Consultant Radiographer

Can you use your natural leadership skills to push the boundaries of healthcare?

A Consultant Radiographer is an experienced radiographer who has taken additional training to be able to diagnose breast cancers and support patients at all stages of their journey.

As a Consultant Radiographer in breast screening, you are most likely to:

Work within the hospital alongside a multi-disciplinary team (MDT)
Work directly with patients supporting them throughout their journey, providing expert clinical support
View images that have been taken of breast tissue and decide if they need further investigations or treatment,
Attend MDT meetings to present the cases of patients with diagnosed cancers so that treatment decisions can be made
Look for ways to make improvements to services
Have leadership and management responsibilities
Undertake research to develop and promote best practice
Contribute to training and development of other radiography professionals

Entry Requirements

To start your career as a radiographer you will need five GCSEs at grade A-C/9-4 including English, maths and science plus two or three A-Levels including physics, chemistry or biology/human biology

You would then apply for an undergraduate degree or degree apprenticeship typically in diagnostic radiography but you could also select therapeutic radiography

Training Routes

A consultant radiographer would start their career as a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered diagnostic or therapeutic radiographer. They would have many years of experience in clinical practice and would have undertaken continued professional development to specialise in different technologies or clinical areas.
They should then undertake masters study to become a mammographer like Rebecca has done. They would also likely undertake a PhD as part of their training.
The next step would be to apply for a place on an Advanced Clinical Practice Training Programme like Chelsea has done before undertaking a consultant training programme and applying for consultant roles once qualified.
Consultant radiographers will need to study at master’s level alongside gaining clinical and management experience.

Key Skills

You will be:

A skilled and experienced clinician
A great communicator
Able to put people at ease
Knowledgeable in breast anatomy and breast cancer care
Interested in the use of new technology
Interested in science
Adaptable and flexible
A problem solver
Able to interpret data

Pay and benefits

Trainee consultants are likely to be paid on the Agenda for Change (AFC) pay system starting at Band 8a and progressing once qualified as a consultant.

Career Development

The consultant or specialty training programme will take place over a number of years depending on part time or full time study.
As an experienced radiographer you will undertake additional training to specialise in different technologies and also different areas of practice.
Progression from consultant level might include moving into management, education or research.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The society of Radiographers; Consultant Practitioner Radiographers
Enhanced, Advanced and Consultant Practice
Diagnostic Radiographer
Therapeutic radiographer
Radiography Careers
Radiographers are registered professionals with the Health and Care Professions Council