Keele University has partnered with a local NHS trust to set up a new imaging suite for training the next generation of clinicians.

The Imaging Academy Hub has been approved as part of a Health Education England (HEE) scheme to improve the training and development of a sustainable, multidisciplinary diagnostic workforce. The hubs will be training centres offering learning and teaching across a wide range of imaging specialities such as radiography, sonography and radiology.

Drawn up in partnership with University Hospitals North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), the bid is one of only a small number of successfully approved proposals in the Midlands, and will increase capacity for multi-professional imaging training across the region.

The Hub will also help to meet the needs of under-pressure local health services, by enabling immersive training in priority areas to support the rapid development of skills, with the ultimate aim of increasing the numbers of learners and thereby increase the numbers of imaging staff able to enter the health service.

Dr Desiree O’Leary from Keele’s School of Allied Health Professions, who co-led the bid on behalf of Keele, said: “We are proud to be working alongside University Hospital North Midlands Radiology in bringing an Imaging Academy Hub to this region of the Midlands. This will be an exciting and essential addition to the radiology/radiography workforce training and upskilling as suggested by the 2019 Richard's Report on Diagnostics: Recovery and Renewal.

“We look forward to a rewarding partnership not only in increasing teaching, learning and upskilling of the workforce, but in greater opportunities for research collaborations vital to the diagnostic setting.”

Deonne Lee, Professional Head of Imaging at UHNM added: ““Ultimately, our aim is to increase the numbers of imaging staff able to enter the workforce, which will be of huge benefit to the patients we care for.

“UHNM’s imaging academy will facilitate the training of a sustainable, multidisciplinary diagnostic workforce which is capable of responding to demands placed on services.

“Through the academy we will be able to increase imaging training capacity and provide multi-professional imaging training across the region. The hub model will enable us to provide flexible and high quality training environments for clinical radiology, diagnostic radiography and sonography, and imaging support staff. We will be able to offer immersive training in priority areas to support the rapid development of skills to support and expedite learning.”