Job summary

CT Deputy Radiographer - Band 7

Contract - Permanent. Full-time 37.5 hours per week

The post holder will be an experienced radiographer who is able to effectively manage the workload of service users and ensure that a high level of patient care is consistently met.

They will be responsible for assisting in the daily co-ordination of the modality in which they are operating and lending support to the lead within the speciality.

They will be able to work autonomously within their specialist areas, consulting senior staff as and when necessary, and will be accountable for their own professional actions. They will assess, manage and prioritise their caseload, giving advice and guidance to patients and other health care professionals.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will assist in the supervision and teaching of staff grade Bank staff Radiographers and student Radiographers and other health professionals as appropriate.

The post holder will be expected to rotate through the different specialist modalities as per departmental needs.

The post holder will assist in ensuring a streamlined and cost effective management and operation of their specialist imaging sections. They will ensure the provision of the highest standards of patient care and will be actively involved in daily operation of the Department.

Participation in the on-call and out of hours duty roster including long days, night and weekend shifts is mandatory.

About us

Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.

Our ICARE (Innovation, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence) Values not only help us shape what we do, but also how we do it and why. They are fundamental to the way we do business and care for our patients.

For more information, please access the following link:https://www.whittington.nhs.uk/

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties

• To perform a range of imaging techniques in CT, and Plain film X-ray according to skill mix and clinical needs.
• To obtain patient consent and co-operation for examinations in accordance with departmental polices
• To prioritise workload depending on the clinical history of the patient and the direct impact on their management.
• To manage patient expectations to improve patient experience
• To pass on information relating to patient transfer to colleagues
• To validate the necessity of an imaging examination involving a risk associated with the harmful effects of ionising and non-ionising radiation.
• To provide advice and reassurance to junior members of staff and assist in their handling of patients concerns
• To be able to exercise personal responsibility and make decisions in complex and unpredictable circumstances e.g.: Prioritising patients according to clinical need in an imaging situation
• To provide help and advice to more junior staff in prioritising their work and delegate other non-clinical tasks
• To work as part of a team within the Imaging Department and the wider Trust environment to ensure effective communication and delivery of care
• To maintain a high level of expertise in the safe operation of Imaging equipment and manage faults effectively per departmental policy and procedure
• To assist in implementing and developing service protocols and audit programmes within the department
• To act independently in the assessment of referrals for X-Ray examinations, taking full responsibility for the justification of general X-Ray examinations in order to reduce unnecessary ionising radiation exposure of patients in accordance with IR(ME)R 2017. Supervise Radiographers in this process if required
• To receive training in other imaging modalities, with mutual agreement.
• To maintain knowledge of technological advances in methods of diagnostic imaging in order to promote a culture of continuous improvement within the department
• To develop knowledge and understanding within evidence-based framework and transfer to situations encountered in practice
• To present educational material to colleagues on a regular basis
• To provide advice to more junior staff on guidelines for relevant imaging examinations
• To maintain accurate patient records with proper use of the departmental systems and procedures, in accordance with the Data Protection Act
• To delegate appropriate tasks and supervise more junior Radiographers, Radiographic Helpers and Assistant Practitioners to achieve the desired quality of patient care
• To be actively involved in the training and assessment of student Radiographers, Radiographers and other learners on clinical placement, providing direct supervision at all times.
• Maintain the required knowledge and skills to provide effective training, keeping up-to-date with current advances in technology and diagnostic techniques
• To participate in mandatory training and actively and independently pursue continuous professional development keeping an up to date personal record
• To work independently when providing a stand/by and on-call service to patients requiring urgent imaging due to acute trauma or illness
• To comply with departmental and professional polices and procedures such as:

Health +Safety including risk assessment and COSHH

Radiation Protection Procedures

Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposures) Regulations 2017 IR(ME)R2017.

Quality Assurance Program

Clinical Effectiveness

Clinical Audit

Communication

• Receive and welcome patients and staff to the relevant Radiology reception areas and deal with any enquiries in a kind and courteous manner.
• Communicate with the referrer any changes to referrals after assessing the clinical justification for a CT examination against IR(ME)R and local protocols.
• Deal sensitively with patients or carers under emotional stress, including the terminally ill and bereaved.
• Communicate complex information relating to conditions and procedures to staff, patients and carers and ensure informed consent for examinations.
• Communication is with all levels of staff across the Trust, health professionals within the community and patients, many of whom are seriously ill, do not possess English as their main language and those with physical and/or mental disabilities.
• Antisipate and interpret customers needs, defining the level of customer care required on an individual basis.
• Communicate effectively with staff within and outside of the department to ensure the smooth operation of the service.

Professional and Technical

• Possess a high level of specialist knowledge over a wide range of imaging procedures, with particular reference to CT.
• Demonstrate a problem-solving approach to issues arising at a local level, evaluating the need to refer problems to the line manager.
• Conduct must be in accordance with the Radiographers Code of Professional Conduct and in line with the Health Professions Council Regulation.
• Be accountable for own professional actions and working within codes of Practice and Professional Guidelines, consulting senior staff as and when necessary.
• To observe and ensure adherence to Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 in accordance with Trust policy and Local Rules.
• Be responsible for ensuring the legal documentation on the Radiology Information System (RIS) and Picture Archiving Communications System (PACS) associated with each completed patient episode. Ensure timely provision of images to referrers.
• Safely administer contrast media and other drugs in accordance with protocols as required.

Physical skills and Effort

• Ensure the safe transferring of patients and equipment, following manual handling guidelines and using risk assessment.
• Assist with changing and personal care of patients as necessary including immobile and disabled.
• Operate a wide range of radiological equipment requiring excellent hand-eye co-ordination. e.g. bolus chasing, post processing of images.
• Operate modality and PACS equipment
• Physically position patients accurately for each examination, adapting techniques in accordance with the patients needs.
• Ensure that infection control practices are met and maintained as per Trusts standards

Management Responsibility

• Vet incoming CT request forms and assign protocols to them according to pre-authorised guidelines in compliance with IR(ME)R 2017.
• Ensure all other request forms are assigned to a Consultant Radiologist in a timely manner in order to expedite target referrals within set timeframes.
• Liaise with GPs, and hospital clinicians in a professional manner with regard to requesting blood tests for assessing renal function and rejecting incomplete or inappropriate requests.
• Ensure that all Trust and local policies, protocols and procedures are adhered to by colleagues as appropriate.
• Work within and support the multi-disciplinary team.
• Act as team leader during out-of-hours duties when necessary, and in the absence of the CT Superintendent.
• Maintain effective communication and professional relationships with all areas within Radiology and with associated clinical areas within the Trust.
• Share knowledge and skills developed with other members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Supervise the work of staff grade radiographers and within the local area, training staff in the imaging required for each Modality as appropriate.
• Observe personal responsibility for resource management.
• Assume responsibility for daily resource management of the local area.
• Observe a general duty of care for the health, safety and wellbeing of self, work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management associated with this post.
• Deal with complaints in accordance with Trust complaints procedure.
• Report any adverse events or incidents using the DATIX system. Training will be provided to the post holder if they are unfamiliar with the procedure.
• Contribute to service improvements and re-design in line with the NHS plan and local service strategies.
• Assess the needs of patients and plan the delivery of imaging and care around these needs within a specialist area.
• Co-ordinate services within each section, and liase with other wards and sections/departments, to provide a fluid and coherent imaging service
• Contribute to data collection for statistics on capacity, demand & backlog and other management activity.
• Ensure compliance with Trust Health and Safety policies and procedures within the area, including ionising radiation and infection control to provide a safe and secure environment.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• BSC (Hons) in Radiography or equilalent

Desirable

• Post Graduate Qualification in CT

Skills

Essential

• Significant CT experience
• Experience in leading and training
• Able to prioritise clinically and in terms of service requirements
• Able to work under pressure
• Excellent communication skill with patients, colleagues and other clinicians
• Able to work flexibly to meet departmental and organisational needs

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Has completed a course in IV Injecting
• Excellent working knowledge of Radiation Protection.
• Evidence of CPD
• At least 24 months Post Graduate Experience in R
  Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.
  
  220-WHT-979-A