Senior Mammographer

Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication

Demonstrate the Trust values, respect, dignity and privacy of all staff and patients and act with kindness and courtesy.

Effectively liaise with medical, nursing and administrative staff and other departments to allow timely management of client/patient care and treatment.

Communicate effectively with clients, patients, their carers and co-workers utilising a variety of communication styles where barriers to communication may exist and where there may be varying levels of ability to understand.

Assess the emotional needs of the patient through non-verbal means of communication facial expression, body language, tone of voice, and other subtle reactions to the screening environment.

Negotiate with consultant radiologists during assessment procedures to consider a range of positioning techniques necessary to optimally demonstrate an area within the breast and also to evaluate images for diagnostic quality (Assessment and Symptomatic clinics).

Ability to communicate complex information and negotiate in a calm and professional manner with clients who may be extremely angry or distressed.

Attend regular staff meetings to ensure effective communication of departmental standards and issues.

Ability to confidently discuss patients clinical history and clinical findings.

Ability to deal with difficult and complex questions from patients, in particular the reason for recall for further assessment.

Provide appropriate information and support to patients and carers keeping them fully informed and smoothing the patients journey.

Ability to communicate various to groups of health professionals when required, for educational or informational purposes, in the form of presentations.

Deal with verbal complaints at a local level, and refer unresolved or written complaints to the Superintendent Advanced Practitioner.

Provide advice and knowledge to other imaging staff who require educational guidance.

Communicate effectively and empathise with anxious and distressed patients and clients providing accurate information about contentious or sensitive issues.

Act as an advocate for the Trust and its contribution to the Health Service arena through creating and maintaining effective partnerships and relationships with staff, patients and the general public.

Communicate contentious and sensitive and sometimes complex issues to staff and patients requiring tact and sensitivity.

Encourage and participate in active feedback of ideas, concerns and suggestions to the appropriate level and in an appropriate forum.

Communicate with other professionals and team members to ensure a high quality service is maintained for the patients and screening clients.

Service Delivery and Improvement

Analyse, interpret and make decisions about variable physical characteristics of a clients anatomical and breast shape in order to achieve the best possible mammogram.

Work appropriately as an autonomous practitioner and use own initiative to problem solve equipment faults and address the womens significant concerns with regard to cancer or radiation dangers.

Report and take appropriate action where necessary/possible, to deal with all undue events with a potentially adverse outcome in keeping with the Department and Trust Safety and reporting policy.

Use knowledge and clinical reasoning skills to determine appropriateness of referrals and breast imaging requests and communicate sensitive information to patients.

Use clinical reasoning skills to adapt techniques and examinations according to individual needs to help provide a diagnosis.

Knowledge of breast diseases and cancer pathways.

Monitor radiation safety and take appropriate action when any issues/problems are identified, in accordance with statutory and organisational policies and procedures.

Plan ways to identify and solve problems taking a collaborative approach with other departmental staff.

Identify and document any significant signs and symptoms of early breast cancer on clients screening sheet. Specialist knowledge and skills are required to observe and interpret any asymptomatic changes whilst handling the breast.

People Management and Development

As an expert in breast imaging, work with the Superintendent Mammographer in providing training and education to trainee mammographers and assistant practitioners.

Demonstrate breast imaging techniques to medical staff, radiographers and other health professionals requiring this knowledge, i.e. to act as a resource of education and training to others

Promote a fair and consistent approach for supervision of staff.

Participate in the development of an acceptable learning environment within the department

Motivate and instruct on methods of learning and provide opportunity for others to gain experience.

Manage conflict across a range of situations.

Actively encourage innovation and improvement from others.

In conjunction with the Superintendent mammographer, actively promote a culture of openness, transparency and candour contributing to processes that lead to improved staff health and well-being.

In conjunction with the Superintendent mammographer, monitor standards of performance, staff conduct and standards of behaviour to ensure any matters are dealt with effectively in accordance with Trust policy and legislation.

Ensure statutory and mandatory training requirements are achieved.

Provide professional leadership and act as a role model to all staff that maximises their effort and potential. Work in close collaboration and co-operation with other health care professionals.

Promote an operating framework that supports staff to be kind, respectful, friendly, and professional in accordance with the values and behaviours expected by the Trust.

Promote staff compliance with infection control standards.

In conjunction with the Superintendent mammographer, deal with problems, incidents and complaints in a friendly, helpful, timely and conciliatory manner.

Responsible for the supervision and training of assistant practitioners and trainee mammographers.

Patient Care Delivery

Maintain the Client / patients respect, dignity and privacy, and act with kindness and courtesy to all members of the public.

Act as an advocate for the patient / client in ensuring provision of appropriate information and support.

Deliver high quality and safe care and encourage a culture in which we see everyone passionate about delivering excellent quality every time.

Take ownership and responsibility for the control and prevention of infection.

Deliver on all Quality measures to ensure safe and excellent care to patients.

Monitor clinical working practice within the unit to ensure an efficient and effective service is provided according to the NHSBSP Guidelines.

Provide an exceptionally high level of expertise in the specialist clinical field of breast imaging in a screening and symptomatic environment, contributing to the diagnosis, advice and care of patients and clients.

Learning and Development

Attend mandatory training updates as required.

Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.

• Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.

Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager

Participate in the Trusts appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.

This job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time due to the needs of the service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent with your role and banding, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and the organisation.

Person Specification

Essential

Essential

• HCPC registration
• BSc Radiography
• Full UK drivers license and car
• PACs and CRIS knowledge

Desirable

• UK PG certificate Mammography Qualification
• NHS Breast Screening experience

Skills and ED&I

Essential

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
• Supervisory/training experience and demonstrable leadership skills
• Ability to deal with large numbers of patients in a very tight time constraint in a repetitive job giving the same standard of service throughout the day

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

Worthing Hospital

Lyndhurst Road

Worthing

BN11 2DH

Employer's website

https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)