Job reference: 001231
Salary (will be pro rated for less than full time): Band 8a - £57,528 - £64,750
Closing date: 26/10/2026
Location: The Princess Alexandra Hospital
Employment type: Permanent
Hours Per Week: 37.5
Division: Family, Diagnostics and Community
Additional salary information: Per annum, plus 5% high cost area supplement

Job Description
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to care for the communities of West Essex, delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality services. We are part of the Neighbourhood Wave—a national programme that’s changing how care is delivered by focusing on prevention, early support, and more joined-up services across health, social care, and the voluntary sector.

This means we’re working more closely with local partners to bring care closer to home and support people to live healthier, more independent lives.

We’re a supportive and inclusive organisation that values its people. We offer development opportunities, flexible working, and a strong focus on wellbeing. As a Disability Confident and equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.

Join us and help shape the future of care in West Essex.

Job overview
As a Senior Sonographer, you will play a pivotal role in delivering high-quality diagnostic ultrasound services across a range of specialties including obstetrics, gynaecology, abdominal, small parts, vascular, and musculoskeletal imaging (if qualified). You will be responsible for independently managing and reporting on your own patient caseload, synthesising clinical history and scan findings to produce accurate diagnostic reports, and seeking second opinions when clinically appropriate.

You will uphold and advance professional standards through active participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and contribute to the development of the ultrasound service by leading audits, supervising students, and teaching junior doctors and allied health professionals. As an advocate for the ultrasound department, you will ensure excellent patient care, communicate findings effectively to patients and referrers, and support the implementation of departmental protocols and clinical governance initiatives.

Main duties of the job

• To carry out a range of ultrasound examinations to agreed protocols and standards.
• To provide written reports after synthesising history and scan findings to make a diagnosis.
• Teaching Student Sonographers, Midwives and Student Radiographers
• Teaching Junior Doctors with an interest in Ultrasound

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To carry out obstetric, gynaecological (including trans-vaginal scanning), abdominal, small parts and vascular ultrasound examinations to agreed protocols and standards. To provide written reports after synthesising patient history and scan findings into a diagnosis.
• If qualified to do so, to carry out MSK ultrasound scans and injections.
• The main hospital site supports A/E, IP and Same Day Emergency Services as well of the majority of the obstetric scanning.
• Off site we perform non obstetric ultrasound.
• Although a Sonographer with a range of skills is preferred, applications from any interest parties is welcomed.
• You will be encouraged to grow with training, development and a supportive team.
• The role location will be at the main site at Princess Alexandra Hospital, with additional working at our CDC's at Epping and Bishop Stortford.
• A driving license would be desirable to allow rotation through all three sites.
• Participation in our weekend and bank holiday is expected. This is self rostered with time off in lieu.
• To seek second opinion where necessary.
• Accountable for own professional actions and decision making when acting within clinical protocols.
• Communicating scan results to patients verbally as appropriate. This may be unwelcome and sometimes upsetting news; sometimes inconclusive results requiring explanation of how they may be interpreted (frequent emotional effort often resulting from mainly failing obstetric cases).
• Communicating scan results to the referrer with the appropriate degree of urgency – patient management being dependent upon the examination findings (requiring extreme and continued concentration).
• Providing a very high standard of patient care at all times, referring patients for timely management.
• Reporting any accidents, incidents or complaints to the Superintendent Sonographer in a timely manner.
• To take care of expensive and highly complex ultrasound equipment, reporting faults and breakdowns to the Superintendent Sonographer.
• To take part in evaluation of new Ultrasound equipment prior to procurement.
• To supervise Student Sonographers, providing clinical training and sharing knowledge as required.
• To maintain effective liaison with all disciplines of Radiology staff and staff external to the department.
• Undertaking training and study necessary to ensure a high level of current professional knowledge and expertise is achieved and maintained.
• Undertaking training and study to expand current practice, in line with clinical governance. Assisting in setting departmental protocols and standards.
• Understanding, complying and implementing where necessary all Departmental and Trust Policies and Procedures.
• Using the Radiology Systems, CRIS, Viewpoint and PACS appropriately to record patient examination details and images. Abiding by the rules of patient confidentiality and Data Protection Act.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.