this recognition is just incredible and to be in the same boat as Shareen and Jackie, who have worked tirelessly throughout their careers, is a true honour.  

To be honest, this was never about awards or recognition. Obviously it’s very validating, but the main thing to remember is, as a person of colour, I don’t really have a choice but to fight for people like me. It’s become a responsibility that many won’t understand. 

My privileges don’t allow me to see these issues and let someone else look into it. I hope it inspires others from strategically undervalued communities, such as people of colour, that we are worth it, we can do great things and be recognised, and that we do belong here.

The main thing I want people to take away from these ‘successes’ is that anyone can be a leader in their professional practice. You don’t need to have been qualified for decades to have a positive impact on your profession. 

Stay close to your morals and what you believe is right and, most importantly, the needs of people with lived experience. This can help you succeed in changing the world.