The College of Radiographers’ Education and Career Framework (Fourth Edition) for the radiography workforce is now available for download.
The goal of the ECF is to improve outcomes for patients through the education and training of the workforce. The fourth edition has been designed to help education providers design effective programmes while supporting the College’s own programme approval process. While for those within the radiographic profession, you are encouraged to use the ECF to explore your various career pathways. For example, the ECF will assist practitioners to plan their career development as well as supporting managers responsible for workforce planning, to introduce new roles in their departments. Overall we hope the framework will help to promote the profession to our wider stakeholders and the public.
Kathryn Williamson, professional officer for education and accreditation, said:
“The publication of the College’s revised ECF comes at an exciting time, when we are seeing the scope of practice of radiographers evolve into new and emerging areas of practice. It is vital that, as the professional body, we support this evolution through our policies, programme approval process and accreditation schemes. The revised ECF is intended to do that, ensuring the workforce has the appropriate underpinning level of education and training to build the evidence base, transform the services it provides and deliver excellence for our patients.”
Of the revision, Charlotte Beardmore, executive director of professional policy said:
“The ECF underpins all of the work of the Society and College of Radiographers. This important resource is invaluable to those considering a career in radiography, to our current learners and to our established professionals. It shows how flexible your career can be, and how many pathways are open to you.
I would like to thank the contributors to this fourth edition. Your hard work has comprehensively captured the knowledge, skills and attributes needed for each level of practice as well as set out how a radiography professional can develop their career or undertake informed workforce planning.
I encourage all members to explore the ECF and to reflect on your career pathways.”
Inside the ECF
For the best viewing experience, please download the document to a desktop and then open in Acrobat (or equivalent). As an interactive pdf, some of the functionality will not work fully when opened in a browser.
The ECF has sections on the following roles / practice areas:
- Support Workers
- Practitioner
- Enhanced Practitioner
- Advanced Practitioner
- Consultant Practitioner
- Service Manager/Service Leader
- Practice Educator
- Academic
- Undertaking research and innovation: supporting guidance for the radiography workforce
Each section will give an overview of the level of practice, associated scope of practice, education requirements, knowledge, skills and attributes (KSAs) and examples of how individuals at each level might contribute to the four pillars of practice.
Download the ECF
To view the fouth edition of the Education and Career Framework, please see here.
If you have any questions or would like to add to our ECF case study portfolio, please contact [email protected]