STUDY

Overview

This course will allow you to develop your theoretical knowledge and your clinical experience and apply these to current practice. This will support the development of Magnetic Resonance Imaging services within your department and equip you with skills and knowledge to evidence your role as an advanced practitioner in MRI.

This course has been designed to support the advancing practice of Diagnostic and Therapeutic radiographers in the field of MRI.  Between January 2022 and January 2023, 43.3 million diagnostic imaging examinations took place in England alone, of which 3.9 million were MRI scans. With this expected to continually increase year on year.

The NHS Long-Term Plan (2019) acknowledged that imaging services have been under extreme pressure for some time and as a result, it recommended the implementation of Imaging Networks by 2023. In the same year, there was also a Manifesto pledge made by the Prime Minister in which the government committed to replace all MRI, Computed Tomography (CT) and Mammography equipment over the next ten years. This was reinforced by the need to increase the number of scanners (both MRI and CT) per head of population in the Richard’s Review (2020).  This led to the investment of three Diagnostic Assessment Centres in Norfolk and Waveney. In order that these dedicated imaging centres are effectively staffed, there needs to be a radical workforce design and numbers of radiographers specialising in these imaging modalities needs to be increased.  

Since the first radiotherapy treatment in the UK utilising the MR-guided linac in 2018 this technology has gone on to be implemented in three centres in the UK and is a growing area of cancer treatment. This course prepares professionals to learn and develop knowledge within this next wave of innovation in radiotherapy cancer treatment.

This is a new course provision which will support the development of current practitioners in the specialism of MRI.  It will enable radiographers to develop their theoretical knowledge and skills in this area of imaging, planning and to develop service improvement within their workplace. 

Further information about the University's relationship with the Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR) is available in the PSRB register.