People’s Forum on Radiotherapy

An event taking place in November and December 2025 to explore a new approach to patient care.

Dates: Thursday 6 November 2025 (10.30am-4.30pm), Thursday 20 November 2025 (10.30am-4.30pm), Thursday 4 December 2025 (10.30am-4.30pm)

Location: St Thomas Centre, Ardwick Green N, Manchester, M12 6FZ (view on Google Maps)

On this page:

• What is the People’s Forum?
• What is rapid learning?
• What will happen on each day?
• More information

“The next phase of the project is about creating clear, practical guidelines so that others can apply the RAPID-RT approach in different cancer care settings.

“We don’t want researchers reinventing the wheel when it comes to improving cancer treatment; instead, we want them to build on what we have learned from RAPID-RT so that we can make faster progress together.”

Mr Brian Turner, RAPID-RT patient co-applicant

What is the People’s Forum?

The People’s Forum is a three-day event bringing together a diverse group of people to explore a new approach to patient care called rapid learning.

Over the three days you will hear from researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience.

You will reflect on what you have heard, share your views in small group discussions, and work with others to identify the values, principles, and safeguards you believe are most important.

At the end of the third day, you will have helped to co-create a People’s Charter for Rapid Learning in the NHS. The final Charter will reflect people’s views and help shape how rapid learning is used in future NHS decisions.

You don’t need to be an expert – just willing to reflect, listen and share your views in a supportive environment. Download Vocal’s welcome pack for attendees of the People’s Forum to see more information about what’s involved.

You can also learn more about RAPID-RT’s previous public engagement activities and events.

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What is rapid learning?

Rapid learning is a new way of quickly checking if small changes in treatment are helping patients. Doctors sometimes adjust how a treatment is given because of new research, the development of new technology or lessons from other hospitals. Sometimes these are introduced without being evaluated.

Rapid learning could allow these treatment changes to be monitored so doctors can check whether the new way is at least as good as previous treatments, or if it improves survival or reduces side effects.

Rapid learning can use data that your healthcare team already collects and saves in your medical records. So, no extra testing is required. This could be data on your disease type, what type of treatment you were given, whether you experienced side effects and how long you survive after treatment. This data can be made anonymous, so no one knows it came from you.

Working with this data allows your health care team to understand what treatments worked for you. It can also be used to help see which types of treatment are better for people with your disease type and whether future patients might benefit from changes to their care.

How rapid learning works

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What will happen on each day of the Forum?

Day 1

Thursday 6 November 2025, 10.30am-4.30pm

Introductions, meeting each other and the research team, learning about how we’ll be working together using a participatory democracy approach, hearing from researchers and people with lived experience, reflecting on key themes, hopes and concerns.

Day 2

Thursday 20 November 2025, 10.30am-4.30pm

Exploring themes in more depth with expert input and group discussions.

Day 3

Thursday 4 December 2025, 10.30am-4.30pm

Bringing everything together and agree shared principles and priorities for the Charter.

You do not need to have any prior knowledge. All information will be presented in plain language, with time for you to ask any questions and to reflect and share your views.

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More information

For more information, to say hello and ask any questions, please see the People’s Forum Padlet. You’re welcome to post on the Padlet using your first name only, but if you’re comfortable sharing your full name, feel free to do so.

For any further questions, please contact Lissie Fahey:

Email: elisabeth.fahey@mft.nhs.uk
Tel: 07483 130252

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