Principal Sonographer

Ekhuft; Ashford; Híbrido; GBP 58.000 - 65.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Flexible working

Descripción de la vacante

Ekhuft is seeking a Principal Sonographer (Non-Obstetric Ultrasound) to provide clinical and operational leadership across the Trust. The role includes directing the Ultrasound Service, managing a multidisciplinary team, and driving service development while maintaining a clinical post.

The successful candidate will oversee workforce planning, governance, and quality initiatives to improve patient pathways, access and diagnostic accuracy in a progressive Radiology department.

Formación

• 5+ years post-degree ultrasound leadership experience.
• Band 7 or above in last 1 year experience.
• HCPC registration evidenced with PIN.

Responsabilidades

• Provide professional, operational and clinical leadership for the Trust-wide Non-Obstetric Ultrasound Service.
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, retention and staff development.
• Drive quality improvement, service recovery and performance against national standards.

Conocimientos

Leadership

Clinical governance

Team development

Change management

Educación

BSc Radiography

HCPC registration

MSc or Level-7 leadership

Leadership/teaching qualifications

Herramientas

PACS

RIS

Q-Pulse

Descripción del empleo

Main area Principal Sonographer (Non Obstetric Ultrasound) Grade Band 8a Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week Job ref 344-4834DCB-B

Site Trustwide Town Ashford Salary £57,528 - £64,750 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 14/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Principal Sonographer to lead our Non-Obstetric Ultrasound Service across the Trust. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled clinical leader to shape service delivery, drive quality improvement and support the development of a high-performing, patient-focused team.

Working closely with the Senior Radiology Management Team and Clinical Director, you will provide professional, operational and clinical leadership, ensuring the delivery of a safe, effective and high-quality ultrasound service. You will lead and support Sonographers, trainee Sonographers and Radiology department assistants, while maintaining a regular clinical role and contributing to the future development of the service.

This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on patient care, staff development and service innovation within a progressive and supportive Radiology department.

Main duties of the job

As Principal Sonographer (Non-Obstetric Ultrasound), you will provide professional, operational and clinical leadership for the Trust-wide Non-Obstetric Ultrasound Service, ensuring the delivery of a safe, effective and patient-centred service. You will maintain advanced clinical expertise, undertaking complex ultrasound examinations while promoting excellence in clinical practice.

The post holder will lead and develop the team, fostering a culture of learning, wellbeing, accountability and continuous improvement. You will be responsible for workforce planning, recruitment, retention, appraisal, staff development and performance management, supporting a skilled and sustainable workforce.

Working with the Senior Radiology Management Team, Clinical Director, Service Managers and multidisciplinary colleagues, you will drive service recovery and performance improvement against key national standards, including DM01, RTT and Cancer pathways. You will lead quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient access, diagnostic quality, productivity and service efficiency, including optimising opportunities through Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs).

The role includes responsibility for clinical governance, audit, quality assurance, risk management, incident investigation and complaints handling, ensuring learning is embedded into practice.

You will contribute to business planning, service transformation and the introduction of new technologies, pathways and workforce models.

Working for our organisation

We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference’. We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called 'We care'. It's about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We're looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day.

Please note that if you require a Certificate of Sponsorship to work in the UK you must declare this on your application form, even if you currently have a certificate of sponsorship or a work permit for another role and are already working in the country. Please note we are only able to sponsor candidates for a Skilled Worker Visa for roles that are eligible at the time of application.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For full details of the role, responsibilities and essential requirements, please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Person specification

Personal/professional attributes

• Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and develop a multidisciplinary team
• Skilled in delegation, workload management, and supporting staff autonomy.
• Conflict resolution and problem-solving skills, managing challenging staff or patient situations effectively.
• Experience of working with Quality Management Systems, i.e. Q-pulse.
• Experience in organisational change management or leading cross-department initiatives.
• Able to foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive team culture
• Ability to mentor and coach staff at all levels, encouraging professional development and continuous improvement.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, liaising confidently with clinicians, managers, patients, and external partners.
• Strong understanding of local and national guidance relevant to medical ultrasound
• Ability to provide accurate, concise clinical reports in line with local policies and procedures.
• Knowledge and experience of clinical governance and risk management
• Ability to work flexibly to meet service needs and manage competing priorities
• Effective decision-making based on clinical knowledge and operational circumstances
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively within a team
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including presenting complex information.
• Ability to deliver against agreed performance targets and KPIs
• Commitment to personal CPD to maintain advanced technical and theoretical skills
• Experience in workforce planning and talent development

Qualifications & Training

• BSc Hons in Radiography or equivelent
• Current HCPC registration- evidenced with PIN
• MSc or demonstrable Level‑7 capabilities (e.g., NHSE ACP e‑portfolio)
• Postgraduate Level 7 qualification relevant leadership/management or evidence of equivalent experience.
• Qualifications in education and teaching and/or leadership and/or clinical research.

Skills and experience

• Minimum 5 years post degree experience with the at least the last year at band 7 or above.
• Minimum of three years qualified (post preceptorship) ultrasound experience
• Proven experience in clinical leadership, promoting high-quality patient care and team performance.
• Evidence of inter-professional and multidisciplinary team working, with excellent interpersonal skills and understanding of other professional roles.
• Knowledge of PACS, RIS, and other clinical IT systems.
• Advanced knowledge of anatomy and pathology relevant to ultrasound practice.
• Knowledge of ultrasound equipment and its operational impact on service capacity.
• Knowledge of health & safety regulations related to ultrasound practice.
• Familiarity with Patient Safety Incident Response Framework processes and NHS operational standards.
• Experience of equipment procurement and evaluation
• Evidence of published work, presentations, or research activity.
• Experience in strategic service planning and implementation
• Experience leading audit, quality improvement initiatives.
• Experience managing delegated budgets

There are lots of great opportunities at East Kent Hospitals, where staff are caring and put patients first, innovation flourishes and you can develop your career. We’re on an exciting journey of transformation. With a local Medical School at the centre of our community, a focus on research, clinical leadership and making our trust a rewarding and friendly place to work,
there’s never been a better time to join us. To find out more about east Kent visit our website . The Trust fully supports the SAS Doctors Charter and is committed to their development through its CPD Framework.

If you have any difficulty with this please contact our Resourcing Team on 01227 866450 who are happy to help.

We have a relocation policy for eligible candidates, parking available at Trust sites but we encourage other options, like car sharing or public transport.

The Trust is committed to supporting flexible working to fulfil our pledge as part of The Trust’s People Strategy to help staff to achieve a healthy work/life balance. Please speak with your Recruiting Manager for further information on how this can be managed alongside department expectations and requirements.

The ability to converse easily and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for all customer facing roles.

Most positions require a Disclosure and Barring check and will be exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Posts working regularly or unsupervised with children or vulnerable adults require an enhanced check.

Applicants for eligible roles requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship must meet UK Visas and Immigration eligibility criteria.

We operate a no-smoking policy on all our sites and grounds.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.