Mammography Associate Apprenticeship

Within breast imaging we have openings for Mammography Associate (MA) apprentice(s) to join our friendly and enthusiastic multidisciplinary team. This opportunity is based at the Nightingale Centre, Wythenshawe Hospital and in conjunction with NHS breast screening programme (NHSBSP) for the wider Manchester area.

The Nightingale Centre offers a state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment service for all breast related health concerns. It is also one of the NHSBSP National Training Centres for mammography and is home to the National Breast Imaging Academy (NBIA).

As an MA apprentice you will complete a 12-month full-time programme studying; clinical mammography, mammography science, professional practice, quality assurance, communication and team working, and health and safety. To achieve the Institute of Apprenticeships Level 4 Certificate you will need to meet the gateway requirements (a minimum of 500 mammograms and level 2 English and math's) and successfully complete the end point assessment (EPA) which includes a multiple-choice question (MCQ) exam and clinical observation and discussion. We have a wide range of support and resources to enable your development through this pathway.

Throughout your apprenticeship you will be expected to work within the (NHSBSP) and symptomatic services undertaking routine mammography, producing images of consistently high quality and playing a primary role in client’s and patient’s mammography experiences.

Along your apprenticeship journey you will be expected to work within the NHSBSP and symptomatic services undertaking routine mammography imaging, producing images of consistently high quality and playing a primary role in client’s and patient’s mammography experiences.

This skilled and demanding work will continue once your apprenticeship is achieved. You will move from a Band 3 apprentice MA to a qualified Band 4 MA, having earned a transferable and nationally recognised qualification. (MFT requires all trainees to remain in post for a minimum of 2 years post qualification)

As one of the largest breast screening programmes in the country, the Manchester Breast Screening Programme covers a wide area, including Oldham, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Glossop. You will be expected to travel to all to of the screening sites whilst training and once qualified. We have a selection of mobile screening units and static sites fitted with the latest mammography equipment. We would encourage you to arrange an informal visit to of these sites and see the service we are proud of.

The nature of this role is that it is open to female applicants only. This provision applies under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

If you have math's and English GCSE (or equivalent qualifications) and are friendly and enthusiastic about joining our specialised team, then please contact us to discuss the post in more detail or arrange an informal visit to the department and to one of our screening units.

MFT is England’s largest NHS Trust with a turnover of £2.5bn & is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. We’re creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.

Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 28,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so you’ll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.

We’ve also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our brand-new Electronic Patient Record system which we’ve launched in September 2022.

We’re proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. What’s more, we’re excited to be embarking on our new Green Plan which will set out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.

At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing and shaping the future of our organisation together.

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the ‘Supporting Documents’ heading. So that you’re even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, you’ll need to take time to read the ‘Candidate Essentials Guide’that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how ‘we care for you as you care for others’. Most importantly, it also contains critical information you’ll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.

COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst COVID-19 vaccination is not currently a condition of employment, we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, there is helpful advice and information available by searching on the ‘NHS England’ website where you can also find out more about how to access the vaccination.

Diversity Matters

MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team atresourcing@mft.nhs.uk.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you!