Trainee Sonographer

at  Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

An exciting training opportunity has arisen in the Ultrasound Department within Radiology to train in Ultrasound and become a sonographer. The successful candidate will undertake a 18-to-24-month training program at Masters post-graduate level, leading to the successful completion of a post-graduate diploma in Medical ultrasound.
The aim being that at completion of training and preceptorship, the successful candidate will undertake and independently report general medical, gynaecology and obstetric ultrasound examinations to a high standard. Provide direct care and facilitate patient management, whilst seeking assistance when required.
The success full candidate will hold a BSc in radiography, or nursing / midwifery degree and obtained a 2:1 of higher and have a keen interest in ultrasound. You should have two or more years’ experience of working in a NHS hospital setting. Applicants should ideally have a current Health Professions Council (HCPC) registration or equivalent.
This rotational trainee sonographer post serves Maidstone and The Tunbridge Wells at Pembury Hospitals and also the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Hermitage Court.
You will be joining a well-established, forward-going team of Sonographers and Radiologists providing a wide range of high-quality ultrasound examinations and independent reports. We have 13 Ultrasound rooms across the three sites and provide a wide range of examinations.
We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic, motivated, full-time band 6 trainee sonographer to train in ultrasound in our busy, friendly ultrasound department at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust. We provide a comprehensive (mainly non-obstetric) ultrasound service to a wide range of specialities within the hospital and local GPs.
The successful candidate will undertake a post-graduate diploma in Medical Ultrasound. It is a full-time course consisting of a blend of study blocks/ set days at university and clinical placement across all MTW sites. The qualification will take approximately 24 months to complete.
Following successful completion, you would undertake a minimum of 3 months full-time preceptorship, progressing to a Band 7 when able to work to the same level as other junior Band 7 sonographers.
The sonographers are a supportive team, who will work to facilitate your learning. You will be assigned a mentor for each module who will assess your progress, discuss learning objectives, interesting cases, and work through any issues.
You will work in mainly outpatient and community sites undertaking routine scans requested by GPs, when more experienced you will work in ED ultrasound, inpatient ultrasound, SDEC (same day emergency care), portable scans on the ward, including ITU.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is a large acute hospital Trust in the county of Kent.
The Trust provides a full range of general hospital services and some areas of specialist complex care to around 760,000 people living in the south part of West Kent and the north part of East Sussex.
The Trust’s core catchment areas are Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells and their surrounding boroughs. We work from two main clinical sites: Maidstone Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury. Tunbridge Wells Hospital opened in 2011 and provides single rooms with en-suites for all in-patients – the first of its kind in the country.
We employ more than 7,000 full and part-time staff in a huge range of clinical and non-clinical roles across both of our hospital sites.
Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
Once your pre-employment checks have been completed you will be contacted by Recruitment to arrange your start date which will be in line with one of our Corporate Inductions.
Following your Corporate Induction you will be expected to attend the Trust’s 2-week Induction Programme for RNs, NAs, RMs, ODPs and Paramedics. The programme is full-time (please email mtw-tr.professionalstandards@nhs.net if this is problematic) and will involve travel to both Trust sites. The programme includes supernumerary shifts in the clinical area, classroom-based sessions and e-learning.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure & Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children)
At MTW, we seek to develop a culture where everyone can reach their full potential with opportunities to grow and develop their career. We recognise and value the unique contributions that each of our staff bring, delivering the best quality care and service to our patients. We are committed to being a diverse employer and strive to reflect everyone in our local communities. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences and celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that will make our Trust the best place to work.
Interview Date: To be confirmed

Please refer the Job description for details