Diagnostic Radiographer @ King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic radiographer with a keen desire to learn and develop their skills in our busy and exciting department.

This Band 5 Diagnostic Radiographer role advertised is based in Radiology, Princess Royal University Hospital, Orpington.

Main duties of the job

Successful applicants can expect to train and rotate through various sections of the department, including x-ray imaging services for trauma, inpatient, outpatient and general practice referrals using static, mobile and fluoroscopy x-ray imaging systems as appropriate. You will rotate through our theatre departments.

The post holders will contribute to out of hours working within the departments shift system, operational 24/7 Monday to Sunday, including bank holidays and religious festivals. Our roster is designed around staff feedback. Shifts for standard full-time posts are organised over a four-day working week with extended working days. Night duties are a three shift or single shift pattern with days off, thus allowing for planning of annual leave around shift work.

The post holders will work autonomously and prioritise work in line with clinical need. They will be responsible for the supervision and teaching of students, assistant practitioners, junior staff and colleagues as appropriate.

About us

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. Transforming Healthcare is the vision at the heart of the King's Strategy - 2026 to 2031. Together, we are pursuing six strategic ambitions: delivering high-quality patient care; being a great place to work; leading pioneering research, innovation and education; building strong and successful partnerships; providing timely and efficient care; and ensuring long-term financial sustainability. Achieving these ambitions will require all of us to work as one Team King's, united by a shared commitment to our values of being caring, collaborative, inclusive and innovative. By living these values every day, we will transform healthcare for our patients, our communities and each other

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Service Delivery

• Act as Operator under IR(ME)R 2017 Radiation Regulations, assess the clinical justification of referrals to ensure that the benefit to the patient outweighs the radiation risk associated with the examination.
• Act as patient and staff advocate minimising their exposure to radiation.
• Provide timely, efficient and courteous provision of radiographic services to the agreed standards of the department taking account of the patient/client clinical, physical, emotional and cultural needs.
• Perform out of hours duties without supervision, often as the sole-worker.
• 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.
• Assess and treat own workload of patients, communicate work priorities, organising work load in conjunction with other team members.
• To work as part of a team within the respective work area.
• Responsible for the safe use and maintenance of imaging equipment, reporting faults to senior staff or directly to the manufacturer.
• To participate in the 24/7 departmental rota, being flexible in responding to service needs.

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.
• Communicate effectively on a daily basis with patients with communication difficulties and cognitive impairment.
• Anticipate and interpret patient needs, defining the level of 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.
• To work with other radiographers and health care professionals to assist them with diagnostic examinations and other procedures.
• Ensure the safety and wellbeing 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.

Knowledge, training and Experience

• Position patients accurately for each examination, adapting techniques in accordance with patient need.
• Be able to decide on additional views when required in line with professional knowledge.
• Comply with the requirements of clinical governance procedures.
• Demonstrate a problem-solving approach to issues arising at a local level, evaluating the need to refer problems to the line manager.
• To 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.
• To be aware of Trust and departmental policies relevant to clinical practice and adhere to them.
• To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.
• 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.
• Be able to prepare a sterile biopsy and drainage trays for minor specials procedures within fluoroscopy.
• Assist Radiologists in performing barium and fluoroscopy studies.
• To safely administer oral contrast media and other drugs in accordance with protocols as required.

Physical Skills and Effort

• To 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.
• To operate a wide range of radiological equipment requiring excellent hand-eye co-ordination.
• To ensure that all equipment is free from damage and wear and tear by employing appropriate equipment handling.
• To operate imaging modality and PACS system computer hardware appropriately
• To ensure appropriate infection control measures are utilised where necessary; paying particular attention to personal protection as well as the management of equipment and linens contaminated by bodily fluids.

Please find remainder of job details and responsibilities in the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• BSc Diagnostic Radiography (or equivalent), or working towards
• Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registration as a Diagnostic Radiographer, or expect to gain on qualification

Desirable

• Other relevant qualification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Recent clinical experience in a radiology department, either as a student or qualified healthcare practitioner
• Knowledge of The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17)
• Knowledge of Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IRMER 2017)
• Evidenced knowledge and experience in provision of patient centred care
• Comprehensive knowledge of anatomy and pathology that can be used to justify examinations and image appropriately

Desirable

• Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)
• Evidenced knowledge of confidentiality and the Data Protection Act 1998
• Evidenced experience in use of PACS, EPIC and other key IT systems

Skills and Competencies

Essential

• Evidenced radiographic skills and adaptive clinical practice
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Ability to care and work with patients and colleagues of different abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and values

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).

Employer details

Employer name

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Princess Royal University Hospital

Princess Royal University Hospital, Farnborough Common

Orpington

BR6 8ND

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.kch.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)