Steven Savage

What is your current role?

I am a Consultant Sonographer at Yeovil District Hospital, performing and teaching a range of interventional ultrasound procedures. I have specific responsibility for ultrasound clinical governance throughout Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. I provide and coordinate clinical ultrasound training for radiological staff (including consultant radiologists) and non-radiological staff (GPs and emergency and respiratory teams) and initiate and develop flow pathways for rapid-access diagnostics, especially of the head and neck.

I am an expert in musculoskeletal (MSK) and interventional ultrasound and ultrasound-guided steroid injections, presenting and teaching at many universities and professional groups on MSK ultrasound. I am a point of contact for sonographers wishing to enhance their career progression or for ideas regarding introduction of new services.

As a qualified sonographer, I perform and independently report general, obstetric and gynaecological, musculoskeletal, interventional, eye, vascular and neonatal hip ultrasound examinations. I request further imaging when required.

I have performed interventional MSK ultrasound since 2008, including steroid injections, paratenon stripping and joint aspirations. Following a shortage of interventional radiologists in the department, and an increase in complex referrals, from 2015 I trained to undertake core biopsies and fine needle aspirations.

I now perform 80% of ultrasound interventional cases. I both perform and teach interventional ultrasound procedures for chest and abdominal drainages, and during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic I used ultrasound as a diagnostic tool to identify positive patients before any rapid testing was available.

I have written national guidelines for musculoskeletal ultrasound for the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and recently assisted in writing the new book, Musculoskeletal Ultrasound: How, Why and When.

I provide national advice and support to the Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR) for a range of professional issues involving consultant and ultrasound practice. The most recent steering group I’ve been part of looked at radiographer prescribing and I helped write a document on consultant radiographer guidance.

What steps did you take to reach this position?

I completed my postgraduate diploma in medical ultrasound while serving in the army and qualified as a sonographer in 1993. I then did an MSc in ultrasound while working as a superintendent sonographer. Previous combat medical training in the Royal Army Medical Corps stood me in good stead for interventional procedures. 

What support has or would have been helpful?

My MSc was self-funded and undertaken completely in my own time. Funding would have been helpful, but this was not in place within my trust at the time. I was one of the first cohorts of consultant sonographers, so no defined pathway was in place.

What do you find most rewarding?

I enjoy teaching and providing a responsive ultrasound interventional service throughout the trust. Knowing my ideas and diligence to introduce or improve a service that makes a difference to the patient experience and speed of diagnosis is truly rewarding.

Do you have any advice for others on progressing as you have?

Do take advice from those who have trodden this path before! SCoR is publishing guidance on the consultant radiographer role so please take time to read it. Looking for gaps in the services on offer is also a good place to start. The shortage of radiologists was the catalyst for further extending my role.