The paper “The design and initial service evaluation of a virtual tour of a radiotherapy department to improve patient experience“, published in Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, has been chosen as the latest Editorial Highlight and is freely available to download. 

A reflection on “The design and initial service evaluation of a virtual tour of a radiotherapy department to improve patient experience”

Starting radiotherapy is an anxious time for many people. The unfamiliar environment, advanced technology and uncertainty about what will happen. Most patients feel more at ease after their first session once they have a feel and understanding of the process, something the project team termed the “better now I know” moment. This project set out to deliver that feeling earlier in the patients’ journey even before they arrived by creating a co-produced, 360° virtual tour of the radiotherapy department as seen HERE.

Designed with patients, not for them

A central strength of the project was its commitment to co-production. Patients from The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust were involved from the very start, shaping the tour’s tone, content and flow. They shared what they had wished they’d known before treatment:

• what the treatment rooms look like
• how private the environment feels
• where they would wait
• how the whole process fits together

Their insights identified key touch points and directly influenced how the tour was structured and where additional information or reassurance was needed most. The approach built on learning from the open events held at Clatterbridge Aintree, which highlighted the value of hearing from patients directly to demystify radiotherapy.

Collaboration across healthcare, education and industry

The project formed part of the Transforming Cancer Care Programme, responsible for the design and build of a new cancer centre in Liverpool. Importantly it brought together expertise from several sectors:

• The City of Liverpool College led the creation of the digital environment, the students gaining hands-on experience in design, communication and working with patients and professionals.
• Laing O’Rourke contributed BIM models, allowing the team to build a realistic and immersive virtual space.
• The University of Liverpool supported evaluation and analysis.

Narration for the tour is provided by Tom, a therapeutic radiographer and proud Scouser. His warm, friendly voice makes the virtual welcome feel personal, though some viewers might joke that subtitles could be useful. In practice, subtitles play a vital role in accessibility, supporting people who are hard of hearing and enabling translation into multiple languages to promote equity and inclusion.

What patients told us

The initial evaluation showed encouraging results. Patients reported feeling less anxious, more familiar with the environment, and better prepared for their appointments. They found the guide easy to use and described it as a reassuring first step. Feedback also identified improvements for future versions, including clearer navigation and signposting.

A growing partnership

The collaboration with City of Liverpool College continues to grow. New co-produced projects are now under way, including a virtual experience for Brachytherapy informed by the Gynae Cancer Narratives study, and a patient-facing Radiotherapy Clinical Trials database for the North West.

This project highlights how listening to patients and collaborating across sectors can reshape the way people prepare for radiotherapy treatment. Thoughtful digital design shaped by patient insight can achieve that ‘happier know I know’ feeling long before the first appointment. A virtual welcome will never replace human connection, but it can soften the first steps and complement the treatment and care delivered face to face. And while the tour itself is valuable, its real legacy lies in the partnership that created it: patients, students, clinicians and industry working together to build tools, skills and understanding that will continue to shape cancer care well beyond this project.

This project won the HSJ Patient Safety Award for Virtual or Remote Care Initiative of the Year in 2023, with the judges commenting “This is a brilliant idea with clear potential to be lifted and shifted to other Healthcare areas to improve patient experience”

Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice Editorial Highlights are selected by the Editor-in-Chief and are freely available. View the recent selections here.