Grainne Harte

Click the video to watch Grainne talk about her career.

What is your current role?

I have just been appointed as the Governance and Quality Lead Radiographer for the Imaging Services at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT).

How do you reach this stage in your career?

My career so far has led me into a number of different paths – clinical practice, education and leadership, with a sprinkle of research peppered throughout.

Being inquisitive by nature, the idea of being one of the first people to have access to ‘the inside story’ always intrigued and excited me, and so becoming a radiographer was the ideal career choice. I completed a BSc Hons degree in diagnostic radiography at Ulster University. At the time the course was four years. It was an intense course but it prepared me well for the working world, and long hours in university meant we formed good friendships with our peers.

A highlight for me was going to Holland through the European Union’s Erasmus training and education programme to study ultrasound for three months in my final year. During this stay I was lucky enough to be invited to meet the medical director of the European Space Agency, which is based in Holland. I had liaised with the medical director as part of my final year research project, Radiography rockets into space, and I was delighted when he invited me to visit the International Space Station simulator and view its on-board ultrasound system. I am still fascinated by the importance of diagnostic imaging in space for astronauts, and the extreme capabilities of teleradiology. I was also honoured to have an abbreviated version of my research published in the Society of Radiographers (SoR) magazine Synergy.

In 2005 I started work as a diagnostic radiographer in the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) which is the main acute adult hospital within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. I was very fortunate as within two years we moved into a new purpose-built state-of-the-art imaging centre within the hospital with all new digital equipment – a luxury many other hospitals were then only dreaming of. Although my time spent in darkrooms was relatively short, the memories of stamping ID, flipping and processing conventional film as the smell of developer and fixer filled the room, followed by the anxious wait as the film developed, are forever etched in my mind. We also had a hybrid of computerised radiography within the department, and it was through CR that my passion for accurate positioning and tight collimation developed with daily self-challenges, my favourite being a horizontal beam lateral hip examination using an 18x24cm cassette with 4 collimation marks present and anatomical marker within the irradiated field. I always enjoyed a challenge and got a real sense of accomplishment from achieving a textbook image, of course encouraged by a bit of healthy competition from like-minded colleagues.

My interest in learning and improving matured into teaching others, and in 2010 I was appointed as Practice Educator for RVH, a role I thoroughly enjoyed for over 10 years. I completed a postgraduate course on practice education facilitation through Ulster University. It is a real honour to be in a position where you can support students and be part of their learning journey as they embark on their career. With RVH being the largest teaching hospital in Northern Ireland, we always received large cohorts of students that created a real buzz within the department as one placement rolled into the next.

In 2020 I studied through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and qualified as an Improvement Advisor. This course made me more conscious of patient safety, service improvement and accountability, and augmented my desire to review processes and implement improvements within my own work. Towards the end of 2021, I ventured into my role as QSI lead radiographer for the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. Within the Belfast Trust, the Imaging services are spread across six hospitals, and include some regional services. I led the Imaging services through our first accreditation under the Quality Standard for Imaging, assessed by the UK Accreditation Service. Our assessment included an intense four-day onsite visit by nine assessors, during which they reviewed our practices, management processes and environment. This was a very steep learning curve for me, but one and that has been so rewarding and fulfilling. I have utmost respect for all the work that is carried out behind the scenes by the senior management team and lead radiographers – meetings, deadlines, pressures, targets, more meetings, and unfortunately not nearly as much coffee as I had imagined! In August 2022, I was appointed as the Governance and Quality lead radiographer for BHSCT.

What support has been helpful?

I have always been surrounded by supportive and encouraging leaders and colleagues, and I really believe that is key to personal development. I have always valued the support of lead radiographers and their teams. As practice educator, it was important to me that students’ clinical experience was optimised and this was aided by the lead radiographers’ flexibility in rostering through departments to address any gaps in the student’s experience or knowledge. When I stared my current role as QSI lead, engagement and commitment from the respective leads was key to our QSI accreditation journey. The dedication and passion evident throughout both the imaging senior management team and lead radiographers was really motivating and inspiring. I am very lucky to also have a supportive family, and, on the same note, I appreciate the flexible work‒life balance strategies offered by the Trust.

What do you find most rewarding about what you do?

I think there is nothing more rewarding than feeling you have made a difference to a patient’s journey. Some might say it is the staff on the ground who carry out the ‘real work’, and I must agree it is these staff members who directly make that difference to patients on a daily basis. It can be something so simple,a conversation, an explanation, or even physical support. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when visiting was limited, as radiographers we had the ability to chat with patients while performing their examinations, and sometimes that new face and conversation made a difference to their day.

It is so lovely in my current role to see so many positive compliments coming through, often highlighting staff by name who have really made an impact on a patient’s visit. It really is the basic things that can make the world of difference to a patient's experience.

From my time as practice educator, in every placement I could see improvement in student's knowledge base and clinical confidence, shown by their assessment marks. I get so much pleasure in seeing students mature into young professionals as they qualify, take up new graduate posts and choose their own career pathway. As QSI lead, my biggest reward was obtaining our grant of accreditation the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) assessment team. I was delighted to see all our highly skilled staff recognised for the safe, quality and compassionate care that they provide to patients on a daily basis, not to mention their hard work behind the scenes ensuring that they have all relevant documentation in place to meet the standard. Being awarded accreditation was a momentous occasion for both the service and the Trust. I am looking forward to continuing to improve and develop our Imaging services within BHSCT in my new role.

Can you offer any particular advice?

They say that we tend to emulate the people around us, so surround yourself with people whose qualities you admire. I recommend that wherever possible, even as a student, to shadow a radiographer who you recognise as highly skilled and with exceptional patient care.

Also, treat others as you would like to be treated. This applies to patients, students, peers and managers. Respect and encourage others.

Offer assistance – this often turns into opportunities that will help you grow professionally.