ESTRO 2025 - Abstract Book

S4227

RTT - Education, training, advanced practice and role developments

ESTRO 2025

1685

Poster Discussion Developing and maintaining Radiation Therapist skills in Advanced Delivery techniques: A remote Stereotactic support program Nola Bailey 1 , Stephen Kirrane 1 , Huong Nguyen 2 , Ben Archibald-Heeren 3 , Stephanie Price 2 , Trent Aland 4 1 Clinical Care, Icon Group, Melbourne, Australia. 2 Clinical Care, Icon Group, Brisbane, Australia. 3 Clinical Care, Icon Group, Sydney, Australia. 4 Clinical Care, Icon Group, Braisbane, Australia Purpose/Objective: The high-risk nature of Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) to cranial and extracranial sites requires advanced clinical and technical expertise, including complex commissioning, staff education and training, plus ongoing governance and quality assurance requirements. Due to these factors, stereotactic treatments are often available only at larger, metropolitan cancer centres where infrastructure, highly trained personnel and access to support systems are concentrated. Geographically Australia is a large country, requiring many patients to travel long distances to access advanced technology. Icon Group is a provider of radiotherapy services, including 40 cancer centres across Australia, New Zealand and Asia servicing both metropolitan and smaller regional communities. A program was developed to expand stereotactic services across this network, particularly to regional Australian centres often with lower staff numbers and fewer resources. In 2020, to support the advanced competency requirements for Radiation Therapists (RT), a stereotactic support team was established. Their mission was to provide training and ongoing remote support for SRT simulation, dosimetry planning and treatment delivery, and to ensure the established high standards for SRT were maintained across all centres. Material/Methods: The framework for stereotactic expansion was underpinned by a clinical governance model directed by clinical streams whose membership included Radiation Oncologists, Medical Physicists, and Radiation Therapists. Overarching policy and procedure guidelines were established; clinical guidelines and work instructions for eight specific anatomical site techniques were developed. Training, competency and endorsement guidelines for each professional group were created. The stereotactic support team developed credentialing programs for the RT group including online training modules, dosimetry planning, remote interactive training sessions, and support for clinical cases. Results: The stereotactic expansion program enabled the number of Australian Icon Cancer Centres offering SRT to increase from 15 in 2020 to 31 by November 2024; the implementation of specific anatomical techniques increased from 71 to 151. Patients treated utilising SRT increased 25% annually to over 2500 during 2023. The stereotactic support team remotely supported over 5500 treatment deliveries. RT staff developed advanced skills within an environment of ongoing support, continuing to enhance clinical expertise whilst fostering a network of collaboration amongst centres and facilitating knowledge sharing. Conclusion: The decentralisation of SRT access coupled with guidance from the stereotactic support team has allowed more patients, regardless of location, to benefit from these advanced treatments without compromising on quality or safety. The success of the program has enabled further expansion of the stereotactic support service to include New Zealand, Singapore and Mainland China.

Keywords: stereotactic, remote, support