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Hear from Kate Prendergast

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 15:56:55 GMT

Kate Prendergast

Graduate and now progressed to Senior CT Radiographer

Why did you choose to do a graduate scheme with Alliance Medical?

I knew during my final year that I wanted to specialise in CT, but knew that if you wish to do this in the NHS you have to “earn your stripes” and it can take a few years to get the opportunity to progress. I attended a careers fair at my university (Salford) and was impressed by Alliance Medical. It struck me as a company that was prepared to invest in staff and encouraged progression. I then attended a taster day at a mobile site, and from there applied and was successful. At the time I did apply for jobs in the NHS also and had a look at other private providers, but Alliance was the one that stood out for me.

Tell us about your journey with Alliance Medical – where did you start, where are you now?

I started as a graduate CT (mobile) radiographer in training shifts, with an allocated mentor. Now 2 years later, I am a senior CT Radiographer! I have trained to scan on 3 different platforms (GE, Canon & Siemens) and I’m comfortable building and adapting protocols on them all. I am trained in IV cannulation, ILS trained, a Radiation Protection Supervisor, a mentor, and a site lead for the Nightingale hospital in Harrogate. It has been an exciting two years!

How has Alliance Medical supported you throughout your career so far?

They have been extremely supportive of me so far and have encouraged me to progress at every opportunity. I have had excellent support from managers, fellow graduates, and my colleagues. It is a demanding and busy job, and you must put the work in, the training file provided was very concise and my mentors supported me during my first 6-12 months with my assessments. I was signed out as CT lead after 5 months and gained my Senior post after 15 months in employment. Alliance Medical have supported me with various in-house courses and an external angiography training course. The management team are always available and approachable if you have any concerns.

Do you have the opportunity to move in different directions within Alliance Medical or gain experience in a range of areas?

The plan initially was for me to start my MRI training in April this year, however due to the Covid-19 pandemic the business had to adapt accordingly especially in supporting NHSE with delivery of CT services. This opened another door for me and gave me the opportunity to take on a site lead role at the Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate which has been hard work, but extremely insightful to see what is involved in setting up a service.

There are always opportunities to get involved in, if you are willing, for example I have helped with providing a review of a proposal for a new CT pocket guide companion book due to be published which our Head of CT clinical services is co-author. I have also become involved in image quality audits and attended careers fairs. As I have family in Ireland I may move over there in the future and so I have been exploring the possibility of transferring over to Alliance Medical Ireland, which is not something that you would be able to do with a lot of other companies.

What values do Alliance Medical have that you appreciate?

The biggest value I appreciate is openness and transparency. Alliance encourage staff to communicate openly and honestly if they have any concerns to ensure a safe and secure environment for staff and patients. I also feel they are extremely patient focused as a company whilst also being supportive with staff.

Hear from Hamzah Amjad

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 15:39:44 GMT

Hamzah Amjad

Graduate

Why did you choose to do a graduate scheme with Alliance Medical?

I chose this due to its flexibility and fast progression, but also because I get to travel to many different cities as well as the opportunity to get a company car!

Tell us about your journey with Alliance Medical – where did you start, where are you now?

I started as a graduate and I progressed extremely quickly due to the course structure and staff training - within 14 months into the course I became a Lead.

How has Alliance Medical supported you throughout your career so far?

All the staff are wonderful and love to train and share their knowledge. Extra courses are always available to do, and the company encourages staff to partake in training as much as possible.

Do you have the opportunity to move in different directions within Alliance Medical or gain experience in a range of areas?

Yes, with my skills developing quickly I had the opportunity to also learn CT which is great for my career as it is a valuable extra skill.

What values do Alliance Medical have that you appreciate?

Collaboration and learning. Working as a team and involving the whole team to provide the best patient care. Learning - because there are endless opportunities to develop and learn which leads to progression fast.

Hear from City, University of London

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 12:51:21 GMT

Dr Edwin Abdurakman

PhD MSc PgC BSc (Hons) FHEA Lecturer in Diagnostic Radiography Division of Midwifery and Radiography

Tell me about your journey with Alliance – where did it start, where are you now?

I first encountered Alliance Medical in 2019 - I was the programme director for undergraduate diagnostic radiography programme at City, University of London and was arranging an employability event for our undergraduate students. Alliance Medical happily agreed to deliver a presentation to a group of final year radiography students regarding job opportunities and our relationship grew from there.

How do Alliance Medical and your university work together to deliver the best experiences for graduates and support them with their career?

We collaborate on our employability every year, Alliance deliver engaging presentations to our final year students, and there have been a lot of opportunities offered by Alliance over the years - attracting interest from many of our students.

Do you believe that graduates have the opportunity to move in different directions within Alliance Medical; or gain experience in a range of areas?

Yes, I believe there are plenty of opportunities for graduates to move in different directions within Alliance Medical. One of the unique opportunities that I can immediately identify is the quality training offered on specialised modalities - particularly CT-scan and MRI. Having this set of skills is very valuable within radiography practice.

How important are graduates to the field of radiography?

Very. They play an important role as part of the national healthcare workforce in general and in particular in radiography which is a field that requires very specific training to enable one to practice it, as well as move forward in their career.

Hear from Angela Meadows

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 09:13:53 GMT

Angela Meadows

Unit Manager

Tell me about your journey with Alliance – where did you start, where are you now?

I started with Alliance 17 years ago, I wanted a change and the opportunity to train in PET CT. In 2004 Alliance Medical was one of only a few Imaging providers performing PET imaging in the UK. After progressing through local training and mentorship with colleagues, we recognised a need to develop a PET training programme and I became Training Manager in PET CT.

I then took a short career break for a year to have my second child and Alliance Medical fully supported me, bringing me back as Senior Radiographer in PET and a year later I became a Unit Manger in PET CT. I have remained a Unit Manager for multiple sites over the years and also work closely with the Education Learning and Training Team an area of my role that’s very close to my heart.

How do Alliance Medical support graduates throughout their career?

There is a structured two year framework for training, but more than that there is a strong commitment to continuing professional development for all employees.

Do graduates have the opportunity to move in different directions within Alliance Medical; or gain experience in a range of areas?

Yes. Students have the opportunity to express an interest in a range of imaging modalities and managers will review opportunities across the business for them accordingly.

How important are graduates to Alliance Medical?

They are essential, they bring fresh ideas and a positive outlook. They bring a new dynamic to established teams often pushing those already grounded in their profession to stretch their knowledge too.

What is at the heart of Alliance Medical?

It has to be the patient experience. We understand that the patient experience is only enhanced by an engaged workforce. An engaged workforce is one that strives for excellence – and that is what we have at Alliance Medical.

Hear from Graeme Strong

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 10:38:30 GMT

Graeme Strong

Unit Manager

Tell me about your journey with Alliance – where did you start, where are you now?

I joined Alliance as a Unit Manager in 2001 and I am still a Unit Manager but far more experienced having had the support to develop additional managerial and clinical skills. I have seen many changes and challenges around the recruitment, retention and training of MRI radiographers and believe the current graduate programme is the most important, effective and rewarding process for attracting talented radiographers at the start of their radiographic career.

How do Alliance Medical support graduates throughout their career?

There is a dedicated support structure for graduates - starting from the very moment they express an interest in joining Alliance Medical as a graduate radiographer. We have a highly effective undergraduate placement programme and key relationships with a forward-thinking group of collaborative Universities. There is a dedicated programme of training and learning, underpinned by bespoke training modules.

There is a clear direction of travel for graduates followed by an emphasis on on-going continued professional and personal development. Once graduates have completed their graduate training programme, they are able to apply for senior imaging roles within Alliance Medical.

Do graduates have the opportunity to move in different directions within Alliance Medical; or gain experience in a range of areas?

Absolutely. One of the key motivators for us in developing graduate radiographers is to train and retain staff as part of a resilient workforce. We have many opportunities for developing other imaging skills and are supportive of graduates who wish to train across multiple imaging modalities.

How important are graduates to Alliance Medical?

Graduates are very important to Alliance Medical and are a key component in developing and retaining a skilled workforce - allowing us to provide the very high standard of imaging that our partners in healthcare delivery expect. The graduate scheme on a local level also allows team managers to identify and attract skilled and motivated undergraduate radiographers, who would benefit from the support and training Alliance can offer.

What is at the heart of Alliance Medical?

This is an interesting question, and the emphasis can change dependant on the subject matter. For me, I would hope that innovation and excellence are the key drivers. The graduate scheme we are discussing is also an example of Alliance Medical being forward thinking- developing dovetailed undergraduate placement and graduate programmes to identify, recruit, train and support imaging healthcare professionals with the ultimate aim of maintaining and enhancing patient care.

Hear from Kaminder Singh

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 09:46:31 GMT

Kaminder Singh

Unit Manager

Tell me about your journey with Alliance – where did you start, where are you now?

I have been with Alliance Medical for nearly 5 years now. I started as a Senior Radiographer and have progressed my way up to a Unit Manager in the organisation.

How do Alliance Medical support graduates throughout their career?

I have personally had the pleasure of employing and nurturing 3 graduates on my sites over the last 3 years. I believe we have a multitude of support structures in place that are extremely useful and make our graduates ready for their career ahead. When we talk about support structures, we not only mean the scanners, technologies, training and pathways, but the experienced staff and managers with years of knowledge and wisdom to share with the new graduates.

Do graduates have the opportunity to move in different directions within Alliance Medical; or gain experience in a range of areas?

Yes absolutely, I think that our graduates can move in many different directions within the framework of Alliance Medical. This includes specialisations on a single modality, or they can also choose a multi-modality pathway for themselves.

How important are graduates to Alliance Medical?

Very Important in my opinion. I believe that there is a mutual benefit for both graduates and Alliance Medical with this endeavour. The graduates get to learn a speciality straight away from a select few of our most experienced staff and they get the opportunity to enhance their capabilities in a short span of time.

We not only benefit from new trained staff for the future, but as the graduates bring fresh energy and outlook into the units, it helps other staff to adapt their ways and keep up with the current practices in radiology.

What is at the heart of Alliance Medical?

I believe that learning and excellence has always been at the centre for us. This might be categorised into patient care, clinical competency, improving services, new innovations in technology – but at Alliance the desire to keep on learning is fundamental.

Hear from Plymouth University

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 12:57:59 GMT

Jennifer Jones

FHEA;MSc;PgC Forensic Imaging;PgC Cl Ed;DCR(R)

Associate Professor Radiography

Tell me about your journey with Alliance – where did it start, where are you now?

I actually started working for Alliance Medical in June 2006 as a Senior Radiographer. I joined to learn MRI as I was aware of their excellent, structured training programme. I had 5 excellent years with AML and left as Head of Mobiles (North).

In that time, I not only completed all the in-house training, but also enrolled on my MSc in Medical Imaging, which I completed in 2014.

Now as Associate Professor in Radiography at the University of Plymouth, I wanted my students to experience all areas of medical imaging and where this is delivered.

How do Alliance Medical and Plymouth work together to deliver the best experiences for graduates and support them with their career?

I have worked closely with the team at Alliance Medical to ensure that there is capacity at their sites for our students and that staff are prepared for them and have completed the COR accredited Practice Educator training.

Previously, when working for Alliance, I had graduates in my team and know that a structured training approach is appreciated by the graduates, especially knowing that the stage points for progression were clear.

Do you believe that graduates have the opportunity to move in different directions within Alliance Medical; or gain experience in a range of areas?

Yes, it is up to the individual to develop themselves to a certain extent, but there are opportunities which I took advantage of when I worked for Alliance Medical – for example I am proud of my work developing a computer programme for rostering for all mobile radiographers, which improved site satisfaction, radiographer satisfaction and offered reduced costs.

When you provide services for any provider, you really need to be open and transparent with excellent governance, including audit. This is something that can all be learnt by the graduates when working for Alliance.

How important are graduates to the field of radiography?

Essential, we have a shortfall of over 4000 radiographers, and this will only increase with the aging workforce.

What are Plymouth and Alliance Medical planning to do differently to other universities and partners?

The University of Plymouth diagnostic radiography programme is new and innovative. From the start we teach professionalism, the importance of patient centred care and how imaging interacts with the majority of patient pathways. We have an extensive simulation strategy, ensuing that the student is 80% prepared for any clinical encounter.

We include the CT and MR physics and applications which is generally taught at a post-grad level. As cross-sectional imaging forms 42% of all imaging, it is essential that undergraduate students are as capable of carrying out a CT or MR scan as a CXR. This means that students spend at least 15 week in CT/MR/PETCT in Years 2 and 3.

This goes way beyond the HCPC standards, but we feel is necessary for the 21 ^st century radiographer. This compares to a couple of weeks for traditional programmes in CT and most students do not even see any MRI. We have been able to place students in the Alliance Medical PET/CT centres and standalone MRI centre at Bridgewater, where the feedback has been very positive.

Hear from Cumbria University

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 13:35:09 GMT

Charles Sloane

Principal Lecturer & Professional Lead for Medical Sciences | Institute of Health

Why did Cumbria choose to work with Alliance Medical?

Alliance Medical are an established and well-respected independent provider of diagnostic medical imaging services. The university shares their values of excellence in patient care and innovation to meet the needs of the dynamic (and rapidly evolving) modern medical imaging workforce. They are a natural partner for us to work with. Our relationship initially started with discussions about hosting student placements.

They are now a fully established student placement provider and send students on a variety of programmes at different academic levels from Assistant Practitioner Foundation degrees to Full MSc programmes. They are instrumental in helping the University develop and modernise its courses to meet the needs or service.

How do Alliance Medical and Cumbria work together to deliver the best experience for graduates and support them with their career?

The University runs a pathway within the BSc Radiography course in which students are able to opt to study a particular imaging modality in more detail.

Staff from Alliance were instrumental in helping the University develop this pathway and they now offer placements to students which enable them to develop specific core competences in PET/CT scanning. This is unique in the UK and makes a major contribution to helping to develop the workforce in this rapidly growing field.

Do you believe that graduates have the opportunity to move in different directions within Alliance Medical; or gain experience in a range of areas?

Yes. Alliance Medical give graduates the opportunity to develop a specialist interest within a field of medical imaging from the day they graduate which can be quite different from that offered by a graduate working in a traditional NHS background. Once they have developed the skills and competences within one area, they are then able to extend these within the range of services offered by Alliance in a variety of settings.

What are Cumbria and Alliance Medical doing differently to other universities and partners?

Our year 3 ‘Focussed Radiological Proactive Modules’ are an innovation in the radiography course, commended by the course validation panel and the programme external examiners.

The unique relationship between University of Cumbria and Alliance Medical has enabled us to be one the first in the UK to offer this as a route.

Students can uniquely gain specialist experience and develop core competencies in PET/CT scanning in the Scanners run by Alliance Medical.

Hear from Leeds University

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 13:35:04 GMT

Helen Harcus

Programme Lead for Diagnostic Radiography at Leeds

Tell me about your journey with Alliance Medical – where did it start, where are you now?

Alliance Medical supported and sponsored our diagnostic Radiography recruitment fair in 2017 and it was there that we discovered their graduate scheme - which we are very happy to promote to the Leeds Radiography students. We also discovered the extent of their role in some of the NHS trusts used by our programme for clinical placements. We are now looking at making them an official partner for the training of graduates in CT, MRI and PET – with our programme accrediting the teaching and learning provided by Alliance in those key specialist areas.

Alliance Medical are currently a partner for undergraduate placements on an optional module, but in 2021 we are looking towards making Alliance a permanent placement provider for our undergraduate students in the Yorkshire region.

How do Alliance Medical and Leeds work together to deliver the best experiences for graduates and support them with their career?

We have an excellent relationship with the team at Alliance Medical, holding very similar views on placements and learning within specialist areas - which is helping us to deliver a programme that provides our students with exciting opportunity to be placed in specialist Alliance Medical departments. This is currently as part of an optional module to afford them the chance to look at the graduate scheme and what is on offer to them. Alliance Medical also continue to support our annual recruitment fair, allowing Leeds students to discuss the scheme and applications with staff from Alliance Medical.

Do you believe that graduates have the opportunity to move in different directions within Alliance Medical; or gain experience in a range of areas?

Yes, currently our students have benefitted from CT, MRI and PET-CT placements. PET-CT is especially valuable, as it’s somewhat limited within NHS placements. They are also able to move around different regions as opposed to being based solely in Yorkshire.

How important are graduates to the field of radiography?

Hugely. There is a shortage of Diagnostic radiographers and the Government have listed them as an area of concern due to the growing need for imaging services. Therefore, the use of cross -sectional imaging such as CT and MRI is advancing quickly and the pathway through the NHS for further training is somewhat limited.

During the COVID pandemic in 2020, it has shown that radiographers have been very much in demand and on the frontline. As a HEI we are constantly being approached by Health Education England to increase our capacity in training numbers to match the need by the medical world.

What are Leeds and Alliance Medical planning to/ doing differently to other universities and partners?

We are looking to form a formal partnership to accredit the learning and teaching carried out in-house by Alliance Medical, in order to allow the graduate scheme to be a university matched course with formal learning outcomes and aligned to our university strategy. We are also looking to make Alliance a formal partner for undergraduate placements in the North where there is currently a lack of provision.

Hear from Erin Whiffing

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 11:37:04 GMT

Erin Whiffing

Graduate

Why did you choose to do a graduate scheme with Alliance Medical?

I carried out my student placement at an Alliance Medical static and mobile MRI site so discovered early on in my degree that Alliance Medical offered a graduate MRI training scheme. I really enjoyed my time in the MRI department as the staff were so welcoming and excellent at teaching me which gave me a good insight into what Alliance Medical offered. Before I began my degree, MRI was already an interest of mine so I knew that I would like to specialise in the modality when I graduated.

Usually after you graduate you are required to have two years experience in plain X-Ray before applying to work in MRI in the NHS - so the fact that I could go into MRI training straight after finishing my degree was perfect. I also knew other students who were the year above me at university who were on the graduate scheme with Alliance Medical and were loving it which is always encouraging to hear.

Tell us about your journey with Alliance Medical – where did you start, where are you now?

I began my career with Alliance Medical straight from university in September 2019 with a very limited MRI knowledge. MRI was not covered in great depth during lectures as it is predominantly plain film X-Ray that is focused on. I had worked a couple of bank Clinical Assistant shifts on an Alliance Medical Mobile MRI close to home before I finished university for the experience of the working day and the clinical systems used, so I was more familiar with this aspect. Now, one and a half years later I have completed all of my written and practical assessments set out on the graduate scheme including a lead the day assessment too.

I have also just completed my IV cannulation training too so I can begin to inject contrast for some scans soon which will increase my skill set. I have been taught a good knowledge on MRI physics to enable me to scan to an excellent quality (although it may seem minimal to some considering the sheer vastness of physics that MRI entails!).

I am continually learning every day which is important in this career and I can honestly say that I love my job. The training and experience I have undergone so far has even encouraged me to undertake an MSc in Medical Imaging (MRI) which I am completing part-time alongside my full-time job to help expand my knowledge and understanding even further.

How has Alliance Medical supported you throughout your career so far?

They have provided me with the training required to be able to scan all of the basic body parts we most frequently come across in MRI at the start of the scheme. I am now starting to learn some more difficult scans and also dynamic scans thanks to all of the wonderful and experienced people I work with who teach me on a daily basis. I have had staff members and my manager visit me on site whilst at work to see how I am getting on and now we have video meetings due to the pandemic to keep in touch with how I am and how my training is going. I have a number of people I know that I can contact if I need help with anything. Face to face workshops are normally organised for staff, but again they have been adapted to be video meetings which are set up to provide support and extra teaching on scans that people may want more guidance on and a better understanding of.

Do you have the opportunity to move in different directions within Alliance Medical or gain experience in a range of areas?

Right from the start during my interview I was told that I would have the opportunity to be cross trained in CT imaging too if I would like to which is always good to know I have an opportunity there. I also have a number of opportunities that I know I will be able to undertake in the future within MRI too including the chance to learn cardiac MRI and potentially also breast imaging which both require extra training.

What values do Alliance Medical have that you appreciate?

They have always encouraged me to better myself and to have confidence in my abilities. I know that I can struggle with self-confidence sometimes, but everyone I work with and my managers all have such faith and confidence in me that it helps my self-confidence grow too. The collaboration with my colleagues and staff at our host sites has also enabled me to develop as a radiographer and as a person - resulting in me being able to provide a better service to the patients. I appreciate the learning opportunities Alliance Medical have provided me with because as we progress in our careers, we will be able to teach the new student radiographers as they are starting theirs. The company always encourage openness at work too, sharing experiences between each other to learn from them to become better professionals and to provide an excellent service.