'I am proud to represent radiographers everywhere'

Ms Nolan initially wanted to work in hotel management before training in radiography

The new vice-president of the Society of Radiographers said she hoped to roll out nationally the positive work being done at a city's hospital.

Radiographer and sonographer, Rachel Nolan, who has worked in Peterborough for 34 years, praised the hard work undertaken at the Peterborough City Hospital after being elected to the national role for radiographers.

Ms Nolan will serve as vice-president for 12 months followed by a year as president-elect and then in mid-2026, will become president of the society.

She said she aimed to promote the profession, the people within it and ensure radiographers got the recognition they deserved.

Ms Nolan said it was an "absolute honour" to take up the role as vice-president

"I fell into radiography," said Ms Nolan, "I wanted to do hotel management but at the last minute I had to do my A-levels, twice.

"I didn't go to polytechnic and my mum was not happy. She saw an advert in the local paper, The Grantham Journal, looking for radiography students.

"I gave it a go and never looked back; I love it. I think because it's such a varied profession people have to fall into it find their niche."

She began at what was the Edith Cavell Hospital in Peterborough in January 1990, as a newly-qualified radiographer, before moving into ultrasound.

She worked on innovations at the hospital to make it a stenographer-led service and later became assistant professional lead for diagnostic imaging services.

'Influence improvement'

"Every move I've made has been for the benefit of patients and trying to move things forward, so I moved into my leadership role that I'm in now," Ms Nolan said.

"I love where I work, we have a lot of staff, we don't have a high vacancy rate and we are ahead of the game with an awful lot of things that we do."

In her new vice-president position, she aims to improve future workforce initiatives to combat high vacancy and attrition rates nationally.

Hannah Coffey, the chief executive officer at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: "[Rachel] has overseen the development of some groundbreaking new roles in our imaging team, which is excellent news for our patients.

"I know she will be well placed to influence improvement and change through the Society of Radiographers over the next three years.”