Radiotherapy physics services

The radiotherapy physics group and radiotherapy engineering services within the medical physics department provide technical and scientific support to the cancer care group.

The radiotherapy physics group consists of clinical scientists (medical physicists), clinical technologists, dosimetrists and radiographers providing expertise through teams specialising in clinical radiotherapy physics (treatment planning and mould room services), quality assurance and dosimetry networking and IT, radiotherapy electronic engineering services and research and development. Additionally the engineering solutions group provide extensive mechanical engineering support

The radiotherapy department has six linear accelerators all with MLC, portal imaging and IMRT capability. Cone beam CT supports IGRT on one linac. The department has a dedicated wide bore CT scanner as well as a traditional simulator. Treatment planning for external beam treatments is performed on CMS Xio treatment planning system, while Prosoma is used for virtual simulation. A comprehensive brachytherapy service is supported by the radiotherapy physics team including HDR CT planned gynaecological treatments provided using nucletron microselectron and oncentra GYN, prostate brachytherapy with I 125 seeds and I131 treatments for the ablation of thyroid tumours.

An intraoperative radiotherapy service is also supported by the radiotherapy physics group in Winchester.The rapid expansion of radiotherapy services within the Trust is leading to a doubling of capacity from three linacs to a minimum of six linacs across two sites. Within this expansion there is also the incorporation of MLC, portal imaging and IMRT capability. In addition there are simulators and CT supporting a modern service. Both brachytherapy and unsealed radioactive administrations are undertaken. Radiotherapy services are expanding rapidly within Southampton as part of a Central South Coast cancer network strategy..

Future expansion of the department is currently being planned including a managed equipment service to ensure an appropriate equipment replacement programme maintains state of the art facilities. The group supports training of both clinical scientists and clinical technologists.

Head of Service

Mrs Claire Birch
Tel: 023 8079 6889
Fax 023 8079 6682
Email claire.birch@suht.swest.nhs.uk|