About the National Breast Imaging Academy programme
Breast imaging services across the UK are facing significant challenges in delivery and sustainability as a result of the combination of increasing demand for breast imaging and shortages across all aspects of the workforce.
The National Breast Imaging Academy (NBIA) project is a collaborative, national, multidisciplinary initiative which encompasses a range of solutions to address these issues. These include the establishment of a national centre of excellence for training, the development of high-quality training programmes for radiographers, radiologists and breast clinicians and an innovative, online technology-enhanced learning platform; the NBIA Online. The Academy team is also working to raise the profile of a career in breast imaging and to promote excellence across all aspects of the specialty.
If you would like further information or to get involved in any aspect of the National Breast Imaging Academy project, then please visit www.nationalbreastimagingacademy.org or contact the Academy team on breastacademy@mft.nhs.uk.
A central element of the National Breast Imaging Academy initiative is the creation of a multidisciplinary, technology-enhanced learning platform to provide training, support and continuing professional development for all breast imaging staff. The three main components of the NBIA Online are:
- A new National Breast Imaging Academy elearning for healthcare (elfh) programme which is currently in development and will be an integral part of the NBIA Online. Over 150 interactive and engaging elearning sessions are being written by UK experts, which will provide comprehensive coverage of all aspects of breast imaging and relevant aspects of surgery, oncology, pathology, nursing, and risk and prevention. The programme is designed to provide online learning to support face-to-face clinical training and is aimed at both trainees and qualified staff. The full programme is due to launch in Autumn 2020, but approximately fifty completed sessions are being made available now to support training during the COVID-19 pandemic
- A national breast imaging case archive which is being developed by the National Breast Imaging Academy in collaboration with the Scientific Computing team at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. This will contain tens of thousands of validated cases that will be available to all UK breast imagers to support and enhance learning
- A national online learning community with further resources to complement the elfh programme and provide mentoring and support to trainees and staff. Online tutorials and webinars are also being made available as they are completed to support training during COVID-19
There are over 50 sessions already available within this programme.
Here are just a few examples:
- Clinical Presentations – Breast Lump
- Working on a Mobile Unit
- Tips for Reading Screening Mammograms
- Screening – Women’s Experiences
- Breast Imaging in Pregnancy and Lactation
- Day in the Life of a Clinical Oncologist
Meet the team
- Megan Bydder, Clinical Lead, National Breast Imaging Academy
- Sara Bundred, Breast Clinician Subject Lead, National Breast Imaging Academy
- Lyndsay Kinnear, Joint Radiography Subject Lead, National Breast Imaging Academy
- Rachel Laming, Joint Radiography Subject Lead, National Breast Imaging Academy
- Alice Leaver, Joint Radiology Subject Lead, National Breast Imaging Academy
- Simon Lowes, Joint Radiology Subject Lead, National Breast Imaging Academy
- Ade Shannon, Project Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare
- Jen Van Iwaarden, Lead Learning Designer, HEE elearning for healthcare