Job requirements
Essential
14 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Significant NHS experience working as a sonographer across a range of ultrasound disciplines.
- Experience
Extensive senior-level NHS ultrasound experience across multiple clinical domains.
- Experience
Demonstrable experience of providing organisation-wide professional leadership and governance oversight.
- Experience
Proven experience of leading complex service transformation, change management and service redesign at scale.
- Experience
Experience of providing assurance to senior leadership on quality, safety, performance and risk.
- Experience
Significant experience of workforce leadership, including professional accountability, scope of practice, education and role development.
- Experience
Experience of financial management, budgetary responsibility and development of business cases.
- Experience
Evidence of effective partnership working across multidisciplinary, organisational and system boundaries.
- Experience
Clear understanding of Welsh Government priorities including RTT and Single Cancer Pathway targets.
- Qualifications and Knowledge
Relevant professional qualification
- Qualifications and Knowledge
Current HCPC/RCT/RCN registration
- Qualifications and Knowledge
CASE accredited Masters (level 7) qualification in medical ultrasound (e.g. DMU, MSC.)
- Qualifications and Knowledge
Post graduate study in obstetric and general ultrasound, having a full working knowledge of the regulatory framework relating to your area of practise.
- Qualifications and Knowledge
Formal management or leadership qualification, or demonstrable equivalent senior leadership experience.
Desirable
6 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Other
Welsh Speaker (Level 1)
- Experience
Experience of leading services through external inspection, accreditation or quality assurance processes (e.g. QSI).
- Experience
Experience of working at regional or national level influencing service strategy or professional practice.
- Qualifications and Knowledge
Post graduate qualification in Clinical Governance, Quality Assurance, teaching, IOSHH or comparable.
- Qualifications and Knowledge
Postgraduate qualification or formal training in clinical governance, quality improvement, patient safety, education, or health service management.
- Qualifications and Knowledge
Evidence of continuous professional development at a strategic or executive leadership level.
Job overview
Hywel Dda University Health Board is seeking an experienced, forward-thinking Principal Sonographer to provide strategic, professional, governance and operational leadership for ultrasound services across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of ultrasound practice across a diverse Health Board, leading service transformation, strengthening clinical governance, and supporting sustainable, high-quality care for patients and communities.
Working within Radiology, you will act as the Health Board’s senior professional authority for ultrasound, influencing strategic direction, workforce development, quality assurance and innovation while promoting compassionate, inclusive and values-based leadership.
The post offers the chance to work across beautiful rural and coastal communities, combining senior leadership responsibility with the opportunity to make a visible difference to patient safety, access, service quality and staff development.
Key benefits of the role include:
- Influence the strategic direction of ultrasound services across the Health Board.
- Lead innovation, service redesign and quality improvement at scale.
- Support and develop a skilled ultrasound workforce, including advanced and extended roles.
- Contribute to governance, safety and assurance at senior organisational level.
- Work in a supportive Health Board serving vibrant communities across west Wales.
Main duties of the job
The Principal Sonographer will provide senior leadership for ultrasound practice, ensuring services are safe, effective, sustainable and aligned with national standards, regulatory requirements and Health Board priorities.
The post holder will lead ultrasound governance, quality assurance, audit, risk management and service improvement, including oversight of policies, standards, equipment strategy, performance data and preparation for accreditation requirements such as Quality Standards in Imaging.
A key part of the role will be leading and influencing workforce strategy, professional standards, education, credentialing, scope of practice and career development pathways, while working collaboratively with clinical, operational, managerial and external partners to improve access, patient flow and outcomes.
The role also includes expert clinical contribution, including referral vetting, high-quality ultrasound examinations, interpretative reporting, medicines governance within the area of responsibility, incident and complaint investigation, and provision of specialist advice across services.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.
The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.
The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.
Interviews will be held on 25/11/2026.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Welsh language skills are desirable
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Principal Sonographer with Hywel Dda University Health Board in Carmarthen, Wales. It is listed as a Band 8 Radiographer role. The advertised salary is £67,583 - £78,530 per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 02 Nov 2026.
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