Mammography associate

Knowledge

K1: Principles of person-centred care. Back to Duty

K2: Normal breast anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Back to Duty

K3: Types of abnormalities of the breasts that need to be observed and recorded. Back to Duty

K4: Principles of informed consent and the actions to take if consent is withdrawn. Back to Duty

K5: Effective positioning and immobilisation of individuals. Back to Duty

K6: Adapt techniques to optimise image quality. Back to Duty

K7: The role of other imaging and treatment modalities including ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Back to Duty

K8: The relationship between anatomy, pathophysiology and the imaging process. Back to Duty

K9: The basic design, function and operation of mammography image acquisition and display equipment. Back to Duty

K10: Processes for recording, storing and sharing personal information securely, including the safe use of technology complying with organisational and legal requirements. Back to Duty

K11: Relevant legal, ethical, professional, and local frameworks and protocols in the mammography context. Back to Duty

K12: Maintaining health and safety in the workplace. Back to Duty

K13: How radiation is produced and its interaction with matter. Back to Duty

K14: The radiobiological effects of radiation - short and long-term risks. Back to Duty

K15: Radiation protection of self and others. Back to Duty

K16: The application of ionising radiation regulations. Back to Duty

K17: The meaning of risk in the workplace, ways to raise concerns and own responsibilities in relation to incidents, errors and near misses. Back to Duty

K18: Principles of infection control. Back to Duty

K19: Basic life support techniques. Back to Duty

K20: Principles of safe moving and assisting individuals and moving and handling equipment. Back to Duty

K21: Operate within your own scope of practice, legislation, and policies. Back to Duty

K22: Responsibilities and professional values of a mammography associate. Back to Duty

K23: When it is necessary to refer to an appropriate member of the multi-disciplinary breast care team, including the supervisory radiographer, for concerns and queries outside scope of practice. Back to Duty

K24: Standards and criteria for assessing the technical quality of images. Back to Duty

K25: Systems for image acquisition, storage, and retrieval. Back to Duty

K26: Individual and unit performance targets relating to the quality of mammography images. Back to Duty

K27: Principles of effective interpersonal and communication skills. Back to Duty

K28: Advise individuals of the results process and give additional information within the scope of your responsibility. Back to Duty

K29: Meet the care needs of individuals and their accompanying companions with sensitivity and respect. Back to Duty

K30: Principles of confidentiality, duty of candour and disclosure. Back to Duty

K31: Principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. Back to Duty

K32: The purpose, principles and methods of quality control and quality assurance in mammography. Back to Duty

K33: Relevant national standards and local guidelines for quality control and assurance. Back to Duty

K34: The responsibility of mammographers to identify individual clinical mammography learning needs to ensure breast screening programme standards are met. Back to Duty

K35: Value of appropriately timed health promotion interventions. Back to Duty

K36: National and local strategies, priorities, and initiatives for promoting and improving public health. Back to Duty

K37: Wider determinants of health such as the contribution of social influences, health literacy, individual circumstances, behaviours and lifestyle choices on health and wellbeing. Back to Duty

K38: The role and function of the multi-disciplinary breast care team. Back to Duty

K39: Principles of effective team-working. Back to Duty

K40: Techniques for managing challenging situations, unsafe work practices, addressing comments, compliments, conflict, and complaints. Back to Duty

K41: Importance of personal health, resilience, and wellbeing. Back to Duty

K42: Purpose and value of supervision, appraisals and personal development planning. Back to Duty

K43: Reflective practice and how to use it effectively. Back to Duty

K44: Importance of continuing personal and professional development. Back to Duty

K45: Principles of audit and research applied in mammography services. Back to Duty

K46: How audit and research lead to the maintaining standards and improving the quality of mammography services. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Prepare equipment and environments appropriately for mammography. Back to Duty

S2: Identify individuals attending for mammography appropriately. Back to Duty

S3: Prepare individuals appropriately for mammography. Back to Duty

S4: Employ effective positioning and immobilisation to achieve images of high quality. Back to Duty

S5: Operate mammography equipment safely and effectively within protocol. Back to Duty

S6: Maintain required and accurate records of the procedure complying with quality, confidentiality and data protection requirements. Back to Duty

S7: Use information management systems effectively. Back to Duty

S8: Comply with, and practise safely within, relevant legal, ethical, professional, and local frameworks and protocols for the delivery of clinical mammography. Back to Duty

S9: Maintain the radiation safety of all individuals in the working environment in line with current legislation. Back to Duty

S10: Work in accordance with ionising radiation regulations. Back to Duty

S11: Take appropriate action in response to concerns, risks, incidents or near misses arising in the workplace. Back to Duty

S12: Safeguard individuals in accordance with legal and organisational requirements. Back to Duty

S13: Use techniques for infection control. Back to Duty

S14: Provide basic life-support techniques, when required. Back to Duty

S15: Move and handle equipment or other items safely and assist individuals as appropriate. Back to Duty

S16: Manage self and own work effectively Back to Duty

S17: Recognise and respond appropriately to strengths and limitations in own knowledge, skills, and attributes. Back to Duty

S18: Refer to an appropriate member of the multi-disciplinary breast care team where required for concerns and queries outside scope of practice. Back to Duty

S19: Assess the technical quality of images produced against required standards for breast screening programmes. Back to Duty

S20: Adhere to quality standards of performance for breast screening programmes. Back to Duty

S21: Transfer and store images using appropriate systems. Back to Duty

S22: Apply effective interpersonal and communication skills to engage with individuals. Back to Duty

S23: Report and share information related to individuals securely in line with local and national policies, maintaining confidentiality. Back to Duty

S24: Ensure own actions promote equality, diversity and inclusion. Back to Duty

S25: Work individually, collaboratively and in partnership to deliver person-centred care. Back to Duty

S26: Advise individuals of the results process and give any necessary additional information within the scope of your responsibility. Back to Duty

S27: Participate in quality control tests of mammography equipment and accurately record results. Back to Duty

S28: Report any failed equipment tests to a senior member of staff. Back to Duty

S29: Participate in image assessment and peer review to adhere to breast screening programme standards. Back to Duty

S30: Engage in effective health promotion by actively seeking out and acting on opportunities to support individuals to maximise their health and well-being within the scope of the role. Back to Duty

S31: Promote preventative health behaviours and support individuals to make informed choices to improve their health and wellbeing within the scope of the role. Back to Duty

S32: Work effectively within the multi-disciplinary breast care team. Back to Duty

S33: Promote a positive, safe, and effective working environment. Back to Duty

S34: Make use of supervision and pastoral care. Back to Duty

S35: Make use of reflective practice to engage in continuing professional development. Back to Duty

S36: Participate in training and development activities and evaluate the impact of learning on own practice. Back to Duty

S37: Seek out and respond to feedback and engage in appraisals. Back to Duty

S38: Identify opportunities to improve the quality of the mammography service provided and contribute to local, regional, and national quality improvement initiatives. Back to Duty

S39: Participate in and support others with quality improvement activities in the workplace. Back to Duty

S40: Act as a role model for others within the scope of own role. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Treat individuals with dignity, respecting their beliefs, culture, values and preferences. Back to Duty

B2: Adopt an empathic approach and demonstrate discretion. Back to Duty

B3: Demonstrate courage to challenge areas of concern. Back to Duty

B4: Be adaptable and responsive to changing service needs. Back to Duty