Band 6 Radiographer

Job overview

The post holder will be a qualified radiographer, able to assess and treat own workload of patients/clients and to ensure provision of the highest standards of patient care. Including the legal documentation on the EPIC system and Picture Archiving Communications System (PACS) associated with each completed patient episode.

They will be able to work autonomously, consulting senior staff as and when necessary, and will be accountable for their own professional actions.  They will work as part of the wider multidisciplinary team.

The post holder will participate in the supervision and teaching of Radiographers, Assistant Practitioners and Student Radiographers as appropriate.

Particular emphasis is put at Kings on the need to ensure that all staff recognise their responsibility to deliver services in a high quality, courteous, patient focused manner maintaining patient confidentiality at all times.

Main duties of the job

• Act under the IR(ME)R Radiation Regulations and assess the clinical justification of referrals to ensure that the benefit to the patient outweighs the radiation risk associated with the examination
• Provide timely, efficient and courteous provision of radiographic services to the agreed standards of the department taking account of the patient/clients clinical, physical and cultural needs.
• Undertake additional modality training in Computed Tomography.
• Perform out of hours duties as part of the departmental shift system, without supervision and acting as team leader where necessary.
• Monitor and adjust work priorities in conjunction with other professionals to take into account changing demands on the diagnostic services due to emergencies or increased demand from A&E, particularly during out of hours duties.
• Responsible for the safe use and maintenance of imaging equipment, reporting faults to senior staff or directly to the manufacturer
• Participate in the departmental rota, being flexible in responding to service needs
• Ensure all adverse incidents are reported in line with trust policies
• Participate in clinical audit to improve quality of service and support the continual development of services in line with best, evidence based practice.
• Participate in multiple site rotation as and when necessary

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication

• Receive and welcome patients and staff to the relevant Radiology reception areas and deal with any enquiries in a kind and courteous manner.
• Communicates with the referrer any changes to referrals after assessing the clinical justification for an x-ray examination against IR(ME)R and local protocols.
• Deal sensitively with patients or carers under emotional stress, including the terminally ill and bereaved
• Deal with potentially aggressive patients.
• Communicate information relating to conditions and procedures to staff, patients and carers and ensure informed consent for examinations.
• Communicates effectively on a daily basis with patients with communication difficulties and cognitive impairment.
• Anticipate 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. Including liaison with ward staff.
• Give factual information to patients, including children, regarding examinations and understand the necessary preparations.
• Lead other radiographers and health care professionals in a defined work area, to assist them with diagnostic examinations and other procedures.
• Ensure the safety and well-being of patients, staff and visitors within the department.
• Ensure patients receive timely and accurate information about their examination, and ensure urgent findings are communicated in the appropriate way to referrers (e.g. red-dot system).

Knowledge, Training and Experience

• Position patients accurately for each examination, adapting techniques in accordance with the patient’s needs.
• Comply with the requirements of CNST.
• Demonstrate a problem-solving approach to issues arising at a local level, evaluating the need to refer problems to the line manager.
• Be accountable for own professional actions and working within codes of Practice and professional guidelines, consulting senior staff as and when necessary
• Act as a source of knowledge to be consulted by other professionals.
• 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.
• Assist Radiologists in performing Barium and fluoroscopy studies.
• Safely administer oral contrast media and other drugs in accordance with protocols as required.
• Train in the utilisation of complex and specialised imaging equipment.
• Train on advanced software on specialised radiological equipment requiring anatomical, pathological and technical knowledge