“New technology is the future in treating cancer”
Posted 3rd July 2023
As the NHS celebrates its 75th anniversary, Consultant Medical Oncologist Dr Ian Lampkin tells us about his career so far, his hopes for the future of the health service and what he thinks has changed.
“Medicine hasn’t always been my dream career. I was pretty academic in school but I thought law was the way I was going to go. But then a family member was diagnosed with Lung cancer as I was about to study my A levels.
“This got me thinking about my future and my career and what I really wanted to achieve and eventually, I decided medicine would be the direction I would go in; I wanted to help people and had a keen interest in science. And so my journey to be a doctor in the NHS began.
“I began working at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre eight years ago, at the end of my training in general medicine. I specialise in urological cancers, treating cancers in the bladder and prostate – and also skin cancer. I enjoy the complexities of the science behind these types of cancers as well as the nature of the patients I treat. My team and I look after so many lovely people and it’s a pleasure to care for them.
“My career so far only spans a few years compared to some of my colleagues, but even in that time, I’ve seen a lot of changes within the NHS. There’s been a shift in terms of work load and pressure – we want to do the best for our patients, but with more and more people being diagnosed with and living with cancer, we’re working harder than ever to ensure they all get the proper care they deserve.
“When I qualified as a doctor, we were still often using fax machines in the NHS. Technology has changed a lot and for the better. I’m really excited about what advances in technology mean for both the wider NHS and for ourselves in cancer care.
“For example, developments in AI technology within radiotherapy have already improved the accuracy of our planning, meaning we’re able to treat with even more precision and it saves us time. This sort of technology will only continue to improve and that’s really exciting.”
“I’m looking forward to my future here at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. I’m keen to develop new services for my skin cancer patients and in brachytherapy, which is a form of treating cancer with radiation where a radioactive wire is placed on the skin surface near cancer cells
“And there are areas of my own development I’m looking forward to exploring – I’m interested in teaching trainee oncologists for example.
“The NHS is a brilliant place to work, with lots of opportunities no matter what your area of expertise. I’m looking forward to what the future holds for The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and the NHS."
