High-street clinics offering private baby scans are jeopardizing the health of mothers and babies by employing unqualified staff, the Society of Radiographers (SoR) has warned.
The trade union is demanding that the term ‘sonographer’ be made a legally protected job title to prevent dangerous, incorrect diagnoses.
The core issue, according to the SoR, is that anyone using an ultrasound machine can currently call themselves a sonographer and offer the service, often before the routine 20-week NHS anomaly check.
The SoR is calling on the UK government to make ‘sonographer’ a protected title—similar to radiographer or dietician. This would legally require practitioners to be properly qualified and registered with a regulatory body, ensuring they meet professional standards.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which inspects private clinics, acknowledged it is “concerned that some are not” providing good quality care, specifically over staff training and safety procedures.
