ESTRO 2025 - Abstract Book

S4271

RTT - Education, training, advanced practice and role developments

ESTRO 2025

attending placement in Ireland. Despite the success of the initiative there were also challenges. The main challenge to implementing this initiative was staff shortages in the CTU. However, the clinical research exposure to future graduates should aid with the integration of research as a core clinical activity in all Irish RT departments in the future.

Keywords: Clinical Trials, mentorship, RTT student

References: 1. Patelarou AE, Mechili EA, Ruzafa-Martinez M, et al. Educational Interventions for Teaching Evidence-Based Practice to Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Scoping Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(17):6351. Published 2020 Aug 31. doi:10.3390/ijerph17176351 2. Stevens A, Raveen N, Pawelczyk J. 118 The Undergrad Experience: Insights of a clinical research training program aimed at undergraduate students. J Clin Transl Sci. 2023;7(Suppl 1):35. Published 2023 Apr 24. doi:10.1017/cts.2023.20

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Digital Poster The benefit of the implementation of a dedicated Radiotherapy Clinical Trials Team Donna Burns, Fiona Dee, Joanne Mitchell, Richard Allan Edinburgh Cancer Centre, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom Purpose/Objective:

Evidence highlights patients receive superior care and outcomes when treated at centers actively engaged in clinical trials and research (Majumdar et al., 2008). Oncology clinical trials within the South East Scottish Cancer Research Network (SESCRN) area have historically been organised into four site specific teams with research nurses and oncologists responsible for the management of these trials. Trials involving radiotherapy would be managed according to anatomical area under investigation with the SCRN network, with little involvement of radiotherapy professionals. In 2018 the Edinburgh Cancer Centre invested in to the formation of a dedicated radiotherapy clinical trial team with the aim of increasing participation in radiotherapy clinical trials. Material/Methods: In Jan 2018 a principal research radiographer was appointed with a responsibility for both research and clinical trials. A clinical trials radiographer was then appointed at advanced practice level, in the November of the same year. To achieve the overall departmental objective to increase the radiotherapy clinical trial portfolio it was recognised that further infrastructure was required. In June 2021 a further clinical trial radiographer post was created, again at advanced practice level, along with a dedicated clinical trial physicist post and data management support in the form of a senior data manager and a data manger. Working in collaboration the team have redesigned documentation which the principal investigators use to express interest in a clinical trial, with the supplied data allowing for a detailed assessment of the feasibility to participate. Standardised process documents and operating procedures allow for robust, efficient and effective trial management of both pre, during and follow up trial activities. Monthly team meetings, with the wider radiotherapy team, help to highlight the current radiotherapy trial portfolio and aid in the resolution of any problems which may be hindering the opening of a study, with a brief weekly clinical trial team catch up resolving any administrative issues. Results: Prior to the implementation of a dedicated clinical trials team, radiotherapy trials were disseminated throughout the SESCRN network. Now the portfolio has been added to and managed effectively as highlighted in the table below: