Brachytherapy radiographers forum
Brachytherapy is a small specialised area within radiotherapy with approximately 3% of radiotherapy patients receiving brachytherapy (The Royal College of Radiologists 2007: The Role and Development of Brachytherapy Services in the United Kingdom). Some areas of brachytherapy are seeing considerable increases in complexity of techniques and a need for greater resources including therapeutic radiographers to provide this. In each radiotherapy centre there are usually very few brachytherapy radiographers and their roles can vary widely between centres. This can leave brachytherapy radiographers feeling quite isolated in their specialised roles. The Brachytherapy Radiographers Forum is intended to facilitate the support and professional development of those therapeutic radiographers who are involved or wish to be involved in provision of brachytherapy services. The forum provides a means for radiographers to meet and exchange ideas, information and support in this developing area within radiotherapy.
The group was first established by Julia Solano, Radiotherapy Services Manager at University College London Hospitals, in 2007.
The forum will meet at least once per year. Meetings may be face to face or virtual. Individual members are required to cover their own expenses for travel costs etc.
An online forum hosted by the Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR) will be available to members. Members are responsible for ensuring confidential information relating to patients must not be circulated on the online forum.
Representatives of brachytherapy manufacturers, other specialities and organisations are welcomed by invitation only.
An officer representing the SCoR may be invited to meetings to provide advice and updates.
A note taker will be appointed at each meeting, and/or a recording made via virtual platform. A summary of meeting notes will be made available to the members section of the SCoR web pages and meeting notes/recordings/presentations (with presenter’s permission) will be made available to the Brachytherapy Radiographers Forum members via the online forum.
Small working parties may be constituted as necessary for dedicated projects.
Membership will be open to all UK and Ireland therapeutic radiographers with a special interest in brachytherapy.
There is no fee for membership of the forum. The group will be self-funding. Individual members will be expected to cover their own expenses and to contribute as appropriate to group projects. Private sponsorship may be sought for provision of study days/seminars.
Members are expected to contribute to the online forum and projects arising from the forum or meetings.
A Forum Organising Committee will be appointed and reviewed annually.
The special interest group, in recognition of the importance of close collaboration, will keep the Council of the Society of Radiographers and the Board of Trustees of the College of Radiographers informed of their activities.
Accountability of the group is via the Forum Organising Committee.
The Forum Organising Committee
To join forum, please email Pauline Humphrey and request to be a member with an outline of your role and responsibilities and what you aim to obtain from being a member. If you would like to take part in discussions, you will need to join the Google group. You can do this by emailing.
Once your request has been accepted (and please do this in a timely manner otherwise your invitation will expire), you will need to create a Google account in order to log into the group.