We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated sonographer to lead our busy ultrasound department. You will work closely with the clinical lead to deliver a high quality service for our patients whilst meeting waiting list targets.

As an imaging team we have gone through a period of structural reorganisation. We are now managed through a site based division and feel this has given us the oversight, and support to deliver on our ambitions.

This Ultrasound leadership team will have a new structure with a Clinical lead and a Modality lead. Together you will with focus on targets but also clinical excellence aiming to deliver an effective, high quality service.

You will oversee the day-to-day running of the Ultrasound department and line manage the team. You will also work closely with the Imaging Manager and Service manager to monitor waiting lists and develop new pathways.

You will work closely with the North East London (NEL) Ultrasound network to share ideas and strategies.

They will undertake both clinical (20%) and managerial (80%) duties.

They will provide compliance with key performance indicators for this service and will provide supervision and specialist advice and expertise to the ultrasound team of Sonographers, Students, and support workers, in addition to the wider multi-disciplinary team. They will provide management oversight of the rota to ensure we are maintaining compliance with DM01 incorporating 2 week waits and urgent patients. They will also actively develop the service in conjunction with national and local NHS guidelines and directives and ensure that staff promote patient advocacy and communicate effectively with other health care professionals.

Working closely with the Ultrasound Clinical Lead they will ensure that all aspects of clinical governance are delivered and monitored including ensuring regular peer review audits and action plans.

Main duties of the job

The job holder will act as a Modality Site Lead Sonographer and be responsible for the day-to-day organisation and management of the ultrasound service. The post holder will provide clinical support and mentoring to the diagnostic imaging team of Sonographers, Students, Imaging Assistants and Administrative and Clerical staff and actively develop the service in conjunction with NHS guidelines and directives.

We are dedicated to being an outstanding place to work and will work with you to get the best experience. We know flexible working is not a one size fits all and will mean something different to everyone. We are inclusive, so if you are interested in flexible working, please speak to the recruiting manager.

About us

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are underrepresented within Barts Health at this band.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationships

To develop and maintain relationships and effective communication mechanisms with staff and their representatives in a multi-disciplinary team to provide an effective and efficient ultrasound service. Effectively liaise with all user groups specifically in the development of the ultrasound service.

To be the first line communicator and point of contact between imaging assistants and Band 7/8a sonographers in relation to any issues regarding the clinical aspects of general ultrasound and patient care.

To develop and maintain relationships and effective communication mechanisms with multidisciplinary staff and their representatives to provide an effective and efficient ultrasound service. Effectively liaise with all user groups specifically in the development of the General ultrasound service.

To communicate effectively by taking an active role through verbal, electronic or written methods with professional colleagues including chairing sonographer staff meetings and attending meetings as required and where necessary, providing feedback on service progress and departmental planning ensuring that information is disseminated throughout the whole team.

To ensure collaborative working between directorates and Imaging modalities, communicating daily in a professional, concise, accurate and detailed manner.

To frequently use both verbal and non-verbal communication skills to effectively communicate with patients who often present with complex barriers to effective communication, including aggressive and abusive behaviour. This will include providing advice to patients, carers, and family members to promote understanding of the aims of the imaging procedure and in addition, explanation, and delivery of patient ultrasound results with appropriate management of the patient care pathways.

To have an understanding or the Trusts complaints procedures and be able to deal with complaints from patients, carers or other professionals according to the relevant timescales.

To communicate with the Imaging Governance Lead and the site clinical governance team and any relevant meetings with regards to any complaints or any other issues relating to the Ultrasound service.

To communicate shared learning to staff regarding the outcome of any clinical governance cases.

To communicate with staff in the primary sector including accepting telephone referrals after clinical discussion.

To communicate with patients via telephone/written responses with regards to complaints/concerns.

To engage in the breaking of bad news with effective communication and counselling and communication to the referring clinician and on call emergency team.

Communicates with external agencies and internal maintenance/faults regarding equipment breakdown etc.

Computer and paper communication used extensively including e-mail and computerized results service, intranet etc.

Ensure that all staff are taught the correct use and care of the equipment within their remit.

Clinical Responsibility

To professionally and legally take responsibility to ensure a high standard of clinical care and patient welfare for all patients whilst in the Department.

Help maintain consistent high standards and standard operating procedures throughout the entire Ultrasound provision of service within Radiology.

To work with multidisciplinary team and collaborate with other modality leads regarding the Covid pandemic and any major incident coordination for the general ultrasound department.

To coordinate and organise any research requirements involving the general ultrasound department and liaise with relevant multidisciplinary teams.

To carry out all duties to a high standard, appropriately utilising imaging protocols. To take the lead in improving and encouraging good working practices and investigate improved ways of working with staff and lead consultant radiologists.

To interpret and analyse, report, clinical and non-clinical facts to form an accurate and justified procedure in a wide range of complex conditions. To recommend the best course of imaging intervention and procedure and provide optimum quality images for accurate diagnosis.

To take responsibility for approving reports ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Provide feedback on reporting and establishing quality standards.

To carry out comprehensive assessments demonstrating skills while working independently on a wide range of patients / clients of varied ages, levels of ability, communication barriers, ethnic backgrounds, and social status.

To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients in working area, and to organise this effectively and efficiently regarding clinical priorities and use of time.

To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within the legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment (including intimate examinations such as testes, groin and transvaginal scans).

To maintain accurate and concise records of all imaging received by the patient and track previous imaging effectively and efficiently using the appropriate computerised system.

To use and promote correct manual handling techniques to all staff in work area.

To be responsible for the safe use of the Ultrasound equipment promoting Imaging safety guidelines within a specialist area such as ultrasound guided procedures within the general ultrasound department.

To make initial investigation into equipment failures and communicate details of the problem effectively to the manufacturer, ensuring that the Site Lead Radiographer is kept informed.

To work closely with the clinical engineering and procurement teams when providing replacement and/or additional ultrasound equipment.

To ensure that all members of staff and students under post holders supervision follow the infection control policies and procedures within work area.

To ensure all staff are compliant with trust decontamination procedure and meet the required infection control training standards.

To ensure all staff have a fully documented induction to the ultrasound imaging department.

Identify personal training needs and career development needs.

To maintain professional knowledge and status by attending seminars and courses as agreed with the Site Lead Radiographer.

To show evidence of own Continuous Professional Development and keep up to date with current imaging and technical developments, professional and Trust issues, audit and all statutory training.

To ensure that unexpected abnormalities seen are brought to the attention of the appropriate medical staff of the department, and/or the referring clinician, and that the patient is managed in an appropriate and supportive manner.

To be responsible for the care of equipment and accessories in the section in which the post-holder is working and to ensure that equipment used is cleaned and kept in good order with sufficient stock. To ensure that all equipment problems and operational difficulties are reported immediately and resolved in a timely manner.

Leadership and staff management responsibility

To monitor and manage the general ultrasound capacity and demand is met, with regards to DM01, cancer performance and urgent patients to comply with national waiting time standards. To also attend relevant access meetings regarding the aforementioned.

To continually develop management and change skills.

To line manage the team of Sonographers, Support Workers and Student Sonographers allocating staff to key areas during staff sickness, absence, and annual leave.

Together with the Ultrasound Clinical Lead be responsible for training and monitoring staff to ensure competency in ultrasound scanning is maintained.

To ensure staff performance and general good discipline is maintained in all areas.

Participate in the Trusts Personal Development review process (appraisal).

To manage staff according to the Trusts People Policies including Sickness and Absence Management, Leave, Capability and Disciplinary.

To be able to counsel staff and conduct the initial stages of disciplinary or grievance procedures and provide support where needed in line with trust policy and resources available.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience in ultrasound imaging post qualification.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Experience of post graduate teaching.
• Experience of recruitment.

Desirable

• Undertaking appraisal practices.
• Training in DVT ultrasound.
• Attendance of a clinical supervisor course.
• Managing a budget.
• Writing business cases and policies.
• Demonstrable operational management experience in the health service.

Skills

Essential

• High level inter-personal and communications skills.
• Able to work collaboratively with other disciplines.
• Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.
  
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