From first contact to the international stage: reflections from EUSOBI
Joleen Kirsty Eden recaps her inspiring experience speaking at last year’s prestigious international breast imaging conference
By Joleen Kirsty Eden, consultant radiographer, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
By Joleen Kirsty Eden, consultant radiographer, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
There are moments in a career when you take a pause. Not because the pace slows, but because the significance of what has just happened deserves time. For me, that moment came a few weeks after returning from the European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI) Annual Meeting in Aberdeen in September last year, when my feet finally touched the ground and I realised just how far I’d come.
Being chosen as the sole radiographer presenter at EUSOBI is admittedly the kind of opportunity that makes your stomach flip. On the one hand, you think ‘why me?’ and on the other hand, ‘why not?’ Standing in front of more than 1,500 delegates, both in person and online, was a far cry from my first day in radiography two decades ago. The symmetry was not lost on me – coming full circle from my uncertain beginnings as a reserved student to now engaging in discussions alongside globally respected radiologists.
The radiographer perspective
I was honoured to deliver the opening talk in the Patient Journey session, ‘First Contact: The Radiographer/Technologist Perspective’, representing the Society of Radiographers. It was a beautifully balanced and deeply human session, shared with:
- Dr Rodrigo Alcântara Souza, radiologist (Barcelona, Spain), advocating for patient comfort as a clinical priority;
- Kate Shaw, cancer nurse specialist (NHS Grampian), illustrating how small, thoughtful touches can steady patients on their hardest days; and
- Caroline Justich, founder of Be Accepted at the European Society of Radiology (Vienna), who shared her personal experience and powerfully reminded us that staff wellbeing is not optional, but essential.
My contribution focused on the unique continuity of care embedded within breast imaging. Radiographers often meet patients at their very first step, screening the well woman, and may accompany them through assessment, diagnosis, biopsy, localisation, treatment planning and years of follow-up. In doing so, we become familiar faces in unfamiliar circumstances.
Breast imaging radiographers occupy a rare position in healthcare: technically expert, clinically autonomous and emotionally present. We hold space for patients while navigating complex pathways, advancing technology and increasing service demands.
An evolving profession
Radiography in breast imaging has evolved beyond recognition. Roles now extend far beyond image acquisition to include reporting, ultrasound, biopsy, localisation procedures, contribution to multidisciplinary team discussions and, in some settings, delivering life-changing results. Whether working in screening or symptomatic services, radiographers practise with skill, empathy and professionalism, often with a reassuring smile that conceals the pace and complexity of what’s happening behind the scenes. We research, we teach, we innovate and we never stop learning. Radiographers are not simply supporting breast imaging services – we are shaping them.
Sharing this perspective on an international stage was a privilege, but also a responsibility: to articulate clearly the value radiographers bring and to challenge outdated perceptions of our scope of practice.
Understanding advanced practice
Earlier in the summer, I had the privilege of presenting at Symposium Mammographicum in Bournemouth alongside Dr Tracy O’Regan and Professor Beverley Snaith. Our talks centred on the evolution of enhanced and advanced practice, and how these roles are still widely misunderstood across healthcare systems.
I was especially proud to see my friend and colleague, Rachel Greenwood, shine on stage as she shared her experience as an advanced clinical practitioner (ACP) during the rapid-fire session. We discussed how advanced clinical practice is not simply about role extension, but about governance, capability and skill-mix that manages patient pathways. The ePortfolio (NHS England) scheme provides a structured and credible mechanism for recognising ACP roles, ensuring consistency and supporting workforce development. When implemented effectively, these frameworks enable better patient outcomes, improved job satisfaction and stronger professional identity.
Rachel Greenwood presenting at Symposium Mammographicum in Bournemouth
Rachel Greenwood presenting at Symposium Mammographicum in Bournemouth
These themes resonated strongly with radiologists at EUSOBI. Yet in the UK, we can sometimes undervalue our own contribution, particularly when service pressure narrows focus to immediate clinical output alone.
Four pillars, one sustainable workforce
Sharing my professional journey at EUSOBI was both humbling and affirming. I currently practise as a consultant radiographer across screening and symptomatic breast services, alongside my role as an honorary lecturer at the University of Salford, having previously worked with the University of Lancashire School of Medicine. I sit on the councils of both the Manchester Medical Society (Imaging Section) and the SoR Breast Imaging Special Interest Group (BISIG) and contribute to publications – I have written chapters in core textbooks and articles in the British Journal of Radiology, for example.
My clinical experience across multiple trusts in Greater Manchester and Lancashire has shaped my understanding of workforce pressures and service variation. Authoring an NHS England-commissioned report scoping the diagnostic and therapeutic workforce in the north west of England allowed me to explore these challenges more formally. Interestingly, many of the report’s recommendations centred on protecting radiographers for clinical activity alone, reflecting the scale of workforce pressure and the immediate need to maintain service delivery. While this is understandable given current pressures, international discussions such as those at EUSOBI highlight an area we rarely pause to consider: the influence UK radiographers have had globally by engaging across all four pillars of advanced practice: clinical, education, research and leadership.
Clinical practice must remain our greatest weight, but sustainable growth is not possible without meaningful engagement across the other pillars. They are not luxuries, they are fundamental to innovation, resilience and professional credibility.
Joleen Kirsty Eden at EUSOBI 2025
Joleen Kirsty Eden at EUSOBI 2025
BISIG and the strength of community
My ongoing involvement with BISIG continues to reinforce the importance of professional community. From showcasing our first poster at the symposium, I shared the benefits of the network internationally at EUSOBI.
Kirsty with the BISIG poster with Noelle Clerkin (right), and Judy Davis at Symposium Mammographicum
Kirsty with the BISIG poster with Noelle Clerkin (right), and Judy Davis at Symposium Mammographicum
BISIG welcomes all who have an interest in breast imaging, regardless of career stage or role. Members benefit from a regular newsletter outlining events, new guidance and interesting case studies, alongside access to high-quality webinars on topics such as artificial intelligence, wellbeing, radiotherapy, the journey of a specimen and the upcoming ‘How to survive an inspection’. Groups like BISIG provide a vital platform for learning, connection and confidence building, particularly for those considering opportunities for service development within breast imaging.
Leadership, learning and perspective
My career has shown me the value of leadership in many forms. Leadership does not always reside in job titles. Working across organisations and regions has exposed me to diverse cultures, challenges and ways of thinking. With that came opportunities (lots of them).
Each role, team and challenge has shaped my identity. Embracing complexity, I remain, at heart, a clinician, but I’m also an educator, a researcher and a leader. This breadth has enriched both my practice and professional satisfaction.
Challenges exist everywhere and may take on many forms. Experience has taught me that we achieve far more as a team than we ever do alone. That means taking time we don’t generally have to support others, recognising when someone needs help and finding joy in small moments and the success of others amid pressure. Embrace unexpected opportunities, but don’t wait for them to arise. Find ways to enhance your knowledge and expand. Accept that our paths are inherently inconsistent, and don’t apologise for it. This encourages us to question the chaos of the systems we navigate, rather than our own value and worth as radiographers.
Inexperience, not imposter syndrome
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that what we often call imposter syndrome is in fact inexperience syndrome. We don’t yet know what we are capable of because we haven’t done it – and no one teaches that during training. Confidence doesn’t come from knowing everything, it grows by stepping into opportunities, receiving support and discovering our capabilities through action. This is why encouraging radiographers to engage in conferences, research, leadership and international collaboration is so important. These experiences broaden perspective, build confidence and, ultimately, enhance patient care.
Looking forward
Returning home from Aberdeen to be awarded highly commended Allied Health Professional (AHP) of the Year by Bolton NHS Foundation Trust was unexpected and deeply meaningful. To be recognised by fellow AHP colleagues, people who understand the pressures, sacrifices and quiet triumphs of clinical practice, meant more than I can express.
Kirsty receiving an AHP award from Richard Catlin
Kirsty receiving an AHP award from Richard Catlin
Working clinically is not easy. The days are long, the demands relentless and our energy reserves sometimes questionable. Yet the work is meaningful, and it matters deeply. We push buttons – both literally and, on occasion, metaphorically. But in doing so, we push boundaries.
EUSOBI reinforced for me how important it is that radiographers are actively encouraged and supported to step forward. The benefits ripple far beyond individual careers: services gain insight, patients benefit from innovation and the profession strengthens its collective voice.
For radiographers, a person-centered image begins before a single pixel is captured.
Acknowledgements
I am profoundly grateful to Charlotte Beardmore and Sue Johnson from the Society of Radiographers for kindly recommending me to the EUSOBI Scientific Committee, and to all the radiologists who continue to support radiographers navigating new ways of working. Special thanks to Professor Gerald Lip and Professor Fiona Gilbert for giving a voice to radiographers at EUSOBI. Their support reflects a growing recognition of radiographers not only as skilled clinicians but as leaders, educators and innovators within breast imaging.
More about the SoR Breast Imaging Special Interest Group
The society’s Breast Imaging Special Interest Group is an opportunity to connect with fellow mammographers working for the UK breast imaging symptomatic and screening service.
The group aims to discuss evidence-based practice, promote shared learning and build a network of support across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
