Tracey Tytherleigh, Mammography Associate Apprentice

Tracey Tytherleigh is currently undertaking the Mammography Associate Apprenticeship Level 4. This Apprenticeship Standard is being delivered at the Nightingale Centre Manchester, one of England’s leading breast units which is part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. The Apprenticeship is supported by Health Education England working in partnership with the National Breast Imaging Academy.

Tracey joined the Breast Imaging Team at Worcestershire Acute in March 2020 as an Apprentice Mammographer.

Reflecting on her apprenticeship experience so far she says:

I really enjoy the variety of my role; no two days are ever the same. The teamwork – it’s a great team of very dedicated and skilled individuals, who are always willing to share their time and knowledge. From newly qualified radiographers to Consultant Radiologists nobody has ever said they don’t have time or made me feel silly about asking a myriad of questions. As an apprentice I have a lot more time to observe, to spend time with our patients and have become more empathic because of it.

I have learnt so much in the last few months. I come from a HCA background and had no knowledge of imaging or what goes on in the breast unit whatsoever when I started. I’ve had to learn new computer systems, assisting in ultra sound with biopsies, the difference between various clinics we run, and have recently started my mammography training. Alongside that there is the academic side with modules and assignments to be completed.

Like everyone adapting to new ways of working throughout the pandemic this has been a challenge – wearing PPE, and being aware that anybody could potentially be bringing Covid into the department and the consequences that would bring. Even seemingly trivial things like not being able to sit with your colleagues at break times and just being able to have that bit of downtime together has been difficult. I was redeployed during the first lockdown to obstetric ultrasound, which I thoroughly enjoyed, even though it meant I was away from my course and colleagues. However, it’s an experience I wouldn’t otherwise have had so I am taking it as positive experience to come out of the current climate!

One of the challenges I have faced has not being able to attend lectures and open days at Manchester’s Nightingale Centre where my course is delivered from. This has meant that all of the learning has been delivered online, and I’ve not been able to meet the lecturers or other apprentices in person. I have found academic writing quite a challenge; the research, referencing and reflections are all new concepts to me. However I’ve had loads of help from Manchester, my own team and the library at KTC.

I feel very proud of being able to fully contribute to our service and be a proactive member of the team (within my scope of practice)…and recently I passed my first assignment which made me personally very proud. For now I am looking ahead to the end of next year when I will hopefully have completed my course and aspire to be the best mammographer that I can be and “putting patients first”.