Plain Film – GPs, Outpatients & Inpatients

Radiology is on Level B. This is where most x-rays are taken, although we do have another x-ray room in the Cancer Centre where you may be asked to go.

Who will I meet?

Reception staff will book you in for your X-ray and send you to the waiting area.

Volunteers often work in the department to help ease the work flow.

Radiographers will take your X-rays.

Student radiographers may also be present and take your X-rays under the supervision of a radiographer

What preparation is required?

Generally no preparation is required however you must have an X-ray request form filled out and signed by your doctor before you come to the department.

Legally, we cannot X-ray you without this documentation.

There may be occasions when this information has already been sent to the department i.e. inpatients.

You may be required to get changed into a hospital gown for your X-ray & the volunteer or radiographer will advise you as to what items of clothing you will need to remove.

There are also posters in the changing rooms to aid you.

 If you do not wish to change, ensure that you are wearing loose clothing with no metal on. Items of jewellery may also need to be removed.

If a translator is needed, please contact the department with the necessary requirements prior to the appointment.

What will happen?

The radiographer, or student, will call you in for your X-ray. They will formally identify you and the body part you are expecting to be x-rayed. This is classed as obtaining your verbal consent for the X-rays to take place.

The radiographer will need to position you for your x-rays which can sometimes be a little tricky but we will adapt our technique if you find you can’t move how we’d like you to.

How long will the X-rays take?

This depends upon how many x-rays your doctor has requested. Most body parts take roughly 5-10 minutes each.

Unfortunately due to the busy nature of our service your waiting time may be a while. The waiting area encompasses several imaging modalities so it may appear people are being called in before you.

Children and booked appointments generally take priority

Can someone come into the room with me?

As we are using radiation, we like to keep the number of people in the X-ray rooms to an absolute minimum.

If having a chaperone in the room will aid the staff in obtaining better quality diagnostic images, the radiographer may agree to have one present.

Depending on the level of assistance required as to whether the chaperone will stand behind the lead screen or put on a lead apron and stay with you.

It should be noted that expectant mothers are not permitted to stay in with a child, and also siblings may not accompany a chaperoning parent into the X-ray room.

If there is no other carer available and they cannot be left on their own, we will organise for a staff member to sit with them.

When will I get my results?

GP Patients

Routine – The report will go back to your GP in 7-10 working days.

Urgent – The report will go back to your GP in 1-2 days depending on level of urgency.

Query fracture – we will get the images reported on straight away. You may or may not be taken to the Emergency Department. If not, your report will go back as routine.

Musculoskeletal - you may already have an appointment, if not they will be sent one in the post.

Clinic Patients 

You will get the results from the clinic either by appointment or a letter regardless of whether you are going back on the same day or at a later date.