Radiographers sought for survey of skills in pelvic floor imaging

A gap survey of skills and knowledge in pelvic floor imaging is being conducted to identify how education on the topic can be developed.

Advanced practice radiographers Holly Woolliscroft and Sophie Robb recently took on the role of pelvic floor practice placement educators for the Midlands Imaging Training Academy, where they intend to conduct a gap analysis of the area.

The pair have put together an online survey seeking feedback from radiographers about the spread of skills and knowledge in pelvic floor imaging across the country.

Combining best ideas and practice

Holly said: “We will publish the results of our survey and hopefully this will spark debate and encourage collaboration across regions and trusts. We hope we can create some kind of community of pelvic floor practitioners that are able to contact each other for help and guidance. We feel this will help patients in the process, combining all the best ideas and practices and creating protocols based on practical evidence.”

Sophie and Holly work at the University Hospitals of North Midlands as advanced practice radiographers, specialising in gastrointestinal and pelvic floor imaging.

They share a special interest in the educational side of the role, and jointly organise and present a yearly pelvic floor workshop, which aims to bridge gaps in knowledge and practice.

By conducting this survey, they hope to discover who in departments is conducting pelvic floor imaging, and identify common gaps in knowledge that can be used to inform the content of their course at the academy. 

Pelvic floor imaging is approached differently in each trust, Holly explained. Different clinical models, staffing types and examinations are performed with different approaches, which can make it difficult to assess the standards of these imaging techniques.

Imaging academies across the country, however, provide safe spaces for radiographers to learn from each other and provide an opportunity to make care more uniform across the country.

Find out more information about the survey and submit your contributions online here.

(Image: Sophie Robb (L) and Holly Woolliscroft (R))