Key information

  1. Reference: ST0583
  2. Date updated: 01/02/2024
  3. Level: 4
  4. Route: Health and science
  5. Regulated occupation: No
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Details of the occupational standard

Information Symbol

Higher Technical Qualification

Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) are designed to be delivered within a course of education. Some Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours may be more safely and reliably delivered in workplace settings, so may not be fully covered by the HTQ. Some qualifications will deliver additional content or added depth and breadth through, for example, use of specialist learning environments, work placements or innovative teaching methods. Check with the qualification provider if you require further information on coverage.

Occupation summary

The occupation is found in a hospital or in a community setting such as in mobile breast screening units and medical centres working in a multidisciplinary team.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to work within the breast imaging workforce undertaking routine two-view mammography which are x-ray images of breasts as part of a breast screening programme. The mammography associate will also be able to undertake routine mammography on individuals with symptoms of breast disease. Mammography associates will have a good understanding of breast anatomy, physiology and pathology, including clinical signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and be able to apply knowledge of ionising radiation regulations. They will be technically skilled in operating specialised mammography equipment.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with individuals attending for mammography, their families, carers, the multidisciplinary team and breast imaging workforce. Mammography associates have excellent interpersonal skills and provide high quality care. They will work under the supervision of a radiographer.

An employee in this occupation will be part of the team responsible for monitoring specialised mammography equipment function and performance and for producing mammography images of consistently high quality to meet rigorous standards.

Typical job titles include:

Breast screening assistant practitioner Mammography assistant practitioner Mammography Associate

Occupation duties

Duty KSBs

Duty 1 Perform standard mammogram examinations using specialised mammographic equipment.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7

B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 2 Contribute to the identification and management of risks to self and others to maintain a safe and healthy working environment following local and national standards, policies, standard operating procedures, and protocols used in the workplace.

K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20

S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15

B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 3 Act within the limits of own competence and within agreed ways of working, following relevant legislation.

K21 K22 K23

S16 S17 S18

B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 4 Ensure image quality and the safe storage of images.

K24 K25 K26

S19 S20 S21

B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 5 Communicate complex sensitive information effectively with individuals, their families, carers and health and care professionals.

K27 K28 K29 K30 K31

S22 S23 S24 S25 S26

B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 6 Ensure equipment and service meet quality control and assurance requirements.

K32 K33 K34

S27 S28 S29

B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 7 Promote the health and wellbeing of individuals, acting on opportunities to educate and empower individuals to maximise their own health and well-being.

K35 K36 K37

S30 S31

B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 8 Work as part of the team and contribute to service improvement.

K38 K39 K40

S32 S33

B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 9 Maintain and further develop own knowledge and skills through recognised continuing professional development activities.

K41 K42 K43 K44

S34 S35 S36 S37

B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 10 Promote an evidence-based approach to providing mammography services, participating in quality improvement and research activity.

K45 K46

S38 S39

B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 11 Support the development of others through role-modelling, supervision, and guidance.

S40

B1 B2 B3 B4

KSBs

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

CertHE Mammographer Associate

Qualification type: HTQ

Qualification level: 4

Applicant: Birmingham City University

Awarding body: Birmingham City University

Approval date: 08/07/2022

Occupational pathway: Not applicable

Placement: Yes

Aligned occupational standards

ST0583 Mammography associate


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