Todd Convine – UKIO pre-registration student attendance award recipient 

UKIO packs a lot in and, on day one, the number of stands, sessions and resources on offer took some navigating. That feeling soon faded, though, as everyone from the Society and College of Radiographers was warm and welcoming, and by the end of the three days the event felt far more familiar, and more like somewhere I belonged.

Two sessions have stayed with me. The first was the SoR Stanley Melville Memorial Lecture, ‘Save Our Staff: re-defining radiography through a workforce research lens’, from Professor Julie Nightingale. As a recent graduate, it couldn’t have been more relevant: hearing the workforce and retention challenges I’m only just stepping into, framed through solid research rather than corridor talk, was genuinely reassuring. The second was the natural death post-mortem CT case reviews, which were highly interactive and an area I’d previously considered moving into. Seeing it up close has put it firmly back on my radar.

A real highlight was seeing my own e-poster on display – ‘Are Remote Radiographers a Viable Solution to Alleviating MRI Bottlenecks?’ – co-authored with Kimberley Bradshaw and Paul K Miller from the University of Cumbria. Being among those presenting research, not just taking it in, was a proud moment.

What struck me most about the event was the balance. Amid all the cutting-edge technology and the commercial buzz, it was good to see real attention given to the less glamorous but no less important topics: sustainability, staff development and wellbeing, and better integrated software. Those quieter, substantive sessions were among the ones that mattered most to me.

I’m also enormously grateful to the College of Radiographers and CoRIPS, whose support is the only reason I was able to attend. I simply couldn’t have covered the costs otherwise, and I didn’t take a minute of it for granted.

Would I recommend UKIO to other radiographers? Yes, particularly to students and newer graduates. My advice would be to go in with a plan, as there’s plenty on and it moves quickly. Overall, I left feeling part of something bigger than my own department, and optimistic about where the profession is heading.

Lisa Hay – UKIO attendance grant recipient

The CoR attendance grant allowed me to attend the UKIO Conference and deliver our evaluation, ‘Effects of Gaps in Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer’, as a short paper presentation. In addition, I presented an e-poster highlighting our work, ‘Factors affecting recruitment to PRIOITI study – Patient-ranked preference for information on radiotherapy’, including treatment and trials.

The experience has improved my confidence in presenting and disseminating scientific findings to a broad, multidisciplinary audience.

I particularly enjoyed the informative presentation by Ellie Light, highlighting the findings from a literature review on the causes of anxiety in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. This important area of research demonstrates the need for radiographers to provide appropriate support and prevent anxiety from becoming a barrier to treatment delivery.

Nicola Freeman’s presentation in the Radiotherapy Hub on the use of photobiomodulation for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients was particularly inspiring. It demonstrated the potential to reduce treatment-related side effects, ultimately improving patients’ experience during treatment.

The UKIO Conference provides an excellent opportunity to engage with and learn from other like-minded radiographers from across the UK. Networking with colleagues working in similar clinical and research areas promoted the exchange of ideas, experiences and best practices. 

The event also allowed me to establish several valuable professional connections, which I hope will lead to future collaboration in both clinical practice and research.