Good news for cancer patients

The Virtual Environments for Radiotherapy Training (VERT), one of the most sophisticated radiotherapy training systems in the world, is being rolled out in universities across England – thanks to a £5 million investment from the Department of Health.

“This is very good news as it addresses the urgent need to train more radiotherapists,” said Dr Richard Price, Head of the University’s School of Health and Emergency Professions. “It will enable students to perform the technical aspects of their job quickly so that they can focus more time on patient care.”

VERT uses immersive visualisation technology to allow radiotherapy students to enter a virtual radiotherapy suite and set up a virtual patient for treatment.

It will allow students studying for the University of Hertfordshire BSc in Radiotherapy to view the inside of a patient's anatomy and to run real-life CT scans.

'We have close links with the local Strategic Health Authorities and hospitals and are very aware of the shortage of radiotherapists,” Dr Price added. “We are confident that VERT will transform the way we train students and encourage more into the field.”