UWE first in UK to install radiotherapy training tool

A revolutionary new tool to help train radiotherapy radiographers has just been installed at the University of the West of England. The Vertual (sic) Linear Accelerator (VLA) will enable students to develop technical skills in a virtual setting before they go onto clinical placements. UWE is the first university in the UK to install this version of a virtual linear accelerator and will be the only university in the South West to house this resource. VLAs will be installed in 10 Universities throughout the UK as part of a £5m Department of Health initiative, detailed in the Cancer Reform Strategy, in response to a predicted increase in the need for radiotherapy radiographers to treat cancer in an aging population as identified by the National Radiotherapy Advisory Group (NRAG).

A linear accelerator (LA) is the main tool used by radiotherapy radiographers to deliver doses of radiotherapy to tumours. As these tools are in constant operation in oncology units it is becoming more challenging to allocate sufficient time for students to learn and practise the requisite technical skills prior to practice.

source: University of the West of England