Job summary
Job Title -Lead Sonographer
Hours per week -37.5 hours per week
Perm/Fixed Term-Permanent
Salary-£50,952.00 - 57,349.00 per annum
Closing Date: 14th July 2023
Interview Date-TBC
An exciting opportunity exists to appoint a highly motivated, charismatic Ultrasound Lead for our General Ultrasound unit which will include the new Community Diagnostic Hub which is currently under construction.
This post may close early due to high numbers of applications so you are advised to apply promptly.
All correspondence for this vacancy will be sent by email; please check your account regularly including your Junk and SPAM areas.
A great and friendly place to work, so bring your passion, commitment and expertise and enjoy the opportunities to make a difference every day.
#JoinTeamEliot
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate must be an inspirational leader demonstrating strong communication, team building and organisational skills; displaying a passion for excellence in patient care in this complex dynamic environment. The Trust is recognised for its commitment to the training and development of staff to their highest potential and the Radiology department is forging a strong track record in service re design and innovation.
The post is open to qualified sonographers with relevant post qualification experience, with experience in a supervisory or management role, who would enjoy this unique leadership opportunity. You will have a Diploma of the College of Radiographers or a BSc in Diagnostic Radiography and a PgD or MSc in Medical Ultrasound and considerable experience as a reporting Sonographer. You will possess effective interpersonal skills to deal with a variety of staff, multidisciplinary management teams, and service users.
About us
Here at George Eliot our vision to'excel at patient care'takes centre stage. An ever evolving clinically-led acute service provider we are on a journey to continually provide high quality, safe and responsive services delivered by inspiring, friendly and compassionate staff who share our corporate values which underpin everything we do. Our values are not just words on a piece of paper, they bond us together, reflect our ambition and shape who we are:
Effective Open Communication
excellence and safety in everything we do
Challenge but support
Expect respect and dignity
Local health that inspires confidence
Benefits:On-site nursery, 27 days minimum annual leave plus bank holidays, cycle to work scheme, flexible working, on-site discounted gym, extensive in-house course learning directory, buying and selling of annual leave, subsidised restaurant, tranquillity garden and generous subsidised on-site parking.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Working within the DGH is a friendly and ever growing team that support development and improvement opportunities. The successful candidate will be the clinical and managerial lead Sonographer for the busy general ultrasound department at George Eliot Hospital, providing high quality imaging and diagnostic reports.
The post holder will work closely with the Consultant Radiologist Lead for Ultrasound as well as the Imaging Services Manager to implement service development; you will provide both Management and Clinical Leadership for the day to day operational running of the General Ultrasound department. You will manage the work of the ultrasound team, and also develop a culture in which members of the team are continually reviewing and improving delivery to ensure a high quality service.
To lead and develop the general ultrasound service providing highly specialised professional advice to all grades of staff within the team, ensuring that staff are supported and operating a safe and efficient service.
To be line manager and provide professional leadership of the ultrasound team; providing a high quality, patient focussed ultrasound service.
Working closely with the Imaging Services Manager, Lead Consultant Radiologist and other staff within the Trust, ensuring that service delivery is planned, organised and implemented effectively.
Provide specialist, professional advice pertaining to the ultrasound service.
The maintenance of a high standard of patient care and medical ethics is essential.
Responsible for the training and supervision of all staff within the ultrasound unit.
Supports innovations to develop the ultrasound service.
To work as an independent practitioner by performing ultrasound scans to a high diagnostic standard, providing a report and communicating the results to the appropriate clinician.
The sonographer is required to communicate potentially distressing diagnoses direct to the patients, and to refer these patients appropriately.
To actively assist in the department audit and be responsible for research and clinical governance programmes.
Ensure personal development and improve professional expertise via continuous professional learning.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Working within the DGH is a friendly and ever growing team that support development and improvement opportunities. The successful candidate will be the clinical and managerial lead Sonographer for the busy general ultrasound department at George Eliot Hospital, providing high quality imaging and diagnostic reports.
The post holder will work closely with the Consultant Radiologist Lead for Ultrasound as well as the Imaging Services Manager to implement service development; you will provide both Management and Clinical Leadership for the day to day operational running of the General Ultrasound department. You will manage the work of the ultrasound team, and also develop a culture in which members of the team are continually reviewing and improving delivery to ensure a high quality service.
To lead and develop the general ultrasound service providing highly specialised professional advice to all grades of staff within the team, ensuring that staff are supported and operating a safe and efficient service.
To be line manager and provide professional leadership of the ultrasound team; providing a high quality, patient focussed ultrasound service.
Working closely with the Imaging Services Manager, Lead Consultant Radiologist and other staff within the Trust, ensuring that service delivery is planned, organised and implemented effectively.
Provide specialist, professional advice pertaining to the ultrasound service.
The maintenance of a high standard of patient care and medical ethics is essential.
Responsible for the training and supervision of all staff within the ultrasound unit.
Supports innovations to develop the ultrasound service.
To work as an independent practitioner by performing ultrasound scans to a high diagnostic standard, providing a report and communicating the results to the appropriate clinician.
The sonographer is required to communicate potentially distressing diagnoses direct to the patients, and to refer these patients appropriately.
To actively assist in the department audit and be responsible for research and clinical governance programmes.
Ensure personal development and improve professional expertise via continuous professional learning.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential
- DCR /BSc
- DMU/PGD or MSc in Medical Ultrasound
- Registration with Health Professions Council (HCPC)
- ScoR
Experience & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of administrative practices
- Ability to use Imaging IT systems
- Ability to maintain compliance within Core Skills Training Framework
- Radiation safety
- Advanced technical knowledge related to the efficient use, safety and maintenance of ultrasound equipment
- Well-developed specialist knowledge which is underpinned by theoretical knowledge and practical experience
- Analyse ultrasound images to describe and offer diagnoses from a range of possibilities which may lead to further tests/procedures
- Ability to initiative to make decisions or recommendations for the best interests of the patients
- Use judgement to change/discuss requests from referrers within clinical and national guidelines
- To act as a clinical assessor for ultrasound students as required
Desirable
- Supervisory or management experience
- Change management experience
- Expected to work towards Master's level ultrasound qualification plus extensive working experience, which enables scanning and reporting to be carried out without clinical supervision
- Ability to impart clinical skills to trainee sonographers and other students on secondment
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Organisational skills/leadership skills
- Problem solving
- Ability to motivate staff and be a good role model
- Ability to communicate highly sensitive complex information relating to abnormality or the patient's medical condition with empathy and reassurance
- Need to have the ability to overcome barriers to understanding and have good counselling skills; also the ability to cope with the needs of people in distress
- Ability to communicate the information gained from the scan by written report and/or verbally to professional clinical staff
- Capability to discuss diagnosis and the best course of action for patients
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to prioritise and organise unpredictable workloads effectively
- Capability to reflect on current practice, to plan ahead and be forward thinking in order to propose and implement changes to departmental running
- Able to reflect on and learn from radiographic research evidence and experience and apply findings to practice
- Flexible approach to departmental duties and able to adapt practice according to the needs of the service
- Highly motivated and ability to motivate others
- Displays enthusiasm and energy
- Contribute to the development of protocols and procedures and know when to refer to others
- Consistent high level of concentration required when checking images to determine if further imaging is necessary, and when teaching students
- High professional standards
- Required to make decisions or recommendations in the best interest of the patient; for example deciding if emergency treatment or urgent referral is needed
- Maintain a highly professional attitude whilst working under pressure
Desirable
- Ability to interact successfully with fellow health care professionals and to organise and supervise assisting staff
- Ability to undertake audit within the department
- Ability to identify personal development needs
Other
Essential
- Able to exert frequent moderate physical effort throughout a duty e.g. positioning and maneuvering patients and equipment with and without mechanical aids
- 7 day working and on call duties
Trust Values
Essential
- Effective open communication
- Excellence and safety in all that we do
- Expect respect and dignity
- Local healthcare that inspires confidence
Person Specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential
- DCR /BSc
- DMU/PGD or MSc in Medical Ultrasound
- Registration with Health Professions Council (HCPC)
- ScoR
Experience & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of administrative practices
- Ability to use Imaging IT systems
- Ability to maintain compliance within Core Skills Training Framework
- Radiation safety
- Advanced technical knowledge related to the efficient use, safety and maintenance of ultrasound equipment
- Well-developed specialist knowledge which is underpinned by theoretical knowledge and practical experience
- Analyse ultrasound images to describe and offer diagnoses from a range of possibilities which may lead to further tests/procedures
- Ability to initiative to make decisions or recommendations for the best interests of the patients
- Use judgement to change/discuss requests from referrers within clinical and national guidelines
- To act as a clinical assessor for ultrasound students as required
Desirable
- Supervisory or management experience
- Change management experience
- Expected to work towards Master's level ultrasound qualification plus extensive working experience, which enables scanning and reporting to be carried out without clinical supervision
- Ability to impart clinical skills to trainee sonographers and other students on secondment
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Organisational skills/leadership skills
- Problem solving
- Ability to motivate staff and be a good role model
- Ability to communicate highly sensitive complex information relating to abnormality or the patient's medical condition with empathy and reassurance
- Need to have the ability to overcome barriers to understanding and have good counselling skills; also the ability to cope with the needs of people in distress
- Ability to communicate the information gained from the scan by written report and/or verbally to professional clinical staff
- Capability to discuss diagnosis and the best course of action for patients
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to prioritise and organise unpredictable workloads effectively
- Capability to reflect on current practice, to plan ahead and be forward thinking in order to propose and implement changes to departmental running
- Able to reflect on and learn from radiographic research evidence and experience and apply findings to practice
- Flexible approach to departmental duties and able to adapt practice according to the needs of the service
- Highly motivated and ability to motivate others
- Displays enthusiasm and energy
- Contribute to the development of protocols and procedures and know when to refer to others
- Consistent high level of concentration required when checking images to determine if further imaging is necessary, and when teaching students
- High professional standards
- Required to make decisions or recommendations in the best interest of the patient; for example deciding if emergency treatment or urgent referral is needed
- Maintain a highly professional attitude whilst working under pressure
Desirable
- Ability to interact successfully with fellow health care professionals and to organise and supervise assisting staff
- Ability to undertake audit within the department
- Ability to identify personal development needs
Other
Essential
- Able to exert frequent moderate physical effort throughout a duty e.g. positioning and maneuvering patients and equipment with and without mechanical aids
- 7 day working and on call duties
Trust Values
Essential
- Effective open communication
- Excellence and safety in all that we do
- Expect respect and dignity
- Local healthcare that inspires confidence
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
