This International Women’s Day, we’re proud to shine a spotlight on the inspirational women leading the National Breast Imaging Academy. Their determination and leadership is helping tackle the national shortage of breast imaging professionals and making a real difference to the lives of thousands of women affected by breast cancer each year.
Dr Mary Wilson: The driving force behind the NBIA
Dr Mary Wilson, Consultant Breast Radiologist, Prevent Breast Cancer Trustee, and former Director of the Greater Manchester Breast Screening Service, was the driving force behind the creation of the NBIA in 2018. Thanks to her vision and dedication, the NBIA was established with support from Health Education England (now NHS England).
Mary played a pivotal role in securing over £11 million in revenue funding for the NBIA, which enabled the creation of the NBIA’s innovative workforce programmes, including the Mammography Associate apprenticeship, the Radiology Fellowship programme, the Breast Clinician Credential and NBIA Online Academy. These programmes have not only expanded the breast imaging workforce but are also projected to save the NHS £50 million over the next decade. Mary has also led on work to secure the £3.9m funding for the NBIA clinical training facility, working with Prevent Breast Cancer and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Charity to raise these funds.
Reflecting on the NBIA’s work, Mary says:
“We established the NBIA with the aim of creating sustainable solutions to workforce shortages in breast imaging. Knowing that our work directly benefits the women who depend on these services makes it all worthwhile. Early detection can save lives, and I’m proud of how the NBIA is making that possible for more women across the UK.”
Dr Soujanya Gadde: Nurturing the next generation of breast radiologists
As the leader of the Breast Radiology Fellowship programme, Dr Soujanya Gadde has been instrumental in developing a bespoke training pathway for post-CCT radiologists. This programme not only equips fellows with the advanced skills needed to excel in breast imaging but also nurtures their potential to become future leaders, educators, and researchers. Since its launch in 2019, the Fellowship has trained 6 cohorts of breast radiologists who are now making a real impact in breast services across the UK.
Dr Caroline Parkin: Leading the Breast Clinician Credential
Dr Caroline Parkin, Consultant Breast Radiologist at the Nightingale Centre, played a pivotal role in the development, and now leadership, of the Breast Clinician Credential in collaboration with the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), the Association of Breast Clinicians (ABC) and NHS England. The credential is designed to provide a structured training pathway for doctors focusing on breast disease diagnosis and management, addressing the evolving needs of breast services across the UK.
Lyndsay Kinnear: Tackling mammography workforce shortages
Lyndsay Kinnear, Breast Radiographer and Training & Education Lead for Mammography at the NBIA, led the development of the Mammography Associate apprenticeship, a Level 4 programme designed to meet the growing demand for mammographers. Since its launch in 2019, nearly 200 apprentices have completed the programme, with many more currently in training. Mammography Associates are helping to address workforce gaps and support the NHS Breast Screening Programme.
Building on this success, Lyndsay has also been instrumental in the development of the new Level 5 Assistant Practitioner apprenticeship specialising in mammography, providing a valuable pathway for career progression.
Dr Megan Bydder: Increasing access to breast imaging education
Dr Megan Bydder, Consultant Breast Radiologist, has a strong passion for education and is an Honorary Lecturer at Manchester Medical School, where she is joint lead for breast teaching. She is particularly interested in harnessing technology to enhance learning at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Megan leads the NBIA Academy Online project, which provides free e-learning resources for breast imaging. As the Clinical Lead for the e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH) breast imaging programme, she oversees the development of innovative online courses that support trainees and practitioners nationwide.
Build to Beat Breast Cancer
The NBIA is entering an exciting new phase with the start of construction on a dedicated training academy at the Nightingale Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester. The NBIA building, due to be completed later in 2025 will provide a home for a national training programme for breast imaging specialists, training 50 additional imaging staff from apprentice level through to radiographers every year. These specialists will go on to work all over the country. The Academy will also increase breast screening capacity in the area by up to 13,000 appointments annually – helping more local women be seen for mammograms.
So as we mark International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women leading the NBIA and the impact of their work on the lives of women across the UK. By developing sustainable training pathways and supporting the breast imaging workforce, they are helping to ensure that women affected by breast cancer receive the care they need.