Governance

Guidance on roles and responsibilities of a healthcare support worker

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Governance in radiography refers to the systems, policies, and processes that ensure the safe, effective, and ethical delivery of radiography services. 

Governance encompasses various aspects, including staff training, procedures, risk management, and continuous quality improvement. 

As there's a large array of topics, we have broken down this section into four categories:

  1. Competence
  2. Compliance
  3. Supervision & Delegation 
  4. Board Assurance

Each of these sections are compiled with relevant information that you'll be able to see beneath their section buttons.

  • DXA Competency

    Appropriately trained and entitled Operators may work without direct professional supervision in the areas specified on the sign-off sheet following an assessment by a competent and senior member of the DXA team. The lead DXA Radiographer must approve all  competencies.

    Competency will be assessed by:

    • Evidence of previous knowledge, training and experience
    • Professional Registration/ Qualification (ROS Certificate)
    • In-house training
    • External accredited training (where available)

    - View or download document -

  • DXA training record

    This document is to be used to help assess the competence of a Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) trainee/employee. 

    The document includes:

    • A checklist of required knowledge & understanding
    • Table of performance criterias as well as a date & assessor column for tracking & review.

    - View or download document -

  • Simple workforce calculator

    This document is a tool to help calculate the number of clinical hours that are being allocated to different roles. This is to help provide individuals with an understanding of their service requirements and what their recommended working periods should be.

    - View and download document -

  • Education Career Framework
  • Allied Health Professionals Framework 
  • Inductions / Preceptorship 
  • Local Process Procedures / PO Documents 
  • Policies
  • JD/PS (Job Descriptions / Personal Summary)
  • Competency Assurance 
  • Training Needs Analysis 
  • Competency Matrix 
  • Workforce: 
    • Plan 
    • Calculator 
    • Design

    • Entitlements 
    • Delegation Policy
    • Supervision 
    • Medicines Management
    • Clinical Audit
    • Risk Assessments 
    • Mechanism for Board
    • Assurance
    • Appraisal 
    • CoR AP Accreditation 
    • Mandatory Training 
    • Compliance Matrix

    • APs providing imaging governance policy

      The Society of Radiographers provides this document as a useful example to support service development.

      Users should verify and update the content to align with regulatory requirements and adhere to relevant national and local guidance.

      March 2025

      - View and download document - 


      Integrating assistant practitioners into the existing workforce

      Workforce needs to be identified

      This applies to a role at A4C B4 using gap analysis. New scope of practice to be reviewed and approved by clinical skills group or equivalent in line with Trust approval process

      Supporting guidance

      • The Radiography Support and Assistant Workforce: regulatory compliance, governance arrangements, supervision and delegation

      > Read document



      • Developing career pathways for diagnostic imaging support worker roles guidance on roles and responsibilities

      > Read document



      • Implementing Radiography Career: Guidance for managers

      > Read document

      New scope of practice to be reviewed and approved by clinical skills group or equivalent in line with Trust approval process

      Business case approved and funding agreed

      Include costs for apprenticeship training / upskilling trainers and provision of clinical tutor and clinical supervision / assessment etc.

      Include costs for apprenticeship training / upskilling trainers and provision of clinical tutor and clinical supervision / assessment etc.

      Could include/link to example business cases -template business case might be more helpful?

      Include links to accredited HEI programmes and consider access to funding and training offers/support e.g. apprenticeships/ imaging

      Accredited HEI Programmes, funding and training available:


      Supporting Guidance

      • Developing career pathways for diagnostic imaging support worker roles guidance on roles and responsibilities

      > Read document


      Post matched to Agenda for Change job profile

      At level 4 with supporting level 5 education in place or planned as part of training – example JDs/ personal spec

      at level 4 with

      supporting level 5 education in place or planned as

      part of training – example JDs/ personal spec


      [To include within this section 

      - Job descriptions

      - Job evaluation handbook lin

      Accredited HEI Programmes, funding and training available:

      Supporting Guidance

      • Developing career pathways for diagnostic imaging support worker roles guidance on roles and responsibilities

      > Read document

      Training/support in place

      Supervision policy / level of supervision Scope of practice SOP’s example documents

      Consider practice educator requirement

      • Training 
      • Backfill post 
      • Time to provide clinical teaching

      Consider trainee needs

      • Access to IT, study skills
      • Travel to HEI
      • Provision of simulation tools / software to increase student capacity

      Supporting Guidance

      • Developing career pathways for diagnostic imaging support worker roles guidance on roles and responsibilities

      > Read document

      Role recognised by service users

      Aware of delegation of roles / restrictions on scope of practice

      Role recognised by colleagues

      Integrated into radiology team

       

      Extension to scope:

      Once qualified as an Assistant practitioner further expansion to scope of practice can be considered – supported by good governance (CSSG), amended Scope of practice, JD and operating procedures to reflect role of assistant practitioner(s) involved.



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