Historically, consent for radiotherapy was undertaken by an oncologist, who referred the patient for treatment, or by a middle-grade doctor. Over the years, the role of the therapeutic radiographer has been developing to include advanced patient care roles, which traditionally were carried out by doctors. One such example is radiographer-led on-treatment review and toxicity management, which has been successfully in place in most UK radiotherapy centres for more than 25 years.
As well as the development of the radiographer role, one of the main drivers for radiographer extended practice is the continuing increase in patient numbers and workload to be maintained by an increasingly stretched oncologist workforce. Despite challenges in recruiting to the radiographic workforce, radiographers often remain the right person in the right place at the right time to carry out a range of additional duties under their scope of practice.
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