The College of Radiographers has released updated guidance on practice-based learning hours for pre-registration diagnostic and therapeutic radiography programmes (July 2025).
You can read the full document here:
https://www.collegeofradiographers.ac.uk/document-library/update-on-practice-based-learning-hours-for-pre-registration-diagnostic-radiography-and-therapeutic-radiography-programmes
This update introduces a clear structure:
This is not a minor adjustment. It formalises the role of simulation within radiography education.
Simulation has been part of radiography education for some time, but often in an informal or supplementary capacity.
The 2025 guidance changes that.
Simulation is now:
This means every programme must now answer:
How are simulation hours being delivered in a structured, measurable way?
The guidance links simulation directly to workforce and capacity challenges.
It highlights:
It also states that current approaches do not fully address these limitations.
This is the core issue facing radiography education.
Clinical environments cannot scale fast enough to meet demand. Simulation is being positioned as part of the solution.
Simulation-based education in radiography typically includes:
The key requirement is not the format. It is that simulation:
The recommendation creates a new layer of responsibility for education providers.
Programmes must now ensure that simulation is:
Ad hoc simulation sessions will not meet this requirement.
This is a shift from occasional use to structured implementation.
The College of Radiographers continues to support an outcomes-based approach.
This means:
This creates space for simulation to be integrated in different ways, including:
Immersive simulation introduces additional capabilities that align with the new guidance.
It allows students to:
For institutions, it enables:
These are the exact pressures identified in the guidance.
The document notes that simulation research is still developing and that recommendations will be updated as evidence grows.
This is important for two reasons:
There is also an opportunity for programmes to contribute to the evidence base through structured use of simulation.
From August 2025, new programmes seeking approval will need to demonstrate:
Existing programmes will also need to align over time.
This makes simulation a practical requirement, not a future consideration.
This guidance reflects broader changes across healthcare education:
Simulation is now part of the structure of radiography education.
The question is no longer whether it should be used.
The focus is now on how effectively it is implemented.
The College of Radiographers recommends 120 hours of simulation-based education in addition to 1,200 hours of practice-based learning.
No. Simulation is recommended in addition to clinical hours, not as a direct replacement.
Simulation helps address limited clinical placement capacity while allowing students to practise skills safely, repeatedly, and in a controlled environment.
Yes, if it supports learning outcomes, is measurable, and is integrated into programme delivery. The guidance allows flexibility in how simulation is delivered.