Job overview
We are looking for an experienced sonographer who wants to be involved in the daily operational management of our wonderful ultrasound department.
We are advertising for 2 full-time posts to share this role and work both operationally and clinically. Are you good at juggling the diary pages when someone calls in sick? Can you see where there are gaps in our service? Do you want to learn how to use healthroster?
You will be based mainly at Royal Preston Hospital in the ultrasound department but rotation to other local sites may be required.
At Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust our aim is to always provide excellent care with compassion to deliver the highest quality of care our patients deserve. We value the personal skills, experiences and qualities that individuals bring to the Trust; creating an inclusive working environment to attract talented people who feel motivated, involved and able to influence the future direction of our services.
This post would suit an experienced Sonographer looking to develop their skills into management.
The wellbeing of staff is important to us; we have a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team who provide support on a range of topics, run fitness classes and organise mindfulness sessions. As an employer we have earned a reputation for focusing on the development of our staff and for being an organisation people are proud to work for.
Main duties of the job
The Operational Lead is responsible for managing the operational aspects of a specific assigned service within Imaging including oversight of the supporting team.
They will work closely with the Principal Sonographer to provide effective leadership, support and direction to the team, acting as a role model and patient advocate.
The post holder will lead the daily management of the ultrasound service across Lancashire Teaching Hospitals,
They will be responsible for the planning and allocation of the workload to ensure efficient service delivery whilst supporting continuous improvement in line with clinical governance and NHS strategic plans.
The post holder will independently and autonomously undertake a wide range of ultrasound procedures and produce a medical report on at least 95% of those procedures. This must include the generic investigations of obstetrics, gynaecology and abdominal ultrasound and advanced practices, e.g. Transvaginal scanning, and inpatient scanning.
Working for our organisation
We have 10,000 fantastic people working hard to deliver quality services to our patients. Whatever your role, you help look after 370,000 people in our local area & give specialist care to 1.5 million people across Lancashire & Cumbria.
Working with us gives you the knowledge and sense of pride that every activity you do genuinely does make a difference to support our patients & staff, ensuring we keep thriving & delivering outstanding healthcare right across our local towns.
You’ll have access to varied development opportunities, learn new skills, meet fab people & do things you’d never have done. You’ll learn about working in a hospital, interacting with people from all different roles to build skills & enhance your career path.
You’ll make an impact, be challenged to think differently, be bold & help innovate to keep improving things. Everything we do centres around patient care which means your role is pivotal and something really to be proud of.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Communicate with patients, relatives and other healthcare workers to ensure appropriate dissemination of complex information, in a form and manner consistent with their level of understanding, culture, background and preferred ways of communicating.
1. Communicate information for specialist area to multi-disciplinary teams, patients and relatives.
2. Develop close working relationships with staff in the Directorate to enable review of work practices, which impact on the service.
3. Involvement at multidisciplinary clinical pathway meetings as appropriate in order to improve services.
4. Liaise closely with the Radiologists regarding the service provision.
5. Effective liaison with multidisciplinary teams.
6. Communicate with patients, relatives and other healthcare workers to ensure appropriate dissemination of information.
7. Meet with multidisciplinary teams to plan new developments and their feasibility.
To participate in development, education and training of staff and students.
•Promote interpersonal, academic and clinical skills development.
•To train and supervise sonographers and students in specialised area.
•To set up staff training and development programmes for the specific area.
•Provide opportunities for CPD within imaging eg. Organise lectures with companies and physicists, training in advanced imaging techniques.
•To maintain a training programme for staff within the work area.
•To participate in the in-service training of all relevant departmental staff.
•To identify training and development needs of staff.
•To participate in the appraisal system by undertaking staff appraisals in line with Trust policy and procedures.
•To supervise in the in-service training of post graduate and undergraduate staff to present lectures as required.
•Recognise the strengths of staff members, listen to staff suggestions and provide opportunities for development when possible.
•Be responsible for writing and maintaining equipment competencies within the specified area. Assess others competencies and complete relevant documentation.
8. Manage the service in a safe, effective manner including management of personnel, facilities and the associated systems and processes
9. Manage a highly skilled group of staff ensuring delivery of a high quality service.
10. Liaise with patients, secretaries, radiographic and waiting list staff to book patient procedures
11. Regularly review the departmental work schedules to ensure that compliance is achieved with Trust waiting times
12. Monitor activity levels and waiting lists
13. Manage change throughout the development of the service to include changes to working patterns and practices.
14. To be involved with recruitment and selection and performance management
15. Lead staff meetings, encourage debate and ensure that the opinions of all staff are heard fairly
16. Ensure the department is represented at meetings/ training etc by attendance or delegation as appropriate.
17. To undertake investigations, handle grievances and disciplinary activities following Trust policy
18. Undertake evaluation of new equipment prior to purchase to ensure stability, effective use of resources, and safety to staff and patients.
19. Ensure applications training is received from equipment companies on specialised equipment, at install and at upgrade, to allow expert use and to provide cascade training to all staff.
20. To delegate work to the staff, taking into account staffing levels and changing workload, monitoring sickness and absence.
21. To manage the patient workload in a designated area by planning and organisation of that area.
Set, monitor and maintain standards of care to improve the patient experience and outcome of care and equipment.
22. Be responsible for quality care standards within the work area.
23. Ensures environment of care is safe, well equipped and compliant with standards for hygiene and cleanliness.
Proactively manage risk and maintain patient safety, conforming to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines.
24. Deal effectively with departmental incidents and complaints and provide input into risk management by identification and reporting potential risks.
25. Prepare Root Cause analysis of departmental incidents.
26. Action any relevant medical device alerts circulated from MHRA. Disseminate this information to relevant people
Ensure information Technology systems are used as required by self and at every level of the work area.
27. To use computerisation and manual methods regarding patient documentation and imaging records.
28. Document accurate examination information including incident records as appropriate with Department and Trust procedures.
29. Provide department statistics for activity and demand as required.
Provide support for research undertaken in department.
30. Participate in clinical audit and research
31. Provide support for research undertaken in department
Comply with financial controls that are in place, resources are effectively utilised and relevant financial targets are achieved.
32. Manage the budget as delegated by the SBM, as authorised signatory
33. To be responsible for managing stock levels and monitoring usage in the area of work (including consignment stock if relevant).
34. Be involved in procurement and commissioning processes for any new equipment
Person specification
Qualifications and Education
Essential criteria
35. Professional qualification DCR/B.Sc. Radiography
36. Case accredited Post graduate Diploma/MSc in Medical Ultrasound
37. Mandatory professional registration eg HCPC/NMC
38. Ability and experience to report on ultrasound examinations
Desirable criteria
39. Management qualification/experience
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
40. Experience working with patients and / or people in an acute healthcare setting
41. Experience of recent & relevant Professional CPD. Supported by professional CPD portfolio
42. Wide range of recent & relevant Ultrasound experience.
43. Desire to develop into operational management
Desirable criteria
44. Experience in Quality Assurance
45. Experience in other imaging modalities
46. Experience in FASP screening pathway
47. Management/operational experience