| Information on Sonographer Regulation
in the UK |
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Regulatory bodies
A Regulatory Body maintains a register of individuals who have
achieved the required qualification of that profession to practice and can
evidence continuing competence at the required level. For a doctor to practice
in the UK, he or she must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC).
This is the regulatory body for medical practitioners.
The majority of sonographers who are employed in the UK come from a background
of radiography or midwifery. To practice radiography in the UK a qualified
radiographer must be registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC).
Similarly a midwife must be registered with the National Midwifery Council to
practice as a midwife. |
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Sonographer registration in the U.K.
There are a number of professions allied to medicine that are regulated by the
HPC, for example radiography, physiotherapy. However, sonography is not
recognised as a profession by the HPC and therefore there is no mechanism
whereby an individual can register with the HPC as a sonographer or be
regulated by them as a sonographer. It is a common misunderstanding that
sonographers have to be registered with the HPC to practice. This comes from
the fact that most sonographers are also qualified radiographers and maintain
their registration with the HPC because they wish to remain on the HPC register
as a radiographer. |
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Professional bodies
An individual can be a member of a Professional Body, such as
the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (RCOG), Royal College of
Radiologists (RCR), Society & College of Radiographers (SCoR) or the Royal
College of Midwives (RCM) but this is not the same as being accepted onto the
register of one of the regulatory bodies. The professional bodies are
responsible for setting and maintaining the standards of their members,
providing a code of conduct etc. They may also act in the capacity of a trades
union and can also provide professional indemnity insurance. |
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Working in medical ultrasound in the U.K.
If you wish to work in the UK as a doctor and specialize in ultrasound then you
will need to register with the GMC and apply for employment through the medical
route. If you wish to work as a non-medical sonographer then you will
not need to register with the GMC as you will be seeking
employment as a sonographer.
The majority of sonographers working in the UK have UK ultrasound
qualifications (Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or the older
DMU). If you wish to apply for employment in the UK you will need to ensure
that you can satisfy your potential employers that your ultrasound
qualifications and experience are equivalent and appropriate for the UK. |
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The British Medical Ultrasound Society
BMUS is not a professional body but is a scientific society so will offer a
different range of benefits to you. Whether or not you wish to join the society
has no impact on your ability to work as a sonographer in the UK, although from
a CPD point of view it can be beneficial.
If you require further information, please contact the BMUS Office.
Click here to Contact
BMUS |
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College of Radiographers
The College of Radiographers (incorporating UKAS) are currently working with
the HPC to get sonography recognized as a separate profession in the UK. They
are also working for the protection of the job title 'sonographer'.
Their details are: -
Tel: 020 7740 7200
Website:
www.sor.org
You can submit an email query via their website. |
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