New occupational standards for imaging and breast screening

Published: 19 March 2019 Ezine

Revised National Occupational Standards (NOS) for clinical imaging and breast screening have been approved, following a review by Skills for Health.

NOS describe the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to undertake a particular task or job to a nationally recognised level of competence. They focus on what the person needs to be able to do, as well as what they must know and understand to work effectively.

They cover the key activities undertaken within the occupation in question under all the circumstances the job holder is likely to encounter. Each NOS contains an agreed set of knowledge and understanding and performance criteria that must be met before someone can be deemed competent. They describe the minimum standard to which an individual is expected to work in a given occupation.

The SoR provided members for the steering group and working party to review the existing NOS’s and bring them up to date with current professional practice. The Society is indebted to those members who willingly shared their expertise, working for the benefit of ultimately improving quality standards for patients.

The Society would also like to thank Penny Owens, director of allied health professionals, Cancer, Diagnostics and Clinical Support Division, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust for chairing the steering group,

Several new NOS have been developed, including hybrid and nuclear imaging and two for forensic imaging.

Go to the signposting document which lists the new and revised NOS.

All of Skills for Health’s NOS can be found on the Skills for Health competence database.