Job summary
Sonographer
37.5 Hours per week (7 day working)
Permanent
Salary: £46,148 - £52,809 per annum
Closing Date: 5th May 2025
Interview Date: 14th May 2025
This post may close early due to high numbers of applications so you are advised to apply promptly.
All correspondence for this vacancy will be sent by email; please check your account regularly including your Junk and SPAM areas.
A great and friendly place to work, so bring your passion, commitment and expertise and enjoy the opportunities to make a difference every day.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces Community - get in touch to find out more
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To support the department's Sonographers in the provision of a professional extended 7 day ultrasound service.
The role of the post holder (sonographer) is to perform and report independently on a wide range of non-obstetric ultrasound examinations. This includes MSK, renal, abdominal, Doppler, gynaecological and some small parts scans, plus early pregnancy scanning as required by our gynaecology run Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit.
As well as writing reports for the medical profession and keeping appropriate records, the sonographer is required to communicate potentially distressing diagnoses directly to patients, and refer these patients appropriately.
The maintenance of a high standard of patient care and medical ethics is essential.
The sonographer is involved in the clinical training of ultrasound trainees and other medical personnel.
Main duties of the job
The sonographer provides a highly specialist clinical technical service using ultrasound scans to carry out diagnosis. The sonographer analyses complex data and is expected to obtain maximum possible diagnostic information taking into account any anatomical or pathological limitations
The sonographer must possess a high level of specialist knowledge over a wide range of ultrasound procedures and/or the highest level in-depth expertise in a particular area of ultrasound comparable to senior clinicians
The sonographer is required to have the appropriate technical skill to operate the ultrasound machinery safely and effectively
The sonographer must carry out and report on abdominal and gynaecological ultrasound scans. These are usually unsupervised, but consultation with peers, referring consultants and consultant radiologists may be necessary in some difficult cases. These scans may arise from in-patients, out-patients, A&E or GP referrals
The sonographer is expected to scan in a variety of settings and locations: scans are performed in the main and satellite departments, also in other specialist departments including one-stop clinics
About us
Here at George Eliot our vision to 'excel at patient care' takes centre stage. An ever evolving clinically-led acute service provider we are on a journey to continually provide high quality, safe and responsive services delivered by inspiring, friendly and compassionate staff who share our corporate values which underpin everything we do. Our values are not just words on a piece of paper, they bond us together, reflect our ambition and shape who we are:
Effective Open Communication
excellence and safety in everything we do
Challenge but support
Expect respect and dignity
Local health that inspires confidence
Benefits: On-site nursery, 27 days minimum annual leave plus bank holidays, cycle to work scheme, flexible working, extensive in-house course learning directory, buying and selling of annual leave, subsidised restaurant, tranquillity garden and generous subsidised on-site parking.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To ensure that appropriate clinical examinations are carried out by liaising and discussing requests with other health professionals and being able to alter requests, without direct clinical referral, within national and departmental guidelines.
- To devise an appropriate daily schedule of work including, where possible, the extra workload due to emergency cases.
- To organise and supervise any staff assisting in the ultrasound department to ensure that the best possible attention is given to the ultrasound patients and to the efficient running of the department.
- To be aware of and willing to undertake management responsibilities within the role.
- To use the radiology computer system for recording, entering and tracking information. Have knowledge of clerical and assistant duties required in ultrasound and to be able to undertake these duties when required.
Please note that this list is not exhaustive, for more information please see the attached Job Description and Personal Specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To ensure that appropriate clinical examinations are carried out by liaising and discussing requests with other health professionals and being able to alter requests, without direct clinical referral, within national and departmental guidelines.
- To devise an appropriate daily schedule of work including, where possible, the extra workload due to emergency cases.
- To organise and supervise any staff assisting in the ultrasound department to ensure that the best possible attention is given to the ultrasound patients and to the efficient running of the department.
- To be aware of and willing to undertake management responsibilities within the role.
- To use the radiology computer system for recording, entering and tracking information. Have knowledge of clerical and assistant duties required in ultrasound and to be able to undertake these duties when required.
Please note that this list is not exhaustive, for more information please see the attached Job Description and Personal Specification.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Advanced technical knowledge related to the efficient use, safety and maintenance of ultrasound equipment.
- Ability to use the Imaging IT systems.
- Attend manual handling, basic life support and fire safely lectures
- Ability to impart clinical skills to trainee sonographers and other students on secondment.
- Able to use initiative when undertaking emergency duties, i.e. on-call etc
- Well developed specialist knowledge which is underpinned by theoretical knowledge and practical experience -
Desirable
- Knowledge of administrative practices.
- Expected to work towards Master's level ultrasound qualification plus extensive experience gained working, which enables scanning and report writing to be carried out without clinical supervision.
Qualifications
Essential
- DCR (R)/BSc/DMU/PGD or MSC in Medical Ultrasound
- Registration with Health Professions Council. (HPC) - Radiographer
- CASE accredited MSK Ultrasound qualification
Skills
Essential
- Development skills
- Organisational skills/ leadership skills
- Problem solving
- Ability to motivate staff and be a good role model
- Ability to communicate highly sensitive complex information relating to pregnancy loss or abnormality or the patient's medical condition with empathy and reassurance..
- Need to have the ability to overcome barriers to understanding and have good counselling skills. Then to cope with the needs of people in distress.
- Ability to communicate the information gained from the scan by written report and/or verbally to professional clinical staff.
- Capability to discuss diagnosis and the best course of action for patients Able to employ frequent, moderate physical effort to move and position patients and equipment.
- Regular need to make precise small accurate movements on control panel and sometimes to employ pressure whilst making awkward twisting and leaning movements to manipulate the probes
- Consistent frequent high-level of concentration throughout the day whilst scanning and writing reports. Very intense concentration when investigating a major abnormality followed by breaking bad news to the patients.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- On a daily basis need to cope with highly distressing, emotional circumstances - greactionsiving bad news to patients/relatives and coping with their reactions
- Also stress from 'difficult' patients and relatives.
- Ability to be able to support other staff members.
Other
Essential
- Need to be able to work in adverse conditions, sometimes in a hot confined area and urgent telephone calls.their workload though various distractions i.e. doctors requiring urgent scans in half-light, often under severe pressure and to be able to manage
Trust Values
Essential
- Effective open communication
- Excellence and safety in all that we do
- Challenge but support
- Expect respect and dignity
- Local healthcare that inspired confidence
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Advanced technical knowledge related to the efficient use, safety and maintenance of ultrasound equipment.
- Ability to use the Imaging IT systems.
- Attend manual handling, basic life support and fire safely lectures
- Ability to impart clinical skills to trainee sonographers and other students on secondment.
- Able to use initiative when undertaking emergency duties, i.e. on-call etc
- Well developed specialist knowledge which is underpinned by theoretical knowledge and practical experience -
Desirable
- Knowledge of administrative practices.
- Expected to work towards Master's level ultrasound qualification plus extensive experience gained working, which enables scanning and report writing to be carried out without clinical supervision.
Qualifications
Essential
- DCR (R)/BSc/DMU/PGD or MSC in Medical Ultrasound
- Registration with Health Professions Council. (HPC) - Radiographer
- CASE accredited MSK Ultrasound qualification
Skills
Essential
- Development skills
- Organisational skills/ leadership skills
- Problem solving
- Ability to motivate staff and be a good role model
- Ability to communicate highly sensitive complex information relating to pregnancy loss or abnormality or the patient's medical condition with empathy and reassurance..
- Need to have the ability to overcome barriers to understanding and have good counselling skills. Then to cope with the needs of people in distress.
- Ability to communicate the information gained from the scan by written report and/or verbally to professional clinical staff.
- Capability to discuss diagnosis and the best course of action for patients Able to employ frequent, moderate physical effort to move and position patients and equipment.
- Regular need to make precise small accurate movements on control panel and sometimes to employ pressure whilst making awkward twisting and leaning movements to manipulate the probes
- Consistent frequent high-level of concentration throughout the day whilst scanning and writing reports. Very intense concentration when investigating a major abnormality followed by breaking bad news to the patients.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- On a daily basis need to cope with highly distressing, emotional circumstances - greactionsiving bad news to patients/relatives and coping with their reactions
- Also stress from 'difficult' patients and relatives.
- Ability to be able to support other staff members.
Other
Essential
- Need to be able to work in adverse conditions, sometimes in a hot confined area and urgent telephone calls.their workload though various distractions i.e. doctors requiring urgent scans in half-light, often under severe pressure and to be able to manage
Trust Values
Essential
- Effective open communication
- Excellence and safety in all that we do
- Challenge but support
- Expect respect and dignity
- Local healthcare that inspired confidence
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).
