Leaders paving the way: looking ahead to the National Conference for Radiology Leaders 2026

The National Conference for Radiology Leaders (NCRL) is returning in 2026, on Thursday 14 May at Pullman London St Pancras, presenting opportunities for staff interested in leading the way to hear from senior leaders, expert thinkers and fellow practitioners about topics from across the field. This year, the theme for the conference is ‘Leading with impact: Shaping the future together’. The organising team has put together a programme of leading thinkers and examples of best practice, which will ensure a stimulating and rewarding day for all.

NCRL, organised in collaboration by the SoR and Philips Healthcare UK, seeks to ask: as leaders, how can we provide meaning and motivation for our teams in the midst of the escalating demands of the speciality? How do we bring about change that is sustainable and impactful for our colleagues and our patients?

Adam Turner, head of imaging at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, has attended almost all of the conferences since NCRL’s inauguration in 2011. Even as a junior manager in the field, he says, he’s always found it informative. “It paves the way for your year ahead. The Society of Radiographers is aware of the challenges we’re facing, and the conference has been crafted between them and other leading groups. Every year there’s something different,” he adds.

Aside from the quality of speakers and the importance of the information being shared, Adam says the opportunity to meet up with other like-minded people is invaluable. His own direct involvement with the conference began four years ago, when he spoke on a panel discussion about Community Diagnostic Centres. The following year, he was asked to be part of the NCRL steering committee as a radiographer affiliate – a role he’s held ever since. 

Adam is particularly excited about the keynote speech: ‘The sticky-plaster illusion: Why do we keep fixing the wrong things?’ The talk will focus on addressing the causes behind issues cropping up in a service, rather than merely addressing the symptoms and complaints at face value. 

Other talks will focus on key areas of the NHS 10 Year Plan, which aims to modernise the NHS through three major shifts: moving care from hospitals to communities, transitioning from analogue to digital and focusing on prevention over treatment. “The one I think is a real challenge for us in radiography is the treatment to prevention aim,” says Adam. “How do we do that? A lot of people will talk about screening, but that’s doing that same job with a different cohort of patients. What will really provoke some interesting conversation is around what we can do as radiographers to go the extra mile.”

Radiographers attending the event can also visit the industry partners exhibitions, where many of the resourcing companies will be available for discussion, as well as the Quality Standards for Imaging team from the SoR.

“Quite a few of my visits to this conference have sparked an outcome or a positive element that ends up embedded in our radiology service,” says Adam. “Anybody who’s already been will almost certainly be signing up again. If you haven’t been, and you’re thinking about it, just sign up. It’s a fantastic conference, and you will learn a huge amount. And the lunch is great!”

Creating a space for leaders

Jane Robinson, district leader at Philips, says NCRL is an opportunity for the healthcare community to come together, learn, teach and collaborate across the spectrum of radiology: “Since my time as a radiology manager, our profession has continued to evolve at a remarkable pace. Advances in technology have brought extraordinary opportunities, but also complexity. 

“Today, radiology leaders are navigating an increasingly challenging landscape, balancing rising productivity demands, workforce pressures, funding constraints and the rapid introduction of innovations such as artificial intelligence. Across the NHS, the independent sector and industry, leaders are driving meaningful transformation and actively shaping the future of healthcare.

“This year’s conference theme, ‘Leading with impact: Shaping the future together’, reflects that shared ambition. As leaders, we face important questions: how do we provide meaning and motivation for our teams amid escalating service demands? How do we deliver change that is both sustainable and truly impactful, for our colleagues and for our patients? These are challenges we can only address collectively. 

“NCRL creates the space for this community to convene, exchange expertise and experience, collaborate across sectors, strengthen professional networks and learn from one another. Since its inception (formerly NCRM), the event has gone from strength to strength and is now firmly established as a key fixture in the radiology leadership calendar, supporting shared learning, collaboration and the sustainable development of services across the UK.

“I very much look forward to welcoming you on Thursday 14 May.”

Whether a department head, clinical lead or someone guiding strategic initiatives, this conference acknowledges the many roles that leaders may take in shaping the future of radiology.