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Radiographer Karl Nottage marks 30th anniversary with NHS

Radiographer Karl Nottage has just marked his 30 year anniversary working in the NHS, having started in the same department with North Devon District Hospital in October 1992.

Karl was recently diagnosed with dyslexia and autism, a diagnosis which he says has changed his life, and has inspired him to support others.

Mr Nottage has been working in the North Devon District Hospital, located in Barnstaple, since the start of his career, and has helped to train, educate and support students, and trainees, in the profession.

When asked about advice he would give to students, Karl added: “You have to tame the beast! A degree will eat you alive if you let it and will always want more from you, so make sure you have time for yourself.

“When I started my further education studies I never set out to be a DXA service lead, reporting radiographer or practice educator, these things presented themselves along the way, and I grasped the opportunities. I would say don’t have too rigid a career path, as this might make you miss the most amazing opportunity you could have been offered!”

Lokkwan Shing

Iain MacLeod

Lwiza Mulenga

Chloe McPhee

Jessica Beeson

Student writers win Insight magazine prizes

The winners of the Insight Student Writing Competition 2023 have now been revealed, with Lokkwan Shing of the University of Exeter taking the first prize of £250.

Lokkwan's paper, Examining the inter-operator precision of quantitative ultrasound device Bindex in the screening and diagnosis of osteoporosis, is one of five winning papers printed in the winter edition of Insight magazine.

Lokkwan said: "I am absolutely thrilled to have won the competition! It is a tremendous honour, and winning means a great deal to me as it validates the dedication and effort I have put into my research. Looking ahead, I am excited about the prospect of delving further into research in my role as a radiographer and I am eager to contribute more to the world of radiography through future research endeavours."

The four runners up were:

Second place: Iain MacLeod of Glasgow Caledonian University, for 'Investigating neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging and diffusion tensor imaging for detection of white matter abnormalities in minor traumatic brain injury: a critical review'.

Third place: Lwiza Mulenga of the University of Suffolk, for 'An Exploration of Radiographers’ Experience of Preliminary Clinical Evaluation'.

Fourth place: Chloe McPhee of Glasgow Caledonian University, for 'Understanding the importance of supporting the needs of our patients with dementia as therapeutic radiographers'.

Fifth place: Jessica Beeson of the University of the West of England, Bristol, for 'Ionising radiation in diagnostic imaging: Are the information needs of pregnant patients being fulfilled?'

University of Worcester students take part in first diagnostic radiography placements

The first cohort of students to attend the University of Worcester’s pre-registration radiography degree programme started clinical placements last month, in part to help tackle national staff shortages and gain practical experience.

The 14 students have been learning about patient care and communication, as well as the technical parts of the job, by examining images and making sure they are suitable for diagnostic purposes.

Hilary Baggs, the course leader and principal lecturer in diagnostic radiography at the University of Worcester, said: “As someone who has worked as a radiographer, it makes a huge difference to have people coming to work with you when they’re well trained and have that experience in hospitals.”

David Green, vice chancellor and chief executive of the University of Worcester, added that the students will gain “vital practical experience” to complement their classroom learning and simulation skills.

The cohort are the first diagnostic radiography students attending the University of Worcester, after the course was launched in September.

(Back row from left) Brian Detecio, Nilantha Wellage, Kervin Peji, (front row from left) John Galais, James Corpuz, Kaye Licayan, Robinson Corpuz

(Back row from left) Brian Detecio, Nilantha Wellage, Kervin Peji, (front row from left) John Galais, James Corpuz, Kaye Licayan, Robinson Corpuz

Wolverhampton trust recruits international radiographers

Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire’s radiology department has recruited 29 international radiographers, with the new recruits travelling from the Philippines, India, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Those recruited are all diagnostic radiographers, and have primarily been recruited into CT, MRI, the catheter laboratory, and interventional radiology.

The staff will rotate between New Cross Hospital and the new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at Cannock Chase Hospital, which is expected to see use by around 30,000 patients per year once operational.

The seven staff expected in December will support MRI services at the CDC, which requires a large volume of staff that the trust wants to be permanent, rather than agency. The “long-standing, hard-to-fill vacancies” facing radiography in the UK have challenged professionals in the field, making this round of international recruitment “vital,” according to the trust.

Swindon radiotherapy centre celebrates its first anniversary

The Oxford University Hospitals Radiotherapy Centre in Swindon, Wiltshire, marked its one-year anniversary of its first patient treatment in October.

Since welcoming its first patient in last year, 593 patients have been treated, involving 6,606 radiotherapy treatments and 544 CT scans.

The centre has saved people driving approximately 500,000 miles (about 173.6 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent), based on a 2.5 hour-round trip, and patients have saved a total of 17,900 hours, or 744 days.

Jo Watts, operational manager at the centre, said: “We are so pleased to have been able to help the hundreds of patients over the last 12 months, providing them care much closer to home that makes such a positive difference to them and their families.

"This centre was years in the making and, thanks to the support from a dedicated team of staff and our partners, we are so proud to be celebrating its first anniversary.”

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