The Advanced Practitioner (AP) Fluoroscopy Team was set up in the late 1990’s, when the main volume of work consisted of Barium Enemas. Coupled with a national shortage of Radiologists, the opportunity arose for radiographers to train to perform and report these examinations.
Barium Enemas are no longer performed but the Fluoroscopy APs have developed new skills, widening their scope of practice to include Barium Swallows and Meals, Video Swallows, Gastric Band Adjustments, Hysterosalpingogram’s (HSG’s) and Defeacating Proctograms. NG Tube insertion training has also recently commenced. Patient groups consist of GP patients, out-patients and in-patients.
The AP Team currently consists of 3 (2.20 WTE), who provide cover at Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull Hospitals.
A further 2 radiographers have almost completed their training in Barium Swallows and HSG’s respectively.
The current skill mix between the 3 AP’s is:
- 1 AP (0.2 WTE) performing Barium Swallows at Solihull.
- 1 AP performs Barium Swallows, Gastric Band Adjustments, Video Swallows and Defaecating Proctograms at both Good Hope and Heartlands and is training to perform NG Tube Insertions.
- 1 AP has been training to perform both Barium Swallows and HSG’s and will be able to perform these on all 3 sites. Once this training is completed they will then progress to train in the other examinations currently performed in Fluoroscopy.
A postgraduate qualification is required and suitable radiographers will train to perform and report Barium Swallows or HSG’s to provide core knowledge, with other training then provided in-house.
