Ten years of Eden Learning

Eden Learning is celebrating ten years of CT and MRI training and consultancy.

In 2011 Alliance Medical took the decision to cease the provision of internal training courses for their radiographic staff, which had also been offered to external parties. Denise Newsom, then the national education and development manager, left the training department and took the opportunity to further develop the CT and MRI training courses for which Alliance Medical was previously recognised as market leaders.

After rebranding, an overhaul of the course material and close collaboration with colleagues, Dr Donald McRobbie (MRI) and Edward Proctor (CT), the courses were back on the road with the first Eden Learning course, delivered in April 2012.  This included contributions from many clinical and academic experts who still support and regularly deliver on the courses. These have included Dr Martin Graves, Annie Papadaki, David Platten, Geoff Charles Edwards, Dr Niall Moore, Dr Stephen Ellis, David Sugden, Frank Ellwood, Claire Robinson, Dr Nishat Bharwani, Dr Karen Partington, Christine Heales, Erica Scurr, Linda Culver and Katherine Taylor, who have made the courses educational, interesting and fun too.

Ten years on, the courses are going from strength to strength, with 150 national courses completed, providing vital professional development to more than 3,000 participants drawn from locations as diverse as Europe, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and even from St Helena, the tiny South Atlantic island where Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte had been exiled. Delegates from around 200 NHS trusts and over 100 private healthcare providers have attended Eden Learning courses during the decade. In addition to the structured nationally-accessible courses, up to 40 bespoke training events, tailored to specific departmental needs, have been provided. Additionally, courses in MRI and CT specially developed for veterinary staff have been very well received, providing a unique training experience.

2020 brought new challenges with travel restrictions and lockdowns preventing in-class training. Eden Learning rose to the challenge, adapting their courses to an online format, whilst still retaining their interactive elements and personal touch. This will continue throughout 2021 until conditions are safe enough to return to the class room. Currently 17 courses planned for the current year and the online format makes them more accessible internationally.

Throughout the decade, Denise has maintained her CT and MRI clinical skills and has also spent the last seven years supporting CT and MRI in the veterinary world. This includes clinical scanning, protocol development, installation training, CT/MRI clinical training and troubleshooting. She has also made active contributions to the radiography profession as the MRI Safety Officer for BAMRR (British Association of MR Radiographers) in 2014-16, and as a member of the College of Radiographers MR Advisory Group.

Her collaborator for the marquee MRI the inside story and MRI safety first courses, associate Professor Donald McRobbie, who is now based (and stranded) in Australia, has further added to his contribution to education with his recently published textbook Essentials of MRI Safety and popular website which both feature in the courses. During 2020 he established the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (the pan-national professional association for medical physicists in Australia and New Zealand) MR Safety Expert course and certification scheme, in a world first.

Looking to the future, Eden Learning will continue to deliver the highest quality of CT and MRI education to clinical staff, to support them and promote best practice in the clinical setting and making CT/MRI education accessible to all.

Further information

Eden Learning offers:

• National CT and MRI classroom training courses
• Online CT and MRI training courses – 17 are scheduled for 2021 – full details and booking
• Bespoke, classroom and online training. Delivered onsite or online and tailored to the needs of the departmental staff
• CT/MRI training for veterinary professionals
• All delivered by UK-registered healthcare professionals

Picture: Thank you to colleagues and delegates for all your support for Eden Learning over the last decade.

This news story has been sponsored by the companies concerned and does not represent the views or opinions of RAD Magazine.