Job responsibilities
Job Title:Clinical Imaging Assistant Team Lead
Main Place of Work:Cheltenham Imaging Centre, Thirlestaine Road, Cheltenham, GL53 7AS & Quays Community Diagnostic Centre GL1 2TZ. Occasional work will also be required on the mobile units at various locations within the UK
Responsible to: MRI/PET Superintendent Radiographer
Accountable to:Chief Executive
Job Purpose:
To liaise closely with managers within the clinical departments and provide operational and administrative support via the team of clinical imaging assistants to ensure the safe, effective and efficient day to day running of the clinical services at the imaging centre.
To supervise the clinical imaging assistant team on a day to day basis, maintain and monitor workforce deployment across the clinical services, liaising with modality managers to achieve the skill mix based on service requirements.
To assist radiographers with their day to day duties and to provide support for patients attending the Imaging Centre for diagnostic imaging examinations and to the One Stop Clinic service.
Oversee stock, consumables and medicines management (including contrast media) to ensure availability, compliance and accurate records.
Responsible for communicating policy, procedure and workflow processes to the clinical imaging assistant team.
To ensure the privacy, comfort and safety of all patients who attend the clinical services for diagnostic imaging.
Key Relationships
Clinical Imaging Assistants, Clinical and operational staff, mobile site staff, logistics, support engineers and external suppliers.
Key areas of responsibility will include:
Operational Duties
Lead on shift supervision of the CIA team: allocate tasks and breaks, ensure cover across rooms/modalities/scanners, run start of day huddles and end of shift debriefs, and maintain a clear responsibility for team members.
Provide real time oversight of patient flow, turnaround times and capacity; reprioritise work and redeploy staff as needed; escalate delays, incidents or staffing risks to line manager.
Monitor compliance with SOPs, MRI Local Rules, IR(ME)R local procedures (as applicable to role), moving & handling, Infection Prevention & Control (IP&C), and Information Governance.
Perform routine spot checks and mini audits (e.g., MRI safety screening completeness, identity/consent checks, contrast checks, documentation quality, hand hygiene/PPE, room/equipment checklists) and record actions.
Ensure mandatory training compliance across the CIA team; track expiries (e.g., BLS/CPR, manual handling, fire safety, IG, MRI safety), coordinate training time.
Oversee medicines/stock compliance: daily/weekly counts, batch/expiry and temperature/fridge logs, secure storage, waste segregation and sharps safety; escalate variances promptly.
Maintain site readiness for inspection (CQC, QSI, ISO): ensure up to date SOPs, risk assessments and signage are available; brief the team prior to external visits.
Provide physical and emotional support to patients; explain examinations and manage expectations professionally and sensitively.
Conduct pre examination screening/safety checks (MRI safety, pregnancy, implants), confirm consent, and escalate contraindications to the supervising radiographer/clinician.
Assist radiographers with patient escorting/positioning/transfer; support equipment setup and accessory handling in line with safe moving & handling practice.
Undertake reception/clerical tasks (booking, telephony, email, post, filing) to maintain patient flow; ensure accurate RIS/PACS and related records.
Maintain a clean, safe clinical environment; lead on IP&C checks and decontamination/cleaning logs; oversee clinic room and waiting area readiness (laundry, robes/linens, consumables, refreshments).
Uphold confidentiality, data protection and Health & Safety requirements at all times.
Specific Duties
Supervise and deploy the Clinical Imaging Assistant team day-to-day; assist in planning rotas and allocate work to achieve the required skill-mix across services and sites.
Act as first point of contact for CIA operational issues; maintain open communication with line managers and modality leads; coordinate CIA team meetings.
Deliver local induction and competency frameworks; identify training needs (MRI safety, IR(ME)R awareness, cannulation); maintain training records and support CPD.
Assist in undertaking appraisals with line manager, set objectives/PDPs and mentor junior staff.
Order, receive, store and monitor consumables, contrast agents and other medicines in line with policy and regulation; maintain accurate usage/stock records and collaborate with procurement for replenishment.
Support compliance with CQC, QSI, ISO and other quality standards; conduct/support audits (H&S, IP&C, documentation) and compile timely KPI reports.
Propose and implement workflow/process improvements to enhance service quality, efficiency and patient experience.
Monitor and maintain appropriate staffing levels in collaboration with line managers and support short-notice service needs. Assist in arranging agency cover where appropriate.
Additional Responsibilities
To hold certification to undertake cannulation procedures, according to departmental guidelines and working within the defined scope of practice documented in the IV scheme of work.
Medicine Management
Stock control & ordering: Ensure team maintain agreed minimum/maximum use levels, daily/weekly counts, timely orders and delivery reconciliation.
Temperature control checks: maintaining temperature/fridge logs and escalating any excursions.
Batch/expiry records and secure storage, with procurement coordination for continuity of supply.
Management of Resources
Work with Line Managers to maintain appropriate staffing levels and skill mix as appropriate to maintain adequate service provision.
Arrange and monitor the clinical assistant support of the rapid access clinics in liaison with the clinic co-ordinator.
Assist in appraisal of Clinical Imaging Assistants, setting objectives and personal developments plans.
Responsibility for medicine management stock checking contrast media and other medicines used on rapid access clinics and maintaining accurate monthly records.
Monitor and maintain sufficient and appropriate supplies to support the clinical function of the Imaging Centre and rapid access clinics to include laundry management, patient robes, clinic room stock and consumables,
Monitor and maintain beverage/refreshment supplies in the waiting areas.
Line management
Responsible for the supervision of the clinical imaging assistant Team.
Teamwork
This will involve:
To work collaboratively with other departments within Cobalt.
Taking an active part in team meetings.
Champion the professional integrity of the organisation.
Adhere to corporate policy and procedure.
Advise and mentor staff members, particularly junior staff members.
Confidentiality
Under no circumstances either during or after the end of your employment (however it is terminated) may you divulge to any unauthorised person confidential information relating to the Charity. This includes, but is not limited to, information covering patients,individual staff records, industrial relations, financial affairs, contract terms and prices or business forecasts.
Data Protection
If required to do so, to obtain, process and/or use information held on computer or other IT system in a fair and lawful way. To hold data only for specific registered purpose and not use or disclose it in any way incompatible with such purpose. To disclose data only to authorised persons or organisations as instructed.
DBS Disclosure
All appointments are subject to a satisfactory initial DBS check by the Disclosure and Barring Service and satisfactory repeat checks, carried out in line with the policy in force at the time. Failure to disclose any convictions or cautions may result in the withdrawal of the post or termination of contract.
Equality and Diversity
It is the responsibility of all employees to support the Charitys vision of promoting a positive approach to diversity and equality of opportunity, to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage in service delivery and employment, and to manage, support or comply through the implementation of Equality & Diversity Strategies and Policies.
Health & Safety
In addition to any responsibilities specified within your job description above, it is your duty to:
Take reasonable care of the health and safety of yourself and of the other people who may be affected by actions and omissions at work.
Co-operate with the employer in ensuring that all statutory and other requirements are complied with.
Infection Control
Make themselves aware of their responsibilities for infection prevention and control. Co-operate with the employer in ensuring that all infection prevention and control policies and procedures are complied with. Conduct hand hygiene in accordance with Cobalt policy, challenging those around you who do not.
Information Governance
You should be aware of all information governance policies and procedures, in order to ensure necessary safeguards are upheld for the appropriate use of patient and personal information. You are required to undertake the Data Protection training included in the NHS IT Governance Toolkit as instructed.
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