Shift training from NHS trusts to skills laboratories ...

doi:10.1136/bmj.39583.753044.3A

BMJ 2008;336:1146 (24 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.39583.753044.3A

Letters

Everyone’s a radiologist now

Shift training from NHS trusts to skills laboratories ...

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Wise’s article is timely.¹ All ultrasound trainees currentlyrequire a clinical placement that is supported by specialisttrainers and these are typically situated in NHS trusts. Wherethese placements already exist, there is already "competition"for machine time for training by sonographers and specialisttrainees in radiology. Access to ultrasound systems for trainingis also becoming increasingly difficult in the target drivenNHS, and no workforce planning for sonographers has been done,with a resultant national shortage. Non-radiology medics withan interest in ultrasound are therefore finding it difficultto obtain clinical training.

The approach to early clinical training needs to shift awayfrom the NHS trusts. This is achievable if a skills laboratoryis used. This allows trainees to acquire basic ultrasound scanningand interpretive skills under the guidance of expert trainersin a relaxed environment outwith busy NHS trusts, using humanmodels who have given informed consent for . . . [Full text of this article]

Julie Michelle Walton, senior lecturer, head of ultrasound training

¹ School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GB

julie.walton@liverpool.ac.uk