Job summary
Working Full time : 37.5 hours per week
Are you a dynamic, highly skilled radiographer with a passion for breast imaging and service leadership? We are looking for a forward-thinking individual to join our multidisciplinary Breast Imaging team as the Lead Radiographer. This exciting role provides a unique opportunity to shape and drive high-quality, patient-centred breast imaging services across both symptomatic and screening pathways.
As the Breast Imaging Lead Radiographer, you will be responsible for the operational management, strategic development, and clinical governance of the breast imaging service. You will lead a team of experienced radiographers, champion evidence-based practice, support workforce development, and ensure robust adherence to NHS Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP) and Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards. Working closely with radiologists, surgeons, managers, and commissioners, you will be a key figure in enhancing the patient experience and sustaining exemplary diagnostic outcomes.
This role is ideal for a proactive individual with advanced post-registration breast imaging experience, excellent leadership skills, and a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation within breast diagnostics.
Applicants must hold a recognised postgraduate certificate in Breast Imaging or Mammography (NHSBSP accredited) and be eligible to work in the United Kingdom with HCPC registration.
Interviews will be held on the 19th & 21st August 2025
Main duties of the job
Lead and manage the breast imaging service, overseeing staff, rota planning, resource allocation, and workflow coordination to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality service delivery.
Provide professional and clinical leadership to radiography staff across breast imaging modalities, promoting excellence in patient care and maintaining compliance with NHSBSP and Trust standards.
Maintain advanced clinical competence in mammography, including symptomatic and screening work, supporting diagnostic decision-making and acting as a role model for clinical best practice.
Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, including IRR17, IR(ME)R, Infection Control, Health & Safety, and Information Governance, and lead departmental audits to uphold quality assurance standards.
Drive innovation and service development, participating in strategic planning, developing business cases, and implementing new imaging technologies and pathways to enhance patient care pathways and imaging standards.
About us
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:
- The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
- Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
- Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.
The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- BSc Diagnostic Radiography with HCPC registration
- Post Graduate Certificate in Breast Imaging or Mammography (NHSBSP accredited)
Desirable
- Recognised leadership/management training/qualification
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrate excellent organisational skills in both daily management duties as well as long term planning and development projects.
- Ability to demonstrate the Trust core values and behavioural standards in day-to-day approach to work
- Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Significant post-qualification experience in mammography, including both screening and symptomatic work
- Experience in a senior or supervisory radiographic role
- Strong leadership and team management capabilities with a proactive approach to departmental development
- In-depth knowledge of breast imaging techniques, equipment, and associated QA processes
- Excellent working knowledge of NHS Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP), symptomatic breast pathways, and cancer referral protocols
Desirable
- Leadership experience
- Evidence of staff supervision/management
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- BSc Diagnostic Radiography with HCPC registration
- Post Graduate Certificate in Breast Imaging or Mammography (NHSBSP accredited)
Desirable
- Recognised leadership/management training/qualification
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrate excellent organisational skills in both daily management duties as well as long term planning and development projects.
- Ability to demonstrate the Trust core values and behavioural standards in day-to-day approach to work
- Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Significant post-qualification experience in mammography, including both screening and symptomatic work
- Experience in a senior or supervisory radiographic role
- Strong leadership and team management capabilities with a proactive approach to departmental development
- In-depth knowledge of breast imaging techniques, equipment, and associated QA processes
- Excellent working knowledge of NHS Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP), symptomatic breast pathways, and cancer referral protocols
Desirable
- Leadership experience
- Evidence of staff supervision/management
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
