Ara and Te Whatu Ora recognised for work on new radiology intake

_{(Left to right) Students Mathew Gilmour, Milly Windle, Connor Wilson and Charliese Erskine alongside NZIMRT Executive Officer Linda Whitehead, Awardees Donna Mabin and Tracey Kirkbride and Ara Health Practice Academic manager Michelle Thompson.}

An entire extra cohort of medical imaging students are being trained in Christchurch thanks to the tireless work of Health New Zealand |Te Whatu Ora clinical radiology managers and two Ara Institute of Canterbury Department of Health Practice staff. 

Their stellar teamwork has been recognised with a top award from the New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technology. 

Ara Head of Medical Imaging & Research Lead Dr Tracy Kirkbride and Senior Academic Staff member and Clinical Coordinator Donna Mabin were recognised for their efforts in establishing the cohort alongside Te Whatu Ora South Island Radiology Department Team Leaders. 

For context, places for the Bachelor of Medical Imaging continue to be in extremely high demand at Ara but the clinical placement capacity for students around the motu means applications for the programme significantly outstrip the spaces available. 

The Team of the Year award detailed how Kirkbride and Mabin had responded to the Medical Imaging Technician (MIT) crisis in Aotearoa by coming up with an innovative strategy to increase student numbers - devising how the extra intake could be structured academically and clinically.  

Their plan will see a leap in graduates from an average of 35 per year to 56 per year by 2027. 

Kirkbride said it had a been a complex and multilayered project. 

“Once we had mapped new ways of working on paper, we had to pitch it to our departments around the country to see if they could re-think their engagement with our students, and we also had to ensure we could adapt teaching-wise to have multiple streams underway at once without overloading our staff,” she said. 

She admitted to a few nerves when the concept went “live”. 

“We knew we were making significant demands with these proposals, but this recognition shows that we have made a difference and that’s really nice,” she said. 

Te Whatu Ora Regional Change Co-ordinator Radiology (Te Waipounamu Programme Office) Jill McConachie, said the intake was achieved from idea to actualisation in an impressively short space of time. 

“Our first discussions on this idea only took place in March 2023 and by July this year, a fully enrolled second cohort for 2024 was ready to start at Ara,” McConachie said. 

Their crucial work has also been recognised as part of the workforce plan by the National Radiology Network and is expected to have a major impact on MIT recruitment throughout New Zealand. 

“This is a fabulous achievement at a time when most departments across New Zealand are short of MITs, which has been identified as an issue at national level,” McConachie said.  

The citation noted the team’s “dedication and innovation in the delivery of a sustainable solution to address national workforce shortages” working tirelessly alongside South Island Radiology managers and private practice managers to determine where extra clinical placements could be achieved. 

Mabin said it was a true team effort, and the rollout reflected the strength of relationships and trust between Ara and placement providers. 

“It’s great what can happen when we are open to new ideas and approaches and people are willing to share their thoughts and challenges so that solutions could be found to them together,” she said. 

McConachie said the true impact will be seen in three years' time when the extra MITs graduate. 

“This will be an extra bonus for South Island Radiology departments at a time when attrition of staff generally occurs, often leaving positions unfilled several months. It’ll take pressure off rosters and modalities that often get closed when staffing numbers get tight,” McConachie said.