Return to practice
Footnotes
Footnote 1
If you have been off the HPC register but have been working in a related role, eg, PACS manager, systems specialist, you may be able to register without undertaking a period of updating skills and knowledge. Contact the registrations department at the HPC.
Footnote 2
If you hold a UK qualification but have been practicing overseas, you can apply for readmission without undertaking a period of updating skills and knowledge. Contact the registrations department at the HPC.
Summary of procedure
- Read all the information available on this page and on HPC website at http://www.hpc-uk.org/apply/readmission
- Find a clinical department to supervise your clinical practice. Use your contacts or http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/Pages/ServiceSearch.aspx
- Contact your local radiography education provider to see if they can offer any support: Directory of courses
- Your clinical department will discuss with you the need for a CRB check and volunteers contract.
- Create a portfolio to record your clinical experience and your academic studies.
- At end of period and when you meet HPC standards, complete forms and send to HPC.
- Job hunting, see: http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/
Returning to practice...
If you have worked as a radiographer in the past and were registered with CPSM (Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine) or, more recently, with The Health Professions Council (HPC). it might be possible for you to come back to the profession after a break of some years. Experience has shown that as long as you have had a good grounding after qualification and before taking a break. then it is possible to return, even if the break is a long one. Of course, it also depends what you have been doing in the intervening period. The profession benefits greatly from the input of mature returners who bring other skills, qualities and experience into the workplace. Perhaps you could be one of these people.
Click here to download a Return to Radiography Poster PDF
Click here to download a Return to Radiography Poster PDF
International applicants
If you do not hold a UK qualification in radiography and have never been on the Register with the Health Professions Council (HPC) or its predecessor the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM), you will need to apply to the HPC through the international route. See http://www.hpc-uk.org/apply/international/
Please note that the readmission route for returners is only available for UK qualified radiographers.
Journal articles and podcasts:
Read:
- A Positive Spin by Sarah Brothwood (December 2009) http://synergy.sor.org/december2009/guest-editorial
- Which Way for Returners by Helen Riddell (April 2009) http://synergy.sor.org/april2009/in-practice
- Diary of a serial returner by Susan Doran (June 2009) http://synergy.sor.org/june2009/guest-editorial
Download this nine minute audio podcast to hear Pam Shuttleworth and Sarah Brothwood (right) say why and how they managed to return to practice. They are both therapeutic radiographers who successfully returned to radiotherapy after career breaks. They talk positively about both the academic and clinical updating processes they went through and both agree that whilst regaining the necessary knowledge and skills was hard work, it was worth it.
Download this podcast to hear Jane Fawcett, who successfully returned to radiography after a break, interviewing three returners; Moyra Isherwood talks about the advantages and disadvantages of returning to practice in the specialty of mammography, Jane Mackenzie-Bennett is a manager who has supported returners in her department and she discusses the expectations of the manager and the benefits of returning in a community hospital. Finally, Georgina Lucas returned to radiography some years ago and she gives her thoughts as she finally retires from the profession. Georgina raises the need to lobby for workforce and facilities and would encourage returners to take that all important step to come back to the profession.
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| Jane Fawcett | Moyra Isherwood |
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| Jane Mackenzie-Bennett | Georgina Lucas |
HEALTH PROFESSIONS COUNCIL
To work as a radiographer in the UK, you must be registered with the regulatory body, which is the Health Professions Council. See information on their website http://www.hpc-uk.org/apply/readmission/.
They set a requirement depending on how long you have been out of radiography
- 0-2 years - no requirements;
- 2-5 years - 30 days of updating their skills and knowledge;
- 5 years or over - 60 days of updating their skills and knowledge.
When you apply to return to the register, you will be signing to say that you meet the standards set down by the HPC. These standards are set out in Standards of proficiency: Radiographers and also Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics. Both these documents can be downloaded from the HPC website.
SUPERVISED PRACTICE
Returners need to find a clinical department willing to take them on for a period of supervised practice. The returner and service manager need to decide how best to facilitate the required experience, in order that the returner can meet the necessary standards. This will involve providing clinical experience across the range of services. Occasionally, returners express a wish to return to a specific area of practice (for example, mammography). If this is the case, then it is reasonable that a period of supervised practice be focused on that specific area, but it is preferable to include at least some time in general radiography, so that there is an opportunity to gain insight into the broad scope of practice of the profession.
Returners need to keep a daily log of activities and should agree a system with their supervisor. The daily log should include date, patient identification, examination and name of supervisor. Other information may also be deemed relevant. There should also be opportunity for recording reflections.
The returner and the service manager also need to consider a system whereby competency can be signed off. This summary should include all aspects of the profession as set out in the HPC Standards of proficiency: Radiographers.
There may be opportunities for you to attend study days and meetings run by your clinical department, hospital and/or local radiography education provider and, if so, you can count these towards your period of academic updating.
UPDATING KNOWLEDGE (ACADEMIC COMPONENT)
There is currently a shortage of return to practice courses, although courses are approved, they are not running because of lack of demand. If you are a therapy radiographer, you should contact Gillian Thompson, Radiotherapy and Oncology, Sheffield Hallam University. You can contact her by email at G.Thompson@shu.ac.uk and/or see information at http://www.shu.ac.uk/prospectus/course/328/
In the absence of formal courses, returners have to devise their own programmes of study and keep a record of your private study to include date, times, activity (be specific; include name of article read and proper reference) and summary of what you have learned.
Imaging and Radiotherapy departments will have resources for staff and copies of all local policies and procedures.
a) Journals: The main journals for Radiographers are Synergy News, Synergy and Radiography, all of which are a benefit to members of The Society of Radiographers. To gain access to these you must be a member. The Society of Radiographers offers three months' free membership to Returners. Contact Joel Wilkins, Membership Services, on 020 7740 7228 or email joelw@sor.org to claim your three months' free membership.
b) The World Wide Web: There is a vast amount of information out there, some good, some not so good and information gleaned from the internet needs to be treated with some caution. The members section of the website of the Society of Radiographers www.sor.org has a lot of information, including all of our professional documents and advice. You have to have a membership number to access the members section of the website.
Recommended websites as follows:
http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk
http://www.dh.gov.uk
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
http://www.hpa.org.uk
www.e-radiography.net
www.mritutor.org
www.ctisus.com (CT)
www.nice.org.uk
www.xray2000.co.uk
c) Books: Your nearest radiography education provider may allow you access to library facilities. Also, your local lending library would be able to borrow books for you. The clinical department will also have some textbooks and journals. See suggested booklist in downloads at bottom of this page.
d) Study days, conferences and meetings: Attendance at events can count towards your period of updating skills and knowledge. You should write a report describing what you learned from the event.
RETURNERS SEEKING JOBS
In the short term, you will probably be competing for jobs with newly qualified radiographers. The SCoR Returners Support Network would like to offer you the following advice:
Returners have a lot to offer! Returning radiographers very often bring other skills and qualities to the department. You may have gained experience in a different working environment, ie, in paid employment, as a volunteer or during a career break, perhaps to look after children. You would return with the skills gained through your experience. Returning radiographers tend to have a maturity which is valuable in the workforce and, once back in employment, they tend to stay and be a valuable and flexible member of staff. You will need to stress that you have these very useful transferable skills; communication, management, logistical skills which come with a certain maturity and life experience DO NOT PUT YOURSELF DOWN!! Emphasise all the extra knowledge and skills that you would offer the imaging or radiotherapy department.
Jobs in the NHS are advertised here: http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/why_register.html.
THE RETURN TO PRACTICE SUPPORT GROUP
The Return to Practice Support Network is comprised of radiographers who have successfully returned to the profession after a break. The group has three functions:
1. To operate as an advisory group with a special interest in return to practice;
2. To oversee the writing of return to practice guides for both returners and managers;
3. To act as a support group for returners.
Members of the group are willing to act as mentors for returners, they can be contacted through Christina Freeman, Professional Officer responsible for returners and lead for the Return to Practice Support Network, email her on christinaf@sor.org.
The Return to Practice Support Group produces regular newsletters which can be accessed here.
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| Phil Edwards | Diane Fox |
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| Members of the Return to Practice Support Group - Linda Johnson, Jane Mackenzie-Bennett and Jane Fawcett |
Comments and questions should be directed to Christina Freeman, Professional Officer responsible for returners and lead for the Return to Practice Support Network, email her on christinaf@sor.org