Good practice guide for paediatric radiotherapy, second edition
The Royal College of Radiologists, the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG), the Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR) and the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) have jointly developed the second edition of the Good practice guide for paediatric radiotherapy.
- Purpose of the guidance
- Who is the guidance for
- Putting the guidance into practice
- Related CPD resources
Purpose of the guidance
Radiotherapy is a key part of treatment for many children and young people diagnosed with cancer, but patient care for children and teenagers is often complex and involves a range of different healthcare professionals.
The guidance aims to support healthcare professionals to deliver the best clinical outcomes, and to provide a high-quality service for patients and their families. It takes account of the more widespread adoption of intensity-modulated radiotherapy and image-guided radiotherapy, as well as the development of national proton beam radiotherapy services in the UK.
It also factors in the latest Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations which came into force in February 2018, as well as the RCR's recommendation for the peer review of tumour contouring ahead of treatment.
Who is the guidance for?
All healthcare professionals who are involved directly or indirectly with the care of children and teenagers receiving radiotherapy.
Putting the guidance into practice
- Audit template (to be published shortly)
The Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) has produced information sheets on radiotherapy aimed at patients and their families which can be downloaded or ordered for free from the CCLG website:
Radiotherapy explained to children
Radiotherapy fact sheet for Teenagers and Young Adults
Related CPD resources
e-proton programme – web based e-learning resource on proton beam therapy for all staff groups working in NHS radiotherapy and related services, including those in referral or support centres
Video recordings of sessions from CCLG Paediatric Radiotherapy Course, 27 - 29 October 2015
- Introduction to Paediatric Radiotherapy
- The Play Specialist and Preparation
- Anaesthesia for Paediatric Radiotherapy
- The Specialist Paediatric Radiographer
- Quality Assurance in Paediatric Radiotherapy
These sessions, along with other paediatric resources, can be found in the paediatrics section of the RCR Learning hub (log in required)
