Resources created as part of this project will be published on the SoR website. These include webinars podcasts, workshops and documents. For the latest updates, including opportunities to get involved, visit the SoR website.

This wide-ranging project focuses on optimising the contribution of the radiography support and assistant workforce and ensuring staff have rewarding careers. The project is led by Richard Griffin, professor of healthcare management at King’s College London, and healthcare consultants Penny Owens and John Gale. The team is developing resources, informed by insights from services, including support staff, that include supervision and delegation advice and guidance on recruitment from local communities and identifying core training needs. A roles and responsibilities guidance for radiotherapy services is also being developed. A series of webinars, podcasts and other media, along with the redesign of the SoR Support Worker Hub, will raise awareness of new resources.

There has been more than three years of concentrated effort coming together to develop a range of fabulous resources developed with and for our members, managers, radiographers, educators and, of course, the support workforce.

Helen White, associate professor at the College of Health and Care Professions, Birmingham City University, has conducted a series of national scoping surveys and focus groups involving preceptees, preceptors and service managers in both diagnostic and therapeutic radiography. The preceptorship research has identified several profession-specific recommendations for the SoR to consider. These centre on the following themes:

• Conceptualisation, signposting and awareness 
• Quality and oversight 
• Preceptee empowerment
• Career progression 
• Preceptor role 
• Preceptorship leadership 

To support the implementation of the recommendations further work will be undertaken by the SoR, including the development of a profession-specific learning needs analysis tool.

This workstream focuses on recognising the role of academic and practice educators within the radiography professions and encouraging career progression into radiography education roles. 

Engagement with radiography educators has expanded this year via various networks including the SoR Special Interest Groups, CoR Practice Educator Accreditation Scheme and event workshops at the Annual Radiography Educators Conference, Achieving Excellence in Radiography Education and Research 2024, UKIO and the Annual Radiotherapy Conference. 

A collection of new case studies showcases educator roles within the Education Career Framework. This spotlights how vital radiography educators are in improving person-centred care, service delivery and the advancement of our profession through the role they play in the education and training of the entire workforce. Case studies were selected based on their alignment with the corresponding expectations associated with the role as detailed within the ECF in addition to their overall quality and content to meet the main objectives of promoting awareness and understanding the role and to inspire others along a similar career path. The case study repository launched at the Achieving Excellence in Radiography Education and Research Conference.

The SoR team has attended several career outreach events during 2024 including careers fairs, an armed forces promotional campaign and our first apprenticeship and education event. Events have been well attended and the apprenticeship route, in particular, has drawn interest from students and their parents. https://nationalapprenticeshipevents.co.uk/

In 2025 the team will attend further events, promoting radiography as a career and developing the careers webpage. https://www.collegeofradiographers.ac.uk/education/careers

A review of virtual equipment to support careers events and promotion is currently underway.

We have used the NHSE funding to support the workforce in these areas:

Students – the SoR is the first professional body to hold a Schwartz Round License from the Point of Care Foundation. Following a successful inaugural event in November 2024, a second round will take place in February 2025. We are also pleased to be delivering a webinar series for students and new professionals. This includes topics such as networking, interview skills and building confidence. We also launched The Student Radiography Podcast. This new peer support venture aims to provide a forum to discuss the profession and wellbeing, and to offer support to other students who are embarking on the journey to becoming a radiographer.  https://www.sor.org/students 

Enhanced-level practice – Melanie Clarkson, programme lead for the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice Radiotherapy and Oncology at Sheffield Hallam University, and Beverly Snaith, clinical professor of radiography at the University of Bradford, are leading two SoR-commissioned projects. Working in collaboration, they are investigating the socialisation of enhanced practice and scoping education provision and planning across HEIs and service. Intelligence and data have been gathered using surveys, focus groups and interviews. Enhanced practice champions are currently being recruited, with training to begin in spring 2025. The outcomes from these projects will be used to inform the College of Radiographers (CoR) work relating to postgraduate programme approval and professional body guidance around enhanced and advanced-level education.

Advanced-level practice – an updated scope of practice, code of conduct and guidance have been produced by Michael Guthrie, a consultant with a background in professional regulation in the healthcare sector. These will be published in 2025. The documents guide all members, and there will also be guidance to support those working in advanced and consultant practice roles. The Advancing Practice in Radiography Special Interest Group, launched at UKIO 2024, continues to grow with high-quality discussion and support. https://www.sor.org/about/get-involved/special-interest-groups/advancing-practice-in-radiography-sig 

Consultant practice – trainee consultant and consultant practice – the Consultant Radiographer Advisory Group (CRAG), along with the wider network of trainee consultant and consultant radiographers, have been supported in their role development with a range of online network support meetings. The network identifies the topics for discussion at meetings, and a sub-group of CRAG arranges speakers and discussions on those topics. Recent areas include imposter syndrome, support for the research element of roles and discussion of levels of practice. 

The CRAG sub-group has undertaken a research project exploring imposter phenomenon with the trainee consultant and consultant radiographer network. A literature review informed the development of a mixed methods survey, which received responses from 80 members of the network. The data is at analysis stage and includes a set of rich and powerful free text responses that will inform the development of a toolkit of support.

This workstream comprises two projects:

Mentorship training – an independent consultant ran two online workshops in October 2024: New to Academia, which uses mentoring to develop your academic capability, and Mentoring for Experienced Academics. Participants in both sessions were able to share examples from their own practice to develop their understanding. The sessions were recorded, and slides and handouts were provided so participants could revisit learning points.

Scoping practice education requirements to support sonographers – a document containing case studies and models that can be used to increase clinical capacity for sonographer education has been developed. The goal is for this to be available by spring 2025 on the SoR website. 

Finally, I would like to add my thanks to all the external experts and the staff at the SoR who are supporting this programme. 

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