AGENDA FOR CHANGE

NHS JOB EVALUATION SCHEME

JOB DESCRIPTION TEMPLATE

Revised February 2010

1.  JOB IDENTIFICATION

Job Title: Radiography Professional Lead/Manager
Reports to: Professional leadership role - AHP Lead
Managerially for clinical role - RGH Manager
Department, Ward or Section: Radiography
Operational Unit/Corporate Team: North and West Operational Unit
Job Reference: NWOUAREAMGMTRADI02
No of Job Holders: 2 (1X North Area and 1X West Area)
Dated: June 2016

2. JOB PURPOSE

·  These posts have overall responsibility for leading and managing the profession and service at an Area level within the operational unit.
·  Manages a significant clinical caseload, including complex cases/advising on complex cases.
·  This includes responsibility and accountability for delivery of Radiography service strategy which includes maintaining and improving quality, establishing professional standards, supporting workforce planning, development, research and education.
·  The post holders develop and maintain professional links with members of their professional network including links to the Operational Unit Lead AHP, the other Area (North or West) Radiography Professional Lead/Manager, Radiography professional leads in other NHS Highland Operational Units and managers as appropriate.
·  The post holders are responsible for information flow into the practitioner’s specialist interest groups from the senior professional leads group and from the practitioner’s specialist interest groups to the senior professional leads.
·  To facilitate in the development of protocols and policies to support service development and to work closely and collaboratively with service users to whom an imaging service is provided.
·  Radiation protection Supervisor within Area.
3. DIMENSIONS
The Imaging Service sits within the North and West Operational Unit of NHS Highland. One post is based at Belford Hospital, Fort William providing professional leadership and management for imaging across the West Area. The other post is based at Caithness General Hospital, Wick and provides professional leadership and management across the North Area. The post holders provide advice and support to the Rural General Hospital Managers and Clinical Leads for Radiology within their respective areas.
General Information:
Services provided include: A&E, GP, Outpatients, Inpatients, Dental, Fluoroscopy, Sonography, Theatre, Ward portables and CT
Clinical provision: 24 hrs, 365 days per annum pro rata. There is requirement to provide on call covering nights and weekends to provide an emergency imaging service for trauma patients, urgent ward patients and theatre.
Staff responsibility: Direct, supervise and manage all Radiographic staff across all sites within the designated Area (West – Belford RGH, Broadford and Portree Community Hospitals; North – Caithness General RGH, Dunbar and Lawson Community Hospitals)
Professional leadership role (~40%) is combined with the post holder's clinical and management radiography commitments (~60%), which will include the physical skills, physical effort, mental effort and emotional effort normally associated with a senior Specialist or Advanced PracticeRadiographer. Similarly, the working conditions the post holder encounters are in line with that kind of clinical role.
West Information
The West Area has a population of 41,329 (Lochaber District, 20,903 and Skye, Lochalsh and West Ross District 20,426), with Belford Rural General Hospital, Fort William, Rural practitioner led MacKinnon Memorial Hospital, Broadford which includes 24/7 A&E and community hospital Portree Hospital, Portree. Primary Care services are provided across a total of 20 GP Practices, including a number of very small, remote services.
North Information
The North Area has a population of 40,000 (Caithness District 27,000, Sutherland District 13,000), with Caithness Rural General Hospital, Wick and 4 community Hospitals: Dunbar in Thurso; Town and County in Wick; Lawson Memorial in Golspie and Migdale in Bonar Bridge. Primary Care services are provided across a total of 16 GP Practices in the rural and in some cases very remote geography of the North Area.
Budgetary Responsibility North ~ £800,000 West~£500,000
Professional/Managerial advisor for purchase of equipment.
4. ORGANISATIONAL POSITION











Line Management / Communication line
Professional Accountability & Leadership
5. ROLE OF DEPARTMENT
AHPs deliver services to the highest professional clinical standards across NHSH and all patient groups; working in partnership with the MDT and all agencies / voluntary sector.
Radiographers -
1  Provide a comprehensive and co-ordinated diagnostic Imaging Service to a diverse range of patient types and clinical conditions.
2  Use diagnostic imaging equipment to carry out radiological examinations on Patients and reports are provided to referring clinicians. The report assists the referrer in providing a diagnosis for the patient’s condition in order to decide on an effective course of treatment and care.
3  Ensure a high standard of patient care through the effective use of diagnostic Imaging
4  Promote excellence in clinical practice through continuing education and input into clinical governance and audit initiatives
5  Promote multidisciplinary team working in the provision of a highly skilled, patient focussed approach to quality care.

6. MAIN TASKS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF POST

The post-holder is responsible for:-
·  Policy and Strategic Planning - Contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of local delivery plans and clinical framework using whole system knowledge. Lead on implementation of professional strategy and development of the Radiography service in line with local strategies.
·  Professional Leadership and Direction – Provides advice to AHP leads and managers on professional issues. Responsibility for the development and maintenance of effective local professional networks to support the implementation of clinical strategy and the development and modernisation of clinical practice.
·  Service Efficacy – At area level advises AHP Lead and manager to ensure a whole systems approach towards optimum levels of Radiography service efficiency, including responsibility for the management and delivery of a high quality clinical service at Area level.
·  Clinical Leadership Development – Lead on development and maintenance of formal professional networks within area of responsibility to facilitate the development and sharing of best practice. Advise and influence the AHP lead in the development and implementation of leadership capacity within local / specialist structures.
·  Clinical Governance and Service Quality – Responsibility and accountability for implementation of clinical governance and service quality within the profession and area of responsibility. Advise and influence the AHP lead/ relevant managers on the development of professional standards. Support local and profession specific audit, research and educational programmes.
·  Education and Workforce Development – Provide local leadership for professional development of staff through partnership working. Provide leadership to support workforce measurement, planning and development including development of effective links with Higher Educational Institutes. Influence the effective delivery of Staff Governance Standards through collaboration and influence of operational unit, AHP lead and managers.
·  Pay Modernisation and Workforce Planning – Lead, direct and advise on benefits realisation from pay modernisation and clinical service implications which include development of new roles and new ways of working within area of responsibility.
·  Health Improvement – Provide local advice and influence AHP lead and managers on any Radiography service specific to the Health Improvement agenda.
Operational Management –
1.  Provision of a high quality clinical Radiography service to all patients referred to the X-ray departments of Caithness General, Dunbar and Lawson Memorial Hospitals (North) or Belford, MacKinnon Memorial and Portree (West).
2.  Budget (~£500,000), to provide cost effective solutions and manage resources to provide cost effective high quality patient care to agreed standards.
3.  advising the Rural General Manager of any developments and changes to the service.
4.  Leading planning of Radiology services in anticipation of developments, service requirements and changing technology.
5.  the promotion of Radiology services within the local communities and Highland wide.
6.  contributing clinical advice to the procurement process for capital/lease equipment relating to delivery of radiology services.
7.  Liasing and communicating effectively with the off site Radiologists and Radiology Convener to ensure smooth running of Radiology service.
8.  Authorisation of time sheets, goods and services for the department
9.  Ensuring that appropriate departmental Policies and Procedures and schemes of work are in place and updated on a regular basis to ensure continuing best practice.
10.  the overall development and maintenance of a Quality Assurance Programme to comply with IRR(99), IR(ME)R and Local Rules for department
11.  Performing risk assessments and Health and Safety inspections to ensure compliance with all aspects of health and safety legislation within the department, documenting and implementing effective control measures as required.
12.  Organising and accurately recording all maintenance and service records within the department.
13.  the administration of the department Radiology Management System, providing departmental statistics and the distribution of these appropriately.
14.  Fostering and supporting team working, recognising and developing the skills of each team member through continuous professional development.
15.  Carrying out staff appraisal and review of Personal Development Plans.
16.  Planning staff rotas, staff meetings and mandatory training schedules.
17.  Chairing interview panels for recruitment of new staff.
18.  Ensuring that patient records and other appropriate statistical information relating to the work of the department is recorded, kept up to date and audited regularly.
19.  Ensuring there is an effective appointment system in place, which addresses and makes allowances for clinical priorities.
20.  Maintaining good administrative systems and practices within the department with minimal administrative support.
21.  Exercising personal responsibility and making decisions in complex and unpredictable circumstances e.g. Imaging in A+E and theatre during a multiple trauma situation.
22.  Leading complaints investigations and take appropriate action.
23.  Appointing and managing patient lists and waiting times.
24.  Managing the Quality Assurance programme.
25.  Delegating appropriate tasks to Senior Radiographers and supervising Radiography students, Radiographic Helpers and Nursing Assistants.
26.  Complying with and leading revision, training and implementation of departmental and professional polices and procedures such as:
Health +Safety including risk assessment and COSHH.
Radiation Protection Procedures.
Ionisation Radiation (Medical Exposures) Regulations 2000 – IR (ME) R 2000.
IRR 1999.
Quality Assurance Programme.
Clinical Effectiveness.
Clinical Duties
A range of clinical duties commensurate with the post holders Radiography delegated scope of practice according to current knowledge, experience and training:
Can include:
General work – autonomous assessment of referrals with full responsibility for justification of general X-Ray examinations in accordance with IR(ME)R 2000. Under IR(ME)R the radiographer has ultimate responsibility as to whether an X-Ray should be taken or not. Maintains a high level of expertise in safe operation of all X-Ray equipment and manages faults effectively. Provides advice to clinicians on the nature of a diagnostic image to identify possible pathology
CT Scanning – managing day to day service including safe and effective use to provide highest possible service and taking action to resolve any faults/problems.
Education - Leadership in training and assessment of student radiographers on practice placement; ensure staff are adequately trained; maintain and develop own knowledge of technical advances in methods of diagnostic imaging to promote continuous improvement of the service and other staff.
Sonography – to develop, maintain and utilise skills required to practice at an advanced level and to use an extended scope of practice in normal and obstetric ultrasound screening and AAA. As an autonomous practitioner to assess, analyse and provide diagnosis, using advanced clinical reasoning skills, for individual patients in sonography.

7a. EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY

·  Assist in the implementation of interagency shared IT systems pertinent to sharing of data.
·  Service delivery equipment as appropriate.
·  Computer and appropriate IT equipment.
·  Car.
7b. SYSTEMS
·  Lead on area implementation of profession specific data collection systems to meet local services needs.
·  Ensure effective systems which will inform professional need / development are in place.
·  Professionally advise on PDP&R, as required.
·  Utilise knowledge of the wider NHS organisation to influence the local development of services.

8. ASSIGNMENT AND REVIEW OF WORK

The post holds professional accountability for the quality of Radiography professional practice delivered within the specific area of responsibility i.e. North or West Area of the North and West Unit.
Work is self-directed within NHS Highland AHP policies and professional standards.
Review of work is undertaken annually by performance appraisal with their line manager using objectives agreed with the Lead AHP.
The post-holder isline managed through local operational structures but is professionally accountable to the Lead AHP.
9. DECISIONS AND JUDGEMENTS
·  Autonomously manages own clinical caseload, deciding when to refer to a radiologist for advice.
·  When acting in the role of practitioner under IR(ME)R decide whether an X-Ray request is justified and the correct examination to diagnose a patient’s condition has been requested.
·  The final decision to X-ray or not X-Ray a patient is the Radiographer’s responsibility.
·  Due to high ionising radiation dose in CT, provides options to clinicians to reduce patient dose, either by alternate low/no dose examinations or the correct choice of a CT examination.
·  Where appropriate takes financial and management decisions in consultation with Rural General Manager
·  Plays a major role in decisions about procurement of new equipment and machinery.
·  The post holder advises and influences managers and Lead AHP on appropriate professional issues.
·  This post makes decisions and judgements regarding the professional direction of the service within local area of responsibility using expertise based on professional knowledge and based on liaison with the other Lead Radiographer in N&W Unit, advice from managers and AHP Lead.
·  Contribute and influence own profession and AHP initiatives at local level.
·  Contribute to the development of shared professional policies and procedures within local area of influence.
·  Support the development of professional policies and procedures, which underpin service development and change.