Career progression

The Society and College of Radiographers has supported the concept of career progression for all practitioners in diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy & oncology. Career progression is the result of learning and development in the workplace, underpinned by appropriate education and training and Continuing Professional Development. CPD, once an obligation, is now mandatory for the maintenance of registration by the Health Professions Council. For non-registrant practitioners, it is a professional requirement for continued accreditation and recognition of practice.

Career progression should be available to all, irrespective of modality or field of practice. However, to be supported by the employer, it needs to be closely aligned to service delivery and quality improvement. Career progression should be supported by Protected Study Time agreements and recognised and rewarded by the employer. The Society’s accreditation processes for Assistant and Advanced Practitioners can be used as evidence of CPD and external professional assessment in the argument for recognition of skills and competences.

The career progression framework, as it applies to practitioners ranging from the departmental support worker through to consultant, is described in detail in the publication Education and Professional Development Strategy: New Directions. Specific skills and competences can be found in the Learning and Development Framework.