radiotherapy Career promotion
Virtual Reality workplace experience
We've been working with radiotherapy colleagues from networks and centres across the country to develop a virtual reality workplace experience.
The production team at Annimersion UK used high-tech 360 degree cameras to film radiotherapy professionals in their working environment.
The content includes Therapeutic Radiography, Clinical Technology, including treatment planning, dosimetry and engineering and Clinical Science.
Users will be able to see and hear from radiotherapy staff about their roles and how they got into their careers.
They'll be able to enter a radiotherapy treatment room and see the multi-million pound treatment machines, called linear accelerators, used to deliver high doses of radiation to treat cancer.
Participating radiotherapy centres and networks have purchased VR headsets to provide an immersive experience of what it's like to work in a radiotherapy department.
If you're interested in a career in radiotherapy, speak to our radiotherapy colleagues at a careers event near you, to hear first hand about the work they do and what is involved in different roles.
This project has been a collaboration between Network Managers from the Northern Radiotherapy Network, East of England Radiotherapy Network and Yorkshire and Humber Radiotherapy Network, on behalf of all radiotherapy providers and networks in England.
Thank you to NHS England for your support.
With special thanks to Michelle Bates and Helen Baines for all of your work.
We tested the VR experience for the first time at Newcastle Hospital's careers event on Saturday 15th September at the RVI Education Centre, Newcastle.
It was a great way for people to experience the radiotherapy environment and see the equipment and hear directly from staff!
The feedback was really positive and we look forward to making these available more widely for people to try!
growing our workforce
Ensuring we have a skilled and competent radiotherapy workforce is critical to ensure we continue to meet the growth in demand for radiotherapy services and we treat people within the required timescales.
We regularly collect data about our radiotherapy workforce to help us plan for the future.
We have produced a draft plan to help us achieve our workforce priorities and ensure we have a radiotherapy workforce fit for the future.
We have worked with our colleagues at the Northern Cancer Alliance to align our workforce priorities, which are;
- Growing and training our workforce
- Looking after our people
- Improving system leadership, capacity and culture
- Preparing for new models of care, the impact of new technology and optimising new roles