Day two of the UK Imaging and Oncology Congress (UKIO) saw even greater numbers in attendance to learn about leadership mentoring and quality improvement efforts.
Taking place from 2-4 June at ACC Liverpool, attendance at the lively conference only grew following day one, with radiography and industry professionals visiting the exhibition halls to learn about the cutting-edge offerings from both public and private sectors.
Exciting sessions held today included information on the mentoring schemes on offer from the Society and the College of Radiographers – the Leadership Mentoring Scheme and the Formal Research Radiography Mentoring Scheme, respectively – practical methods for reducing stress through time management, and the SoR | CoR William Stripp Memorial Lecture, exploring fragility fractures and their impact.
‘Interesting and terrifying’
This morning, Dr. Emma Hyde, president of UKIO, welcomed attendees to the second day and introduced the second day’s theme: the green prescription – strategies for a sustainable future.
Emma introduced experts from across the public and private sectors to discuss sustainable delivery in the NHS supply chain, how health and climate are deeply linked, and the NHS carbon footprint.
Presentations were followed up by an engaging Q&A with audience members. One attendee asked the panel what radiographers can do individually to reduce carbon footprint, when they aren’t involved in procurement. Solutions suggested included demonstrating to patients greener ways of getting to the hospital, with emphasis that small changes in such a big organisation can ripple out and have significant impact.
Confidence and responsibility
Elsewhere, mentors and mentees who had participated in last year’s Leadership Mentoring Scheme shared their experiences with the scheme and their mentors. They also spoke about how it had encouraged them to become more confident, improve their practice, and take on greater responsibility in their institutions.
Meanwhile at the SoR | CoR William Stripp Memorial Lecture, attendees were given specialist insight into the significant impact that fragility fractures have on mortality.
Jill Griffin, radiographer at the University of Exeter, explained the various programmes and solutions across the healthcare landscape that were working to tackle this issue, including Fracture Liaison Services, AI for vertebral fracture detection, and screening programmes. She emphasised the importance of the radiographers’ roles in osteoporosis services in particular.
Charlotte Beardmore, executive director for professional policy, said: “I really enjoyed the eponymous lecture, it was a fantastic presentation giving insight into the complexities of imaging for osteoporosis, but also the importance of us looking forward to how we can change and adapt our services to better support people as they get older with fragility fractures. I found that really inspiring, and her passion really shone through.
“It’s so wonderful to see a member who’s devoted so much time to that area of practice who is really still ambitious in wanting to make a difference and in challenging the status quo.”
Connectedness, acceptance and support
Later sessions focused on support for the radiography workforce, with Therapeutic Radiographer Emily Jago presenting her research into job satisfaction in the North West workforce.
She asked: “How is it possible to provide high levels of care for patients without first caring for those delivering services?”
Emily was joined by Dr Hollie Hadwen, senior lecturer in diagnostic radiography at the University of Suffolk, who discussed how higher education can support the pastoral needs of undergraduate diagnostic radiography students.
Hollie highlighted three overarching themes that need addressing in institutions – disorientation and distress, connectedness, and acceptance and coping. Students often felt unprepared and overwhelmed, but being connected to their fellow students and to patients helped them to feel rewarded.
Ultimately, Hollie found that even struggling students found ways to manage the difficulties by accepting the things they could and couldn’t do.
‘A really fantastic day’
“There’s been so many sessions to attend that I’m looking forward to watching later online, but also so much opportunity for networking with members in the profession, hearing new ideas and new thoughts,” Charlotte continued.
“It’s been great to be down in the industry exhibition hall. I really enjoyed seeing all of the education on the stand that the SoR has been offering. There’s been really great engagement in those sessions, from supporting practice educators to medicines management to radiotherapy – short, bite-sized chunks of education.
“All in all, a really fantastic day.”
Read the UKIO 2025 day one highlights here.
(Image: Attendees at UKIO, by Eva Slusarek)