Job overview

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 12-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 15 Ultrasound rooms across the three sites and provide a wide range of examinations.

Main duties of the job

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.

Working for our organisation

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey.

We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.

Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.

Looking for flexible working?
We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it’s adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.

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Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:

• At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a employer contribution of 23.7% and life assurance benefits
• Blue Light card eligibility
• And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below