Safe Scanning for Patients with Dementia

Providing high-quality imaging and radiotherapy care for people living with dementia requires more than technical expertise — it demands understanding, adaptability, and genuinely person-centred practice.

This course has been designed specifically for those working in medical imaging to bridge that gap. Grounded in SCoR guidance and aligned with the 2026 Dementia Training Standards Framework, it focuses on what actually matters in practice: communicating effectively, reducing distress, working in partnership with carers, and adapting environments and procedures to meet individual needs.

Through practical scenarios, real-world strategies, and interactive learning, you’ll build the confidence to recognise how dementia impacts imaging pathways — and more importantly, how to respond in a way that improves both patient experience and clinical outcomes.

By the end of this course, you won’t just understand dementia in theory — you’ll be equipped to deliver safer, calmer, and more compassionate care in even the most challenging imaging situations.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

1. Explain the impact of dementia on imaging and radiotherapy practice including how cognitive, sensory, and behavioural changes affect patient experience and scan delivery.
2. Apply person-centred communication strategies in imaging environments adapting verbal and non-verbal approaches to support understanding, reduce anxiety, and improve cooperation.
3. Recognise distressed behaviours as expressions of unmet need and respond appropriately using de-escalation techniques and environmental adjustments.
4. Work effectively in partnership with carers and families using their knowledge to inform care, improve communication, and support the patient journey.
5. Support consent and capacity in line with legal and ethical frameworks including recognising fluctuating capacity and applying least restrictive practice.
6. Identify and adapt environmental and procedural factors to improve accessibility making practical changes to reduce confusion, distress, and sensory overload in imaging settings.
7. Apply learning to real-world radiography scenarios demonstrating safe, compassionate, and adaptable practice across a range of clinical situations.

Please note: To mark this course as complete on your Learning Dashboard and access your certificate of completion, you must submit the course evaluation after you attend your training.