Lead Clinical Photographer

Job responsibilities

Manages and is responsible for the delivery of Clinical Photography services for the Trust - autonomous role. Including Clinical Photography service to all departments and wards, Ophthalmic Imaging service, and all related record keeping and data protection duties.

Responsible for Clinical Photography team, including staff training, career development. recruitment, appraisal, CPD, and discipline. Line manager for Clinical Photography Team Leaders - Trust wide. Organises and delegates work as necessary to enable the efficient running of the service.

Responsible for the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and work-practices to ensure all clinical and non-clinical photography undertaken within the Trust conforms with all statutory, local and professional legislation and guidelines, including clinical governance and risk management. Ensures that policies are in place to protect both the patient and healthcare professionals rights, with regard to confidentiality and consent. Responsible for the interpretation and implementation of national, professional and Trust wide policies within the department.

Maintains accurate confidential departmental records. Includes design and upkeep of departmental/internal clinical photographic image database Medical Image Manager (MIM) and the required duties in relation to the MIM system. Along with records required as per data protection legislation (e.g. Information Asset Administrator duties).

Responsible for accurate data entry of all departmental material to exact standards to maintain authenticity of material which may later be used for legal proceedings. Ensure confidential material is always stored correctly and securely.

Responsible for following up Trust wide Clinical Photography related incident reports, audits and complaints, and implementing any resulting actions.

Fully qualified and experienced clinical photographer. Undertakes clinical photography / ophthalmic imaging for patients records, treatment planning, diagnosis, teaching, clinical trials and audit following appropriate national and internal protocols and standardisation. Provides a specialist digital clinical photography service as part of direct patient care:

o Takes consent where necessary from patients and explains issues surrounding use of their confidential images.

o Photographs patients in studio and other locations such as wards, operating theatres or isolation wards etc. for all medical and surgical specialities, adhering to appropriate national and internal standardisation and protocols.

o Assesses the best way of demonstrating a clinical condition by optimal use of camera and lighting techniques.

o Undertakes other specialist techniques as required as part of standardised serial photography for controlled trials, and other research and development-based activity.

o Ensures accuracy of clinical visual material by precise digital file input and colour management standards.

o Undertakes specialist ophthalmic photographic work which may include OCT, Optos, colour fundus, fundus fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, fundus autofluorescence, slit lamp, topography and external eye photography.

o Capable of clinical digital video photography for the recording of patient conditions and for educational use.

Accepts appropriate work requests and offers advice and guidance to all clients including patients, visitors, staff, and external clients. Consults and advises users of the service to ensure requests are understood, costed, and undertaken to the highest possible standard.

Often works unsupervised, sometimes as sole member of staff in department, including working single-handed at locations away from base.

Communicates regularly with manager regarding business plans, financial improvements and strategic direction.

Occasionally carries out general digital photography for educational, promotional or display use including public relations photography, portraiture, architectural and commercial photography. Includes photography of equipment, techniques and working practices, production of computer graphics for teaching, publication, and exhibition in the form of leaflets, brochures, and posters.

Carries out any other reasonable duties commensurate with the role and delegated or requested by their manager, as the needs of the service require.

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

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience working as a senior clinical photographer in a line manager role with a high level of professional expertise within clinical photography acquired through experience.
• Leadership experience - able and keen to support, encourage, develop, mentor and train others specifically in aspects of clinical/ophthalmic photography.
• Experience of maintaining and developing digital photography image management systems.
• Experienced in the development and implementation of shared documents such as standard operating procedures.

Desirable

• Experience of change management
• Wider experience in photographic manipulation, graphic design, video and/or multimedia.
• Able to work on own and in a team
• .
• Able to work under distressing circumstances.
• Able to deal with information sensitively and confidentially.
• Able to work autonomously

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional clinical photography qualification e.g. BSc. in Clinical Photography, Graduate or Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Photography or equivalent.

Desirable

• Good level of general education.
• Training/qualification in management/leadership.
• Any other relevant training /qualifications.

Special Requirements

Essential

• Patient Focused: Understands how their role impacts on the patient journey, and a willingness to place the patient at the centre of what they do.
• Inspirational Leadership: Keen to develop themselves and others, open to new ideas and willing to share their experience with others.
• Cross site working will be required.

statutory Registration

Essential

• Eligible for entry on the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) accredited register.

Desirable

• Registered on the AHCS accredited register

Special Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Skilled in all areas of clinical photography & ophthalmic imaging.
• Knowledge and understanding of clinical governance / legal and ethical issues relevant to clinical/ophthalmic photography e.g., confidentiality and consent. data protection legislation and security of sensitive clinical images
• Capable of policy and protocol development and implementation.
• Ability to analyse complex problems and to develop practical and workable
• solutions to address them, particularly technical problems with digital imaging workflow or with imaging equipment.
• Excellent communication, organizational and delegation skills; able to prioritise workload for self and staff.

Desirable

• Specialist skills or knowledge in clinical photography or ophthalmic imaging techniques.
• Specialist skills or knowledge in digital imaging workflow, image management systems, and ophthalmic imaging equipment and software.
• Knowledge of the interface of image management systems.

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).