AQW 27145/22-27

Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast

Tabled Date: 14/05/2025
Answered On Date: 29/05/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail who is the regulatory body for sonographers.

Answer:

There is no dedicated regulatory body for sonographers. The title ‘sonographer’ is not a protected title.

The current model in Northern Ireland is that ultrasound is within the scope of practice of a range of professions including obstetricians and gynaecologists who are regulated by the General Medical Council (GMC), Midwives who are regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and radiographers who are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). There are no restrictions on someone trained in ultrasound/sonography using the job title ‘sonographer.’ However, a person is not statutorily registered as a sonographer.