Lead Sonographer Fetal Medicine

The post holder will be based in the Fetal Medicine Unit (FMU), North Wing St. Thomas' Hospital. FMU is a tertiary referral centre covering South East London and some of the neighbouring counties. There are a team of FMU Specialist Consultants, sub‑specialty trainees and lecturers in Fetal Medicine, FMU sonographers and FMU midwives. FMU performs almost 12,000 scans per year including responsibility for the running and co‑ordination of the First Trimester Screening Programme, which includes nuchal translucency and first trimester biochemical screening.

The Sonographer will provide education and training to student sonographers in all aspects of Obstetrics and Gynaecological diagnostic ultrasound including some complex specialist obstetric imaging.

• To be the clinical lead for obstetric ultrasound.
• To manage the clinical workload within the Department adapting the service to respond to long and short‑term demands.
• Ensuring the daily workload is organised in line with clinical priorities.
• Rearranging work lists in case of equipment failure and being responsive to the inconvenience caused to patients.
• To work as a specialist diagnostic sonographer and to demonstrate a high level of competence and understanding across a wide range of diagnostic examinations including a variety of complex clinical presentations whilst managing patient priority as appropriate.
• Providing a high level of technical expertise in a comprehensive range of examinations and maintaining a high standard of care for all patients requiring examinations.
• The ability to demonstrate an expert knowledge base with complex decision‑making skills and the clinical competency for extended scope of practice within radiology.
• To provide specialist knowledge and advice to patients, carers, and other members of the sonography team as well as other staff including clinical fellows.
• To take an active part in the supervision and training of qualified sonographers, trainee sonographers, clinical fellows, and midwives with their individual development needs in mind and to provide induction support and mentorship to new members of staff.

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.

Women's services: As the only NHS Trust in London with women's and specialist children's services on one site we have unique opportunities to provide excellent, high‑quality, integrated care for mothers, babies and children. Our directorate provides high quality care to patients across South East London, as well as delivering a range of specialist services both nationally and internationally. We treat approximately 40,000 gynaecology patients, and deliver 6,400 NHS births and 350 private births a year. We have one of the largest NHS IVF units in the UK, which includes our flagship Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis services. Alongside our clinical services, we are integrated with colleagues at Kings College London, delivering a significant programme of research and development. We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.

Please see attached job description and person specification for full details.

• Maintain effective communication and professional relationships with all areas within obstetrics and with associated clinical areas within the Trust acting as a point of advice for referrers and patients when clarification is needed.
• To contribute to service improvements and re‑design in line with national and local service strategies, National Service Frameworks, NICE guidance, and emerging relevant NHS policies.
• To assist in the drafting, and share accountability for, the service continuity plan ensuring that it is communicated to all relevant staff groups.
• To contribute to a professional, high quality, effective, flexible, and efficient radiology service implementing best practice, local and national guidelines, and policies.
• To support the Early Pregnancy Unit and Acute Gynaecology, Rapid Access in McNair GOPD and the Assisted Conception Unit with clinical supervision.

• Masters Degree level education
• Recognised Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ultrasound
• Nuchal Translucency Accreditation
• MSC in Medical Ultrasound
• Recognised teaching qualification
• Recognised counselling qualification

• Substantial post registration experience in all areas of obstetrics and gynaecology ultrasound, including early pregnancy, and transvaginal ultrasound.
• Track record of teaching and assessing ultrasound students in clinical practice.
• Evidence of operational service management at a senior level including staff management, financial management and change management.
• Experience in 3D gynaecology ultrasound.
• FMF accreditation or nuchal translucency scanning.
• Experience in abdominal, small parts and vascular scanning.
• Previous research experience.

• Ability to plan, prioritise and report own workload.
• Good organisational skills.
• Ability to establish clear work priorities with students and colleagues, delegating effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance and giving feedback.
• Well‑developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trust's and your performance expectations.
• Ability to be intellectually flexible and to look beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships.

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.

Fetal Medicine Unit - Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
St Thomas' Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road