What I do

I am an Assistant Practitioner in radiology. I do outpatient X-rays, generally for hips, knees, hands, shoulders and sometimes abdomen and chest. I work for a private health care firm and not A&E, so we don’t come across many immediate fractures, instead we might get post-fracture X-rays. We can pick up more sinister things on X-ray as it is usually the first port of diagnostic imaging that takes place.

How I became a technician

I studied health & social care, geography and food technology, in addition to the core subjects at school. I first came to Spire when I was 18 and was a hostess on the wards - giving out food and drinks - and did housekeeping in theatres.

I tried different roles outside of the medical sector, including working at an opticians and in childcare, but returned to Spire in an X-ray admin job and moved on to be a Radiology Assistant. I was then approached to see if I wanted to do an apprenticeship to become a Radiology Assistant Practitioner. The apprenticeship was over two years, with one day a week for studying at Derby University.

Doing the apprenticeship was really good. I could still earn a wage and learn on the job. One of our Radiographers was my facilitator so it was his role to liaise with the university. He taught me the practical side of taking X-rays and how to position patients to get the best images. I had the support of the whole department for coursework and assignments, and I could ask for guidance when I needed to. It’s a great way to get a qualification - I definitely recommend it.

A typical day in my
working life

First thing in the morning we clean all the rooms. We check what is booked for the day and see which consultants are in with outpatients to give us an idea of footfall through the department. I will often do a bit of chaperoning with the radiologists, from abdomen ultrasounds to aseptic technique for ultrasound guided injection of joints.

Then it is X-rays that come round from outpatients and the wards. Consultants come and ask questions and the outpatient nurses pop down sometimes. We are quite central to the hospital so most patients or staff will utilise us at some point.

I often do X-rays in the afternoon. The length of time it takes to X-ray varies depending on what you are X-raying. A standard knee X-ray can take from 10 to 20 minutes depending on how mobile the patient is. We also have ultrasound lists throughout the day and evening. First thing in the morning and last thing in the evening are our busiest times.

Support from everyone you work with is by far the best part of working in a team.

A little more about
my everyday role

What I love most about my job

I like the variety. On a daily basis we have things that are pre-booked for us to do but you don’t always know what you will come across. The amount of people you meet as well is amazing.

The best bits about working in a team

Support from everyone you work with is by far the best part of working in a team. You can have a laugh too. Learning from everyone’s skills, especially from those that worked in A&E before they came to Spire.

The most exciting thing I’ve achieved so far in my job

My continual development within my role. I can always push a bit further and I haven’t stopped yet.

The next steps in my career journey

There are a few things I could do. I could train a bit more in CT, MRI or mammography. My main aim is to go on and become a fully-fledged Radiographer which will be a full-time one-year course at university.

Find out more about this role

Discover what qualifications you’ll need, how much you can earn, and what the next steps are.

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