The College of Radiographers has released a position statement on advanced and consultant practitioner accreditation, explaining its decision to develop a new model.
Following a review, the CoR will develop new resources to support greater understanding and awareness of expectations associated with enhanced, advanced and consultant levels of practice for radiographers and sonographers.
Read the full position statement here.
Practitioners will be able to use practice level-specific mapping tools to map their current education, training and expertise against the professional body expectations for each level of practice as detailed within the Education and Career Framework (ECF).
These resources will allow members to evaluate and identify any further education and development needs relative to either their current level of practice or future career goals.
'Embrace the wider transformational changes'
Charlotte Beardmore, executive director of professional policy said: “Importantly this new approach supports alignment to the levels of practice and education requirements identified within the ECF. The ECF was developed through a rigorous research methodology, by members and for members.
“As a professional body we must embrace the wider transformational changes and respond to the external context to support the understanding and consistent development of the advanced and consultant levels of practice within our profession.
“The planned work and College of Radiographers resources in this area will help to securely assure the position of the radiography profession, driving consistency which is comparable to other professions working at advancing levels.”
New models and national frameworks
The CoR schemes were set up in the mid-2000s, but engagement has remained low since their introduction.
In 2022, the CoR revised and relaunched the ECF, outlining levels of practice and anticipated educational standards at each level of practice. It details the knowledge, skills and attributes across all levels and roles.
After publication, a period of review for the CoR accreditation schemes took place to take account of the external sector changes.
The review found a growing awareness and implementation of national frameworks, new systems for recognition, and consideration of regulation.
Alongside government policy promoting transformation at scale, this encouraged the College’s Board of Trustees to close the accreditation schemes.
In the longer term, the CoR will be seeking to strengthen its work in post-registration programme approval. This work will be informed by a scoping project and other activities currently being undertaken within the Society of Radiographers through NHS England funding.
Read the full positiion statement here.
(Image: Charlotte Beardmore)