Laura Charlesworth BSc, MSc, PgCert
Senior Lecturer
Summary
Laura Charlesworth is the course leader for the BSc Radiotherapy and Oncology course and a senior lecturer for the College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences. With a background in clinical practice as a Therapeutic radiographer Laura teaches across a range of courses and facilitates student development in the clinical environment. Laura completed her Masters project in Health Improvement in Radiotherapy Practice and has conducted further 6 week research project assessing practice in Canada, funded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust on this topic.
About
Laura Charlesworth is the course leader and a senior lecturer in Radiotherapy and Oncology for the College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences. With a background in clinical practice as a Therapeutic Radiographer Laura teaches across a range of courses and facilitates student development in the clinical environment. Laura completed her Masters project in Health Improvement in Radiotherapy Practice and has conducted further 6 week research project assessing practice in Canada, funded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust on this topic.
Laura was previously the admissions tutor for the Post Graduate Radiotherapy and Oncology Course and conducts recruitment activities in the local area and in the Leicestershire region to support local recruitment to the clinical site in Leicester where Laura supports Radiotherapy students in clinical practice.
As the joint assessment lead for the Radiotherapy and Oncology team Laura's responsibilities including ensuring quality assessment processes are in place in line with College and University systems.
Teaching topics are varied and include site specific Oncology, Radiotherapy physics, accuracy and reproducibility including IGRT, interprofessional education with a focus on service improvement, leadership and collaborative working.
Laura teaches across the DipHE programme and supports the course leader with the delivery of the course, the undergraduate BSc course and the Post Graduate Diploma in Radiotherapy and Oncology.
In 2014 Laura became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy upon completion of the Post Graduate Certificate for learning and Teaching in Higher Education. Laura is a registered Practice Educator with the Society and College of Radiographers.
Specialist areas of interest
Health Promotion
Image Guided Radiotherapy
Mental Health and Cancer
Education
Recruitment
Teaching
Radiotherapy and Oncology
DipHE Radiotherapy
BSc Radiotherapy and Oncology
PgD Radiotherapy and Oncology
Research
PhD - Mental health and Cancer, commenced 2016
CoRips award Smoking Cessation in radiotherapy
Image guided radiotherapy in the pre registration curriculum
Factors influencing decision to accept SHU RONC offer
2015 Winston Churchill Fellow - Health improvement in radiotherapy, a strategy to improve UK practice
Brief public health interventions and advice in year 3 AHP students
CoRips award 2016, smoking cessation in UK radiotherapy
Publications
Journal articles
Charlesworth, L., Hutton, D., & Hussain, H. (2018). Therapeutic radiographers' perceptions of the barriers and enablers to effective smoking cessation support. Radiography, 25 (2), 121-128. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2018.12.002
Mclean, S., Charlesworth, L., May, S., & Pollard, N. (2018). Healthcare students’ perceptions about their role, confidence and competence to deliver brief public health interventions and advice. BMC Medical Education, 18 (114). http://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-018-1224-0
Conlon, K., Pattinson, L., & Hutton, D. (2017). Attitudes of oncology healthcare practitioners towards smoking cessation: A systematic review of the facilitators, barriers and recommendations for delivery of advice and support to cancer patients. Radiography, 23 (3), 256-263. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2017.03.006
Pattinson, L., & Jessop, A. (2016). The delivery of health improvement information during radiotherapy treatment : a survey of UK therapy radiographers. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 15 (02), 114-130. http://doi.org/10.1017/S146039691600011X
Other activities
AHPs4PH - social media site for AHPs and public health
Lead for professional body special interest group for public health