Recommendations for education and training of specialist paediatric sonographers

In the United Kingdom there is no formal training pathway in place for the progression of a qualified sonographer to advance their practice in paediatric ultrasound. Globally it is also apparent that there is a lack of specialist paediatric ultrasound training. This document sets out recommendations that aim to standardise paediatric ultrasound education and enable sonographers to practise safely, in the absence of an accredited course. The recommendations will provide protection to children attending for ultrasound scans, by evidencing that the sonographer has undertaken appropriate further study and has been assessed as clinically competent by the paediatric imaging lead to undertake specific paediatric examinations within their scope of practice.

The paediatric sonographer is expected to follow the guidance given in the professional practice guidelines published by the Society of Radiographers (SoR) and the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS), which is updated annually and other relevant guidance. All sonographers should have adequate professional indemnity insurance to cover their work; this will need to be in place prior to starting the training. Sonographers who do not have a statutory registration should consider registering as a sonographer with the Register of Clinical Technologists.