WP8 - Assessment of Advanced Practice for therapy radiographers in the National, European and International context

Advanced Practice in modern Radiation Oncology has been directly linked with improvement of cancer patients’ quality of life with less morbidity and increased disease free survival. The TR is the professional with direct responsibility for treatment planning and treatment delivery in a safe environment as well as patient care and follow-up.

The scope of practice within the field of competencies of the TR is described by EFRS EQF benchmark document as well as IAEA’s handbook for education of Radiation Therapists TCS-58, which according to these European and International publications should be attained by the academic / formal education at the European Qualifications Framework for level 6.

The continuous education and training as part of professional development based on formal and informal education is reflected on the daily basis innovations, advances and role development in the professional arena, combined or not with further research in the field of practice.

Reaching higher levels of complexity in clinical practice leads to advanced roles and consultant roles. In this sense, “advanced roles” are roles that are not practised by the TR at the time of graduation and that should be performed when the professional acquires additional competency, including post-graduate education at Master’s level (EQF7) or Doctorate level (EQF8).

The aim of this WP is to identify the competencies required to practise these advanced roles. This will be done through a literature review of the tasks currently practised by TR that would fall under the “advanced roles” and identification of the relevant competencies identified in the literature.

Construction and distribution of a national survey distributed to TR regarding the competencies required to practise advanced roles will be followed by interviews with stakeholders in regards to the competencies required to practise advanced roles. Those arguments should be described at the level of postgraduate education and training which should lead to a change in the professional paradigm and the state of the art at National, European and International Level.

The impact of this WP is of ultimate importance since this aspect of the TR practice is not well defined yet across the EU. It is however important to ensure that professionals executing these functions are competent to do so.

This WP will inform the stakeholders and regulatory bodies with regard to the competencies recommended to practise advanced roles.

Lead organisation

European Federation of Radiographer Societies – EFRS (EU)

Participating organisations

Ulster University (UU)
University of Malta (UoM)
Towarzystwo Naukowe Technikow Medycznych Radioterapii - TNTMR (PL)
Associação Portuguesa dos Radioterapeutas – ART (PT)
Society Medical Radiographers (SRM)

Outputs

Publication of the results of the research on the competencies for advanced roles of the TR Publication of the recommendations regarding competencies for TR practising advanced roles. This publication will be based on the results of the literature review, the survey and the interviews.

It will have three forms:

a report with detailed information on the results of the study, including the list of roles and competencies identified
fact-sheet to promote the results and to be disseminated to all stakeholders and regulatory bodies
a peer-reviewed scientific journal publication (open access)

Presentation of results of the research on the competencies for advanced roles of the TR

Based on the research undertaken in the WP, the results are going to be presented to the scientific community and stakeholders in a national and international conference.

This will aim to reach TR and decision makers who attend conferences at international level, boosting the dissemination of the results to increase the implementation of these recommendations.

Curriculum of the webinar sessions regarding underdeveloped skills on advanced roles

Increase in awareness of underdeveloped advanced roles skills. The research produced during this WP will lead to the dissemination of the results through publications and presentations. Both outputs will allow to raise awareness of the existing gap in skills in advanced roles of the TRs.

Impact

This awareness will be raised amongst TRs, education institutions representatives, clinical department representatives, regulatory bodies, amongst other stakeholders who will make pressure over educational institutions and regulators for these competencies to be developed.