You are here
Current policy and guidance document library
Please note:
The Society and College of Radiographers is the AUTHOR of All Policy and Guidance documents.
All content related enquiries should be directed to pande@sor.org
-
NHS obstetric ultrasound examinations. Guidance on sale of images, fetal sexing, commercial considerations and requests to record. Third edition.
- Download Kindle
- Download ePub
(for iPad/iPhone) - Download PDF
- View Online
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].
-
Principles for continuing professional development and lifelong learning in health and social care
- Download Kindle
- Download ePub
(for iPad/iPhone) - Download PDF
- View Online
Summary
Continuing professional development (CPD) and lifelong learning are necessary for the development of everyone who works in health and social care and for the experience of service users.
CPD and lifelong learning support a workforce that is capable of designing, delivering, evaluating and improving high-quality care and services.
The principles set out in this document should be applied across the health and social care workforce in all sectors, to support CPD and lifelong learning. Registered health and social care professionals also have a responsibility to meet the standards of their regulatory or professional body.
Reference information: Broughton W and Harris G (2019) (Eds) on behalf of the interprofessional CPD and Lifelong Learning UK Working Group. Principles for Continuing Professional Development and Lifelong Learning in Health and Social Care. Bridgwater: College of Paramedics.
-
The radiological investigation of suspected physical abuse in children
- Download Kindle
- Download ePub
(for iPad/iPhone) - Download PDF
- View Online
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.
-
Practical Tips for Delivering Difficult News in Obstetric Ultrasound
- Download Kindle
- Download ePub
(for iPad/iPhone) - Download PDF
- View Online
Summary
Authored by Lorraine Walsh and endorsed by the Society of Radiographers as well as the Miscarriage Association and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, the poster provides practical tips and guidance for delivering difficult news in obstetric ultrasound.
The advice includes guidance on how to prepare before, what to do during, and how to act after the examination.
The poster’s recommendations include ensuring privacy and reducing the risk of interruptions, staying honest with patients, and not giving false reassurance.
Professionals should summarise to ensure the patient understands what they have been told and what will happen next.
-
Radiotherapy Radiographic Workforce Census 2017
- Download Kindle
- Download ePub
(for iPad/iPhone) - Download PDF
- View Online
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.
-
Guidance on mental capacity decisions in diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy
- Download Kindle
- Download ePub
(for iPad/iPhone) - Download PDF
- View Online
Summary
The purpose of the guidance is to offer advice about implementation of the consent process in clinical practice.It refers to three areas of legislation, the Mental Capacity Act which applies to cases in Wales and England; The Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 which is applicable for practitioners in Scotland and; the Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 which applies in Northern Ireland.
The guidance will enable radiographers, assistant practitioners and students working in clinical imaging and radiotherapy departments to understand their responsibilities with regards to mental capacity legislation.An ethos of all mental capacity legislation is to empower those with impaired capacity. In particular, it is important to remember that a person’s mental capacity is both time and decision specific; capacity to consent can fluctuate. NHS England (2014) offers four points for clinical practice that re-iterate the principles of the mental capacity legislation across the UK:- Begin each meeting with a patient with the belief that they can make their own decision.
- Give each person both the time and support that they need to make their own decision about consent to treatment (diagnostic and therapeutic procedures).
- If you or someone else does not agree with the patient’s decision, you cannot decide that the patient is incapable of making that decision. A person is not to be deemed incapable to consent because of an unwise decision.
- When a patient cannot make a decision then they will need help from someone to make it in the best way for them. A decision must be the least restrictive option that does not limit the person’s rights of freedom more than necessary. It may be necessary to delay procedures that are not emergencies in cases where there are any concerns.
The guidance document provides a review of the principles to be used in clinical practice. -
Proton Beam Therapy - Guidance
- Download Kindle
- Download ePub
(for iPad/iPhone) - Download PDF
- View Online
Summary
An overview of the educational and professional requirements for effective delivery of proton beam therapy services.
Acknowledgements
With thanks to:
Laura Allington - Operational Lead for Proton Beam Therapy, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Hazel Pennington – Lead Operational Radiographer for Protons, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
for updating the original interim guidance and to members of the Radiotherapy Advisory Group for additional review. -
Student and recently qualified radiographers survey 2017
- Download Kindle
- Download ePub
(for iPad/iPhone) - Download PDF
- View Online
Summary
In October and November 2017, the Society and College of Radiographers surveyed current radiography students and recently qualified radiographers in the UK to gather information about their motivations, finances and experiences.
Over 800 respondents answered a range of questions in an online questionnaire about the reasons they chose radiography, their student debt and their experiences in their first job. This document presents an analysis of this survey.
-
Diagnostic Radiography UK Workforce Report 2017
- Download Kindle
- Download ePub
(for iPad/iPhone) - Download PDF
- View Online
Summary
Each year the Society and College of Radiographers undertakes a UK-wide diagnostic radiography workforce census to gain intelligence about the clinical imaging radiography workforce.
The census is circulated to all UK Clinical Imaging Managers and asks for information about both the registered diagnostic radiographers and the support workforce. This report contains data on the census date of 1 November 2017.
-
Values-based Practice in Diagnostic & Therapeutic Radiography: A Training Template
- Download Kindle
- Download ePub
(for iPad/iPhone) - Download PDF
- View Online
Summary
This Handbook is based on the original document, Values-based Practice in Clinical Care, developed by the surgical care team of the Collaborating Centre for Values-based Practice in Health and Social Care; with the support of a wide range of colleagues, patients and Collaborating Centre Partners.
Training in the skills for values-based practice (VBP) has been widely adopted in primary care with counterpart initiatives in related areas such as values-based commissioning. The aim of this Handbook is to support extension of VBP to secondary and tertiary care.
This Handbook is an extension of the initial work, to encompass diagnostic and therapeutic radiography, providing profession-specific materials that can be used for VBP training. It is aimed at the education of radiographers in the application of VBP, so that they can engage in shared evidence-based decision-making with their patients, using dialogue about values.
The Handbook is edited by Dr Ruth Strudwick and the Association of Radiography Educators in collaboration with the College of Radiographers and the Collaborating Centre for Values-based Practice in Health and Social Care.
Citation information: The Association of Radiography Educators, The College of Radiographers and The Collaborating Centre for Values-based Practice in Health and Social Care (2018). Values-based Practice in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiography: A Training Template [online] [Date accessed]. Available from: https://www.sor.org/sites/default/files/document-versions/2018.10.03_rad...
Document review date: October 2020
Log of the revisions in the latest version of the document.
Questionnaire
Questionnaire