Role of the Radiographer Prescriber. What do radiographers do?

Role of the Radiographer Prescriber

What do radiographers do?

29,695 Radiographers in the UK registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Diagnostic radiographers

Therapeutic radiographers

Diagnostic radiographers take lead responsibility for the management and care of patients undergoing a spectrum of clinical imaging examinations, together with associated image interpretation.

Diagnostic radiographers plain film contrast imagingCT interventionalMRI ward & theatreultrasound bone scanningnuclear medicine cardiac

Therapeutic radiographers take lead responsibility for the management and care of patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy during the pre-treatment, treatment delivery and immediate post-treatment phases.

Therapeutic radiographersplanning reviewtreatment end of treatmentcounselling palliativecommunity liaison satellite RTinfo & support brachytherapy

Currently, radiographers can...........

Supply/administer under Patient Specific Directions (PSDs)

Supply/administer under Patient Group Directions (PGDs)

Train as Supplementary Prescribers

Supplementary Prescribers:

46 annotated with HCPC (end 2014)

Very few diagnostic

Therapeutic radiographers in on-treatment review

Challenges of supplementary prescribing:

CMP

Logistics of getting CMP signed

SP more suited to long term conditions

Independent prescribing

Why and how would it be used?

Extension of current practice of Supplementary Prescribing

Would overcome issues with CMP Better and quicker service delivery Keeping patient on treatment New ways of working; community,

satellite etc Using skills of radiographers

Mainly contrast agents PGDs will continue to be used Radiographer led services

Interventional e.g. gastro-intestinal Ultrasound e.g. musculoskeletal Vascular e.g. insertion of lines DEXA scanning New ways of working e.g. Emergency

department

WE NEED A BIT OF VISION...

A patient with a minor injury is sent for imaging, radiographer reports there is no bony injury. What if the radiographer could discharge the patient from imaging with referral and/or prescription?

Better for patient, better for service

22 DAYS LEFT FOR CONSULTATION

Please support radiographers by responding positivelyStronger together

Better for patient, better for service

christinaf@sor.org