Pilot under way to promote multidisciplinary working in MRI units
 More specialist MRI radiographer roles will be developed as part of the programme to cut diagnostic waits down to an 18-week maximum, according to an article in the latest Bulletin for Allied Health Professionals.
As NHS diagnostic services change, there is a real opportunity for diagnostic radiography staff to take on newer roles and work in different settings.
Over the coming months the national radiography recruitment, retention and return project team will assess key training and evaluation issues, ensuring that any new roles developed to aid service redesign complement the overall 18-week target.
Project lead Noelle Skivington said: “The next phase of the recruitment and retention strategy is to look at MRI and, in particular, how we can develop advanced and consultant roles in MRI.”
Funding is being provided to several beacon sites, helping them examine all the elements supporting better service delivery, such as training, assessing staff competencies and auditing processes.
Noelle added: “This will focus on two areas: we will be encouraging radiography departments, with the support of radiologists, to introduce reporting radiographers – some of these posts already exist but we would like to increase the numbers. And we would also like to develop the role of assistant practitioners in MRI.
“Radiographers are a vital component of the diagnostic team but if we are to ensure we get the best use of the best staff, it’s vital we properly examine whether there are any roles they are doing unnecessarily – roles which appropriately trained staff could perform.
“MRI has been seen as a highly specialised area so role development and skill mix haven’t really been explored fully here,” added Noelle.
She also believes the technology developed as part of the National Programme for IT (NPfIT) will have a huge impact on how radiographers work.
“Once you take away the physical requirement for staff to move films around themselves, it creates obvious potential for redesigning the workforce – using the same people but developing different skills.”
The national radiography recruitment retention and return project, managed by South West London Strategic Health Authority, has a target of increasing the radiography workforce in England by 1000 by this December.
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