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SoR response to government’s AI action plan: ‘There can be no imaging without radiographers’
Prime minister Keir Starmer
Prime minister Keir Starmer
The UK government released an AI action plan last month (13 January), which identifies numerous commercial areas in which it plans to drive implementation, including healthcare and diagnostic imaging.
In a speech announcing the plans, prime minister Keir Starmer said “AI can save hundreds of thousands of hours lost to missed appointments” and “predict and prevent illness long before it strikes”.
While innovation and advancement is always welcome, it is important to remember that “tech needs people”, the SoR has said.
The NHS’s AI Diagnostic Fund is one example of the UK government’s efforts to embrace AI in healthcare, allocating £21m to 12 imaging networks, covering 66 NHS trusts across England, to significantly speed up the rollout of AI diagnostic tools nationwide.
Dean Rogers, SoR executive director of industrial strategy and member relations, said: “Many of our members are working with machines that are more than 20 years old – in some cases, even older than the radiographers themselves. So any investment in new equipment will improve efficiency and effectiveness.
“But technology alone is not going to bring down NHS waiting lists. Tech needs people. While AI can speed up the process of reporting imaging results, there can be no imaging without an appropriately educated and trained radiography workforce – in fact, regulations require it.”
HSC pay award delays in Northern Ireland to have ‘devastating impact’ on waiting lists
Industrial action in Northern Ireland held last year
Industrial action in Northern Ireland held last year
Pay awards for health professionals working in Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care bodies are unlikely to be implemented until late in the pay year, according to the latest information from the Pay Review Body (PRB), which will have a ‘devastating’ impact on waiting lists.
Supplementary evidence submitted to the PRB last month by the SoR revealed that an expected delay in pay awards will only exacerbate the recruitment and retention crisis afflicting radiographers in Northern Ireland.
Cora Regan, SoR Northern Ireland national officer, explained that the 2023-24 pay award was not implemented in full in Northern Ireland until late summer 2024.
“The last year has been one of despair for many of our members in Northern Ireland,” said Cora. “Industrial action over the non-payment of the 2024-25 award was averted only because we were given a staggered award – but this means that HSC staff will still be receiving some of their 2024-25 pay award in the 2025-26 pay year.
“There is very little prospect that whatever award the PRB recommends will be paid promptly, which will make it harder to recruit and retain radiographers – meaning that waiting lists continue to increase.”
NHS cancer treatments need a ‘major handbrake turn’ to ensure effective treatment
Professor Pat Price
Professor Pat Price
One third of cancer sufferers are not being seen by treatment specialists within the 62-day target time, demonstrating the need for a reset in cancer treatment efforts, according to research carried out by Radiotherapy UK.
Last month Professor Pat Price, chair of national charity Radiotherapy UK, spoke on BBC Radio 4 Today to discuss progress on cancer treatment and times and what needed to be done. Pat spoke with Professor Peter Johnston, NHS England national clinical director for cancer, about what efforts were being made to improve treatment times. While more people were being diagnosed early, Pat said not enough was being done, and that the government’s cancer plan – expected in the summer – must be “big, bold and brave” rather than making incremental changes.
Charlotte Beardmore, executive director of professional policy at the SoR, welcomed the response from NHS England on the topic, which pointed out that cancer treatment times were improving slowly but surely.
She warned, however: “While this is positive news, we believe it is absolutely critical to have a clear national cancer strategy and plan to support all patients with a coordinated and focused approach. Such a strategy should drive change for all cancer patients by ensuring investment in care pathways, the diagnostic and therapeutic radiography workforce and the wider workforce, with funding to support implementation of the most innovative and evidence-based care.”
SoR outlines Code of Conduct and Scope of Practice expectations for members with updated documents
The Society of Radiographers has released three important documents to support the professional practice of members.
The three documents are entitled ‘Code of Professional Conduct’, ‘Scope of Practice’ and ‘Guidance on scope of practice for advanced practitioners and consultant practitioners’.
Each new document has been uploaded to the SoR’s policy and guideline library.
Charlotte Beardmore, the SoR's executive director of professional policy, said: “It is important for all members to read and follow the Society of Radiographers’ Code of Professional Conduct, which has been updated to reflect the latest professional requirements.
“The Scope of Practice document outlines the scope of radiography practice within clinical imaging and oncology, as carried out by the professional workforce, with new guidance from the Society of Radiographers for advanced and consultant practitioners. This update is crucial; as the number of practitioners at these levels continues to grow and diversify, ensuring safe and effective role implementation and practice is essential.
“The guidance acknowledges the evolving roles within the profession at advanced and consultant level. It includes information to aid safe and effective professional development and practice by advanced and consultant roles in imaging, oncology and new settings, which are backed by appropriate education, training and governance.
“I encourage all members to review these important documents to inform your professional practice.”
The Code of Professional Conduct sets out the Society of Radiographers’ expectations of the professional conduct of its members. Patient-centred care and patient safety are of foremost importance throughout. This document is for all members of the SoR, including students, trainees, support workers and the professional workforce. It applies to all settings and roles, including members who are practising at the practitioner, enhanced, advanced and consultant levels of professional practice.
The Scope of Practice guidance applies to all radiographers working within clinical imaging and oncology. It describes the scope of practice expected across professional levels, covering practitioner, enhanced, advanced and consultant roles.
The ‘Guidance on scope of practice for advanced practitioners and consultant practitioners’ is a new document that provides additional guidance on the scope of practice for members working in advanced and consultant practice roles.
Today, there are increasing opportunities for members to undertake post-registration education and training that allows them to practise safely and effectively in advanced and consultant practice roles. These roles include:
- Advanced and consultant practice roles that are within the primary scope of practice of radiography, in the fields of clinical imaging and oncology.
- Advanced and consultant practice roles that are outside the primary scope of practice of radiography, where the member undertakes other roles within health and care that require professional registration and draw on their professional background. These roles are sometimes referred to as ‘non-traditional’ roles and are often undertaken by professionals from a range of regulated professions.
This document provides up-to-date supportive guidance in navigating scope of practice considerations at advanced and consultant level and aims to help prevent and address any unnecessary or inadvertent barriers to practice that might arise. The guidance may also be useful for service providers and employers and for members who aspire to advanced and consultant practice roles.
The work to bring these documents to fruition has been commissioned and funded by NHS England. To find out more about this work and other funded projects, visit the SoR’s NHS England Professional Bodies Education Reform Commission hub page.
Those who wish to provide feedback on the documents are directed to email pande@sor.org and include NHSE PB ERC in the subject header.
SoR shares good practice guidance for equitable clinical imaging referrals
New guidance to enable equitable access to clinical imaging referrals for advanced practitioners has been made available to SoR members.
SoR representatives have been engaged in work led by NHS England to support clinical imaging referrals for registered healthcare professionals working in advancing practice roles. On 16 January, the resources were made available for SoR members.
The work has been facilitated by NHS England. However, the guidance is applicable across the UK. Links to the guidance and a downloadable infographic are available from the SoR’s Policy and Guidance Document Library.
There has been a significant increase in the number of non-medical referrers seeking entitlement in recent years. Enabling equitable access to clinical imaging referrals for registered healthcare professionals working in advancing practice roles is recognised as an important facilitator of efficient patient pathways.
The Royal College of Radiologists, Society and College of Radiographers, Royal College of Nursing and NHS England have co-developed good practice guidance – and an accompanying infographic – outlining principles for ensuring more consistent and equitable access to clinical imaging requests for registered healthcare professionals working in multi-professional enhanced, advanced or consultant practice roles.
The guidance provides clarity to improve the consistency of decision making about who can refer for clinical imaging. While the guidance is primarily designed to comply with the requirements of The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017, The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018 and The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) (Amendment) Regulations 2024, the principles apply equally to referrals for non-ionising radiation imaging.
The guidance is supported by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Centre for Advancing Practice and builds on the guidance contained in the Royal College of Nursing’s 2021 Clinical Imaging Requests from Non-Medically Qualified Professionals (3rd edition).
The overall responsibility for entitlement lies with the employer. The guidance recognises this and highlights how a registered healthcare professional working in an advancing practice role can evidence the service need, and their individual suitability, to be entitled as a referrer when submitting their application for entitlement to radiology services.
By ensuring more consistent access to clinical imaging requesting for registered healthcare professionals working in advancing practice roles, the aim is to:
- Speed up appropriate access to radiology services in all clinical settings across hospitals, community care and primary care
- Reduce the number of steps in patients’ journeys
- Improve patient flow within clinical areas
- Increase patient, carer and family satisfaction
- Optimise use of registered healthcare professionals’ experience and knowledge correspondent with their scope of practice
- Make the best use of registered healthcare professionals’ assessment skills and ensure all referrals for clinical imaging are appropriate
Image credits:
Henry Nicholls - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Radiotherapy UK
Bongkarn Thanyakij
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