Classification: Official
To:
- NHS trusts:
- medical directors
- radiology clinical directors
- chief nurses
- chief AHPs
- chief pharmacists
- directors of midwifery
- advanced practice leads
- primary care networks:
- clinical directors
- general practices
cc:
- integrated care boards:
- medical directors
- chief nurses
- chief AHPs
- chief pharmacists
- advanced practice leads
Dear colleagues,
Enabling equitable access to clinical imaging referrals for registered healthcare professionals working in advancing practice roles
The Royal College of Radiologists, Society and College of Radiographers, Royal College of Nursing and NHS England have co-developed good practice guidance, and an accompanying infographic, outlining principles for ensuring more consistent and equitable access to clinical imaging requests for registered healthcare professionals working in multi-professional enhanced, advanced, or consultant practice roles.
The guidance is supported by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Centre for Advancing Practice and builds on the guidance contained in the Royal College of Nursing’s Clinical imaging requests from non-medically qualified professionals (3rd edition, 2021). By ensuring more consistent access to clinical imaging requesting for registered healthcare professionals working in advancing practice roles, we will:
- speed up access to radiology services in all clinical settings across hospital and community care and primary care
- reduce the number of steps in patients’ journeys
- improve patient flow within clinical areas
- increase patient, carer, and family satisfaction
- optimise use of registered healthcare professionals’ experience and knowledge correspondent with their scope of practice
- make the best use of registered healthcare professionals assessment skills and ensure all referrals for clinical imaging are appropriate
Next steps
We encourage you to implement this important guidance for our patients and their families. We look forward to our patients continuing to benefit from your leadership and expertise for enabling the best and most effective care possible by all registered healthcare professionals engaged in advancing practice roles.
The guidance is available on the Centre for Advancing Practice website.
For more information, email the Centre for Advancing Practice.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Mark Radford CBE
Director of Education and Training, NHS England
Dr Robin Proctor
Medical Director, Professional Practice, Clinical Radiology, Royal College of Radiologists
Lynn Woolsey
Chief Nursing Officer, Royal College of Nursing
Charlotte Beardmore CBE
Executive Director for Professional Policy, Society and College of Radiographers
Publication reference: PRN01682_ii