Responsibilities
To undertake ultrasound imaging in a highly professional manner, acting as a clinical expert in their Clinical Speciality. To manage a patient caseload and serve as a recognised source of clinical expertise both within the Trust and externally. To be a member of a multi‑disciplinary team providing timely, responsive and patient‑centred ultrasound services both within the base hospital and outreach situations. To help enable the Trust to meet Key Performance Indicators and other service delivery objectives. Assist others to attain Clinical Specialist status. Main duties of the job include scanning and reporting on a variety of third trimester obstetric ultrasound examinations, excluding twins and multiple pregnancies and focusing on placental location, within the maternity department of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. To ensure consistency of medical imaging quality, accurate informative report writing and maintain standards of patient care to the agreed departmental and trust standards and protocols.
Key duties include
- Undertake third trimester ultrasound examinations, maintaining a high, professional and technical standard of work at all times.
- Use skills and in‑depth knowledge of anatomy and pathology to provide a diagnostic report of examinations.
- Seek advice from sonographers in the main Ultrasound department or Fetal Medicine Consultant if there is doubt regarding placental location, fetal demise, difficult measurements or suspected fetal abnormality.
- Be responsible for the safe conduct of any examination and welfare of the woman in the care of the sonographer.
- Monitor and propose amendments, where necessary, to guidelines, policies, protocols and SOPs in current area of work/supervision with Fetal Medicine Consultant and Obstetric Lead.
- Communicate to women with empathy when abnormalities are highlighted, and potentially distressing results / diagnostic findings.
- Refer to Fetal Medicine Consultant and screening team of your concerns. Fetal Medicine Consultant and Obstetric Lead to partake in departmental peer review of images.
- Participate in the clinical supervision of trainee Sonographers.
- Participate in the training of medical staff, obstetrics & gynaecology.
- Ensure the sonographer adheres to strict growth scan protocol assessing woman between the gestation of 28 weeks and Term. If Twins or placental location is accidently put on the list to redirect to main ultrasound department for follow up scan.
- Adhere to 3rd Trimester protocol and its guidelines.
- If an abnormality or complication occurs to refer to Fetal Medicine Consultant or relevant department.
- Second opinion to be sorted from the FMC or a sonographer from the main ultrasound department.
- Perform a 3rd Trimester scan in accordance with the Obstetric and Fetal Medicine Consultant guidelines (fetal heart rate, HC, AC, FL, liquor volume, Doppler analysis and placental position only).
- If there is any concern in the anatomy that the sonographer has identified a referral to the FMC and screening team should be sorted. The FMC will take full responsibility for the sonographer scan and images obtained in accordance with the 3rd Trimester protocol.
- Ensure that child protection and vulnerable adult legislation is adhered to within own practice and service.
- Use the Viewpoint reporting programme to produce written reports for the handheld notes and post process examination on the CRIS database.
- Conform to professional standards and practice dictated by SoR BMUS and FASP, and incorporate East Sussex Obstetric Ultrasound Guidelines, NICE guidelines and RCOG guidance within locally developed Trust ultrasound Guidelines.
- National and regional audit activity including presentational competencies.
Experience
- Minimum of 2 years postgraduate experience in Ultrasound.
Training & Qualifications
- Evidence of further training at Masters Level or equivalent.
- Lower – Middle management training/qualification.
- Evidence of advanced level CPD in specialist skill area.
- Evidence of wide ranging experience within speciality.
Skills
- Mentorship of junior staff and trainees.
- Academic teaching experience.
- Deputise for Lead – clinical and Managerial leadership.
- Able to undertake self‑audit and peer review.
Benefits
A wide range of staff benefits are available to our staff including staff development, enrolment in the NHS pension scheme, auto‑enrolment to our Temporary Workforce Service, access to onsite nurseries, staff restaurants and accommodation. In addition to an internal Occupational Health department, all staff also have access to free psychological support through our confidential Employee Assistance Programme. Onsite parking is available from only £50 a year.
