Current policy and guidance document library

Summary

This guidance is supplementary to existing guidance on pregnancy checking procedures and aims to support employers to meet the requirements of IR(ME)R 2017, IR(ME)R (NI) 2018, schedule 2 1.(c).

It is intended to support equality and good practice in diagnostic and therapeutic radiography and to protect the sensitive and compassionate relationship between radiographers and the individuals under their care during an ionising radiation exposure.

Reference information: Society and College of Radiographers. [2019]. The impact of IR(ME)R 2017 IR(ME)R (NI) 2018 on pregnancy checking procedures Available at https://www.sor.org/learning/document-library

Summary

The Society of Radiographers (SoR) is aware that prospective parents welcome the opportunity to obtain images of their developing baby and to be able to share these with their family and friends. Parents will also often ask the sonographer to reveal what the fetal sex is.

The SoR is also conscious that the time allowed to perform an ultrasound scan for diagnostic or screening purposes under NHS provision is limited. Adding non-essential services to the ultrasound scan increases the time required which can in turn have an impact on other patients with pressing clinical needs. It can also conflict with the purpose of the examination which, under NHS funded provision, will be performed for a specific clinical reason, or as part of a national screening programme for fetal abnormality. There can also be major distractions caused to the sonographer in a highly litigious area of practice at a time when very high levels of concentration are required.

This guidance relates solely to NHS commissioned ultrasound examinations performed for screening or diagnostic purposes as part of a national screening programme for fetal abnormality; or other scans performed for diagnostic or monitoring purposes that are funded as part of overall NHS maternity provision and are thus free to the mother. It does not extend to ultrasound examinations performed where a scan has been requested by the mother and is outside normal NHS provision.

Reference information: Society and College of Radiographers (2019). NHS obstetric ultrasound examinations. Guidance on sale of images, fetal sexing, commercial considerations and requests to record (Third edition). Available at: https://www.sor.org/learning/document-library [Accessed 1st February 2019].

Summary

A new version of the radiological investigation of suspected physical abuse in children was published in September 2017. 

In 2018 the Royal College of Radiologists consulted on post-publication revisions proposed to recommendations 4, 15, 18, and 44 in light of new evidence brought to the attention of the working party. The revisions took place following member and public consultation in 2018.

Appendix D ‘Exemplar skeletal survey competence form’, of the original document was removed as a result of the revisions to recommendation 15.

The changes are detailed on page 2 of the new document. SoR members are particularly directed to look at the changes in recommendation 15 which further clarifies the education and training required for radiographers undertaking suspected physical abuse skeletal surveys, and recommendation 18 which provides additional information about the suitability of the professional accompanying the child. 

Members are reminded that professional guidance is something that clinicians are required to consider as part of their professional practice. The aim of these recommendations is to improve the quality of the experience for families involved as well as reducing the variation in practice that has evolved.

Adoption of these recommendations is endorsed by the professional bodies involved as being in the best interests of the families and children being investigated. 

Further queries about this document may be directed to Sue Johnson or Jacquie Vallis who were members of the working party.

Log of the revisions in the latest version of the document.

Summary

In November 2017, the Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR) carried out a census of the radiotherapy radiographic workforce in the UK. The objectives were to establish the size, structure, nature and vacancy rate of the workforce in order to inform workforce planning. Sixty-five providers of radiotherapy responded to an online questionnaire. This document presents an analysis of the census results and compares them to similar censuses carried out annually from 2010 to 2016.

Questionnaire

The statistics