Multi-Medix Welcomes the Collaborative Ultrasound Manifesto

For perhaps the first time, professional bodies representing clinical practice, medical physics, clinical engineering, education and industry have come together to present a shared vision for the future of ultrasound. Developed jointly by AXREM, the British Institute of Radiology (BIR), the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS), the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) and the Society of Radiographers (SoR), the manifesto highlights the challenges facing ultrasound services today and sets out a coordinated roadmap for the future.

Ultrasound plays a vital role across modern healthcare, supporting diagnosis, screening, monitoring and treatment in almost every clinical specialty. However, ultrasound services are facing increasing pressures, including workforce shortages, inconsistent training pathways, governance challenges, ageing equipment and the need to safely evaluate and adopt new technologies. The manifesto recognises that these challenges are systemic and cannot be addressed by any single profession or organisation working alone.

At Multi-Medix, we strongly support the collaborative approach taken by the organisations behind this initiative and welcome the recognition given to quality assurance, equipment governance and the scientific and technical infrastructure that underpins safe ultrasound services.

Quality Assurance Matters

One of the most significant aspects of the manifesto is its emphasis on equipment management, quality assurance (QA) and clinical audit.

The document highlights that QA is a legal requirement and plays a critical role in supporting patient safety, reducing the risk of misdiagnosis, identifying equipment faults early and helping healthcare organisations make informed decisions about maintenance and equipment replacement. It also references UK evidence demonstrating that more than one third of ultrasound probes in clinical use have faults, the majority of which can be detected through routine QA programmes.

The manifesto calls for greater consistency in QA delivery, improved education and competency in QA practices, stronger collaboration between clinical teams and scientific and engineering specialists, and protected time to allow QA to become part of routine service delivery. Among its recommendations is the allocation of at least 30 minutes per scanner per month for user QA undertaken by trained staff.

These recommendations reflect many of the challenges and opportunities that ultrasound services are currently facing as demand continues to grow across both traditional imaging departments and point-of-care settings.

Recognising the Importance of Scientific and Technical Expertise

The manifesto also highlights the essential role played by medical physicists, clinical engineers and clinical technologists in supporting safe ultrasound services. Their expertise underpins equipment procurement, acceptance testing, quality assurance, safety, image optimisation, lifecycle management, innovation and governance.

As a company founded by medical physicists, Multi-Medix is particularly encouraged to see the importance of scientific and technical support recognised within a national strategy for ultrasound.

Stephen Hodgson, Founder of Multi-Medix, said:

“What makes this manifesto particularly important is the recognition that safe ultrasound services depend on much more than the scanner itself. Workforce development, governance, quality assurance, clinical engineering and medical physics all have a vital role to play. The collaborative approach taken by the organisations behind this manifesto reflects exactly the type of joined-up thinking needed to support the future of ultrasound.”

A Shared Vision for the Future

The Collaborative Ultrasound Manifesto is ultimately a call for partnership.

It recognises that the future of ultrasound depends upon investment in people, education, governance, quality assurance, equipment management and innovation. By bringing together clinical, scientific, technical and educational expertise, the manifesto provides a clear framework for building safer, more sustainable and more effective ultrasound services across the UK.

Multi-Medix congratulates AXREM, BIR, BMUS, IPEM and SoR on producing this important document and encourages everyone involved in ultrasound services to take the time to read it.