Keeping cancer treatment machines running leads to Dean scoring a UK first

Keeping the machines that treat cancer running smoothly is a hugely important job – one which has led to Swansea Bay scoring a UK first.

Singleton Hospital-based assistant IT systems manager Dean Fyfield (pictured) has become the first clinical computing technologist to be registered with the Register for Clinical Technologists, or RCT.

This is a national organisation that aims to protect the public by advocating statutory professional regulation for clinical technologists.

Dean, who works in the Radiotherapy Physics department, had to complete a rigorous portfolio to demonstrate his competency and commitment to safe clinical practice. It covered everything from risk assessments to PAT testing of electrical equipment.

“Becoming the first registered clinical computing technologist is a big milestone,” he said. “Not just for me but for the whole field of clinical computing in healthcare.”

Clinical technologists work across various healthcare settings. They apply physics, computing, engineering and technology to healthcare, contributing to diagnosis, treatment and disease prevention.

The role of clinical computing technologist is crucial in managing and maintaining software medical devices and their hardware infrastructure.

Improper management of these devices can pose significant risks to patient safety, making specialized training and RCT registration essential.

Achieving registration shows an individual possesses the necessary skills, competence, and adherence to safety practices required for working with medical devices.

Singleton’s Radiotherapy Physics Department recognised that employees with standard IT training needed greater experience and clinical awareness when working with medical devices.

This led to it developing an in-house training programme for clinical computing technologists, in collaboration with the RCT and the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, or IPEM.

Dean is part of a team maintaining and managing a variety of computer systems running the linear accelerators, which deliver radiotherapy, CT scanners, patient databases, treatment plans, and more.

“As technology gets more advanced it tends to use computers to do a lot of the heavy lifting to keep everything running,” he said.

“Something we have to be mindful of is that you cannot just switch things off and on. Each system could be affecting treatment.

“That’s what registration as a clinical technologist is all about – to show that you have the ability to understand these are clinical systems.

“You can’t just update them or anything like that because the implications are that it could affect treatment to patients. Our job is to maintain the systems, upgrade them as and when we can, introduce new systems, like the new check-in system in radiotherapy, which we brought in last year.

“It's about looking at the patient pathway and how that can be affected by anything we do.”

The department maintains the systems to reduce the chances of anything going wrong. But if this does happen – perhaps through a power cut or system outage – the team has business continuity plans to minimise the impact on treatment.

“You can imagine if patients are here four weeks straight, day-in, day-out, and they are missing treatment, it has a knock-on effect,” said Dean. “The goal is to minimise the impact any issues have on them.”

Dean said becoming RCT registered would not have been possible without the dedication and expertise of the Radiotherapy Physics team.

He said he was especially thankful for the leadership and support of the Head of Radiotherapy Physics Computing, Dr Christopher Rose, who held several meetings with the RCT and IPEM and provided Dean with the training necessary to complete his portfolio.

He also thanked RCT Registrar Ian Threlkeld, who supported him through the process, and his assessor Bob Wheller who provided invaluable feedback on his portfolio evidence.

Of his RCT registration, he said: “From a patient perspective, it shows that the people doing this work are competent.

“You’re not just employing anyone straight off the street. You have done the work to demonstrate you’re competent to do the job.”

Dean aims to continue his professional development with the ultimate goal of becoming a registered clinical scientist.

Dr Rose said: “Dean’s registration marks a significant personal and professional milestone.

“It stands as an inspiration to others in the clinical computing field, demonstrating the importance of professional qualifications and the pursuit of further qualifications.”