Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Breast Imaging

at  East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Radiology Directorate at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust for an Advanced Clinical Practitioner to join the Breast Unit’s multi-disciplinary team.
The post holder is required to deliver an advanced level of clinical practice within the field of Breast Imaging. Working within local and nationally agreed frameworks, the Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) exercises independent judgment to assess, investigate, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate the clinical care and management of patients for the management of breast disease. As an ACP you will be part of an alternative medical workforce model having completed generalist training, meeting all academic and core clinical requirements relevant to the role.
Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.
Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.
Our organisation is driven by our strategic objectives and organisational values and we look for people who are strongly aligned with them to join us.
We have a clear vision to be the leading provider of imaging services across East Lancashire, delivering the highest standards and providing safe, personal and effective care to all our patients.
Our staff are friendly, supportive and dedicated professionals who will make you feel very welcome. Our service is committed to encouraging staff to develop and widen their scope of practice, with continuous professional development actively encouraged and supported by expert clinical leads.

Ensure a high-quality service is maintained for the clients and patients attending for Breast Imaging at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.
To demonstrate advanced and autonomous clinical practice in all aspects of breast imaging and diagnosis.
To be professionally and legally accountable for all work undertaken to practice at an advanced level of professional autonomy and accountability that is in line with Trust policies, the College of Radiographers Code of Conduct and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) guidance.
Take responsibility for the management of patients within own caseload and the supervision/development of junior members of the multi-professional team.
Be able to identify the need for appropriate diagnostic tests and interpret the results.
Share knowledge and expertise, acting as an expert resource to others across primary and secondary care as appropriate.
Provide clinical and strategic leadership within the multidisciplinary team, working with the Breast Imaging Manager and wider leadership team, with responsibility for quality, training and clinical governance, and research agendas.
Monitor and lead improvements to standards of care through supervision of practice, clinical audit, evidence-based practice, teaching and supporting professional colleagues with the provision of skilled professional leadership.
Contribute to the review and development patient clinical pathways to ensure a standardised approach within breast imaging services.
To be fully competent with radiology information systems, e.g., CRIS, PACS, NBSS, EPR.
To be aware of the implications of the Health & Safety at Work Act and the Ionising Radiation Regulations (IRR17) and the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IR(ME)R 2017) and ensure compliance with such legislation. EXPERT CLINICAL PRACTICE
To assess and diagnose patients within the breast imaging department across both the screening and symptomatic service and to manage their complete episode of care.
Highly specialised clinical and technical skills in clinical examination, image interpretation mammography and ultrasound, plus image guided intervention.
Independent percutaneous breast procedures under free hand, ultrasound, or stereotactic guidance to include cyst aspiration, abscess or seroma drainage, FNA, core biopsy, vacuum assisted core biopsy and localisation wire insertion.
Independent clinical breast examination.
Undertake administration of local anaesthetic in accordance with an agreed Patient Group Directive.
To be responsible for patient management decisions.
To support consultant colleagues in MDT meetings, including preparation, presentation and informing patients of results and outcomes where applicable.
To ensure your own clinical competencies and those of team members under your supervision are documented and upheld within the service. COMMUNICATION AND KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Deal with highly complex and sensitive information which requires the highest level of communication skills. To give expert advice, support and information to patients and their relatives. Receiving and delivering information in a highly emotive environment.
Act as advocate for patients and offer support to families/carers.
Demonstrate team leadership, providing clinical and emotional support for staff working in high flow and demanding environments.
Improve and maintain good communication between all members of the team, ensuring appropriate referrals and liaison with relevant personnel.
Complete precise, accurate and timely records, letters, and statements in accordance with the Data Protection Act and Trust Policy.
Present and review complex case histories when required, summarise, and formulate management plans.
Proficiency in IT skills for completing relevant clinical records. LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Develop and implement robust governance systems based on an understanding of the level of practice required to deliver the service and assure safe quality standards of practice for service users.
Ensure that practice is carried out in accordance with professional rules of conduct, professional standards, departmental and Trust policies, national policies, guidelines and statute.
Lead new practice and service redesign solutions in response to feedback, evaluation, and need.
Act as a clinical role model, educator, coach, and mentor seeking to instill and develop the confidence of the workforce.
Develop and initiate systems to collect feedback and involvement from individuals, families, carers, communities, and colleagues to assure and improve the quality of care and service delivery.
Work with the operational manager on the monitoring of complaints, incidents, and patient/service user outcomes and feedback.
Demonstrate receptiveness to challenge and preparedness to constructively challenge others, dealing with concerns that affect individual patients, colleagues and overall service safety and quality.
To lead the development of relevant policies and clinical protocols and be responsible for policy implementation and service development.
Negotiate a personal and individual scope of practice for staff to operate within legal, ethical, professional, and organisational policies, governance and procedures, with a focus on managing risk and upholding safety.
Demonstrates an awareness of their own limitations and through this, recognise the parameters of their scope of practice.
Represent the Breast Imaging Service where required on relevant committees and meetings, as a lead clinician, provide input in relation to specialist issues and clinical matters as required at a local and regional level.
Provide annual individual performance review for staff to critically assess and address learning needs, negotiating a personal development plan that reflects the breadth of ongoing professional development necessary for the role.
Act as an advocate for and contribute to a culture of organisational learning to inspire and develop future and existing staff. EDUCATION, LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Use specialist knowledge to actively participate in the clinical and theoretical education, training and support of staff working within the Breast Imaging Service.
Develop a strategy for training of the AHP workforce within the Breast Service to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for succession planning, creating a sustainable workforce within the organisation.
Provide professional clinical leadership through actively engaging in peer review to inform own and other’s practice, formulating and implementing strategies to act on learning and make improvements.
Annual completion of the ‘PERFORMS’ film reading education tool in performance for film readers.
Participation in personal performance review with audit of breast interventional skills (competency audits).
To maintain own continuing professional development (CPD) by engaging in self-directed learning, using a process of critical reflection to identify learning needs to maximise clinical skills and knowledge.
Maintain a portfolio of evidence or work-based learning showing how you meet all the required capabilities for working in this role e.g., completion of NHSE e learning modules.
Keep up to date with IR(ME)R regulations and attend relevant updates.
Take a lead role in implementing a competency and capability framework, inspiring the wider team to develop competencies and capabilities through provision of work-based and inter-professional learning opportunities.
As a clinical leader and educator, designs, develops and delivers programmes of specialised learning in line with evidence-based practice to peers, junior staff, and the wider MDT. RESEARCH, AUDIT AND SERVICE EVALUATION
To evaluate the quality of service provided by actively participating in research and service evaluation, selecting and applying valid, reliable methods, then acting on the findings.
Participate in evaluating new equipment.
Critically appraise and synthesise the outcome of relevant research, evaluation, and audit, using the results to underpin own practice and to inform that of others.
Participate in audit, clinical governance, and other clinical meetings where the outcomes and recommendations have the potential to improve the quality of care, give case presentations as required.
Assist on specific audit cycles to enhance the quality of breast screening and symptomatic services.
Be aware of the results of mandatory audits, amend own practice where necessary and support change in practice of others.
To evaluate the local service against national and/or local standards and benchmarks.
Demonstrates ability to generate evidence suitable for presentation at local level.
To establish education and research partnerships with higher education institutes as appropriate in relation to identifying gaps in the evidence base and potential research opportunities. PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
To be professionally accountable for own actions and adhere to professional code of conduct.
To operate within own scope of practice by only practising in the areas you have appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience for; referring to alternative practitioners if required as outlined within the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics.
Ensure compliance with requirement to re-new Professional Registration Bi-Annually.
Always uphold professional conduct in accordance with Society & College of Radiographers statements for professional conduct and The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency for Radiographers.
Undertake appropriate, documented Continuing Professional Development in accordance with the requirements of the HCPC