We met Hannah Taylor, lead education and apprenticeship radiographer in the imaging department, to find out more about her role at CUH.
What’s your role in our hospitals?
I am the lead education and apprenticeship radiographer working within the imaging department. My time is split between working clinically as a senior radiographer within the main X-ray department, the interventional radiology department and office time -overseeing education, new radiographers preceptorship and CPD within imaging.
Radiology uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide their treatment. Our department is full of diagnostic radiographers who operate the machines that produce the images and radiologists who report on the images and use imaging to perform procedures. We also have a team of admin staff, couriers and clinical support workers who are all integral to the running of the department.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
What I enjoy most about my job is being part of a team involved in the diagnosis of diseases and pathologies, facilitating treatment of patients in the hospital and the community.
90% of patients will have direct contact with a diagnostic radiographer during their NHS pathway. We image all ages of patients from premature babies on the NICU right up to patients in end of life care.
Tell us a bit about your CUH journey
I joined CUH in 2008 as a band 5 radiographer after qualifying from the University of Portsmouth with a degree in diagnostic radiography. After 3 years I specialised in interventional radiography and worked for 10 years as the deputy lead radiographer within the interventional radiology department.
In January 2023, I took on the new role of lead education and apprenticeship radiographer. This role has been a great challenge and we are working towards making a better learning environment for our students, apprentices and staff members.
when working clinically a normal day can involve working within one of the many areas in the imaging department, from the emergency department to theatres or our busy outpatient x-ray department. However, every day is different and every patient has their own unique injury or illness that we are involved in diagnosing and treating.
Every day hundreds of patients are imaged and treated within our departments. Our role within the hospital is integral to patient care and benefits every patient who comes in to contact with us.
What does a usual day look like?
We have a large team of staff working within different specialties in imaging including CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, mammography, fluoroscopy and angiography. Each of these areas have different workflows and all of their days are individual, dealing with patients from all areas of the hospital.
How does your role benefits our patients?
Every day hundreds of patients are imaged and treated within our departments. Our role within the hospital is integral to patient care and benefits every patient who comes in to contact with us. It would be great to make everyone more aware of the role we play in patient's journeys.