Clinical Scientist - Radiotherapy Physicist (XR07)

Job description

Job responsibilities

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY (Some of these areas)

Treatment Planning

To be part of the team providing external beam treatment planning service to radiotherapy

To undertake treatment planning

To check on the work of dosimetrists and physicists as appropriate

To Provide Medical Physics advice to other professionals involved in radiotherapy, on treatment methods and on individual patient treatments.

To work as part of teams for specialist techniques, e.g. TBI, IMRT, VMAT, IGRT, SABR involving technique development, planning calculations, in vivo dosimetry, etc.

To assist in system management/administration, eg for one of the Treatment Planning Systems

Specific training will be given in local systems and approaches.

Equipment and Treatment Dosimetry and QA

To carry out routine daily calibrations of radiotherapy treatment machines.

To take part in the quality assurance and commissioning rotas for linear accelerator radiotherapy treatment machines. To assist in data acquisition of new machines and in setting up and validation of treatment planning systems (TPSs) for new machines

To assist in the development of dosimetry and QA procedures appropriate to new techniques

Clinical Service Development

To assist in developing and implementing new and improved techniques, e.g. functional imaging, 4DCT, IMRT, VMAT, IGRT and SABR.

To liaise with the relevant section head/s with regard to development programmes, and to participate in physics and multi-disciplinary development teams for the development and evaluation of new equipment, accessories, imaging, techniques and highly complex specialist radiotherapy software.

Brachytherapy

To perform dosimetry calculations and any other necessary duties relevant to individual brachytherapy treatments.

To take part in the calibration of radioactive sources, including the checking of calibrations performed by other staff.

To take part in brachytherapy operating theatre procedures, including imaging, planning and checking radiotherapy treatments for anaesthetised patients and preparing sterile radioactive seeds for implanting into patients.

To ensure that the jobholder or any person working under their supervision works within the appropriate ionising radiation regulations and in particular obeys the local rules.

General

To be aware of the safety and reliability aspects of medical devices or other equipment with which they may be involved and take appropriate action to deal with any discrepancies including maintaining records and reporting the situation to relevant members of staff, in particular for the TPS which the post-holder acts as system manager

To ensure that safe working practices are employed at all times by themselves and any personnel who may come under their supervision.

To produce and update written work instructions and procedures that are relevant to the jobholders own area of expertise.

To contribute to the general departmental organisation when required.

To liaise with senior clinicians, senior clinical scientists and other users of the technology in order to ensure that their work is consistent with clinical and technical requirements.

To liaise with equipment manufacturers and different NHS Trust employees as part of their normal duties.

To report unresolved issues to the relevant Section Head.

To undertake other duties appropriate to the grade as requested by the Head of Radiotherapy Physics, or by a Section Head.

Teaching and training

To provide teaching and training of students, radiographers, physicists, clinical oncologists, other clinicians, management and members of the public on relevant aspects of radiotherapy as required, including:

participating in the provision of University degree programmes as appropriate (e.g. Medical Physics MSc),

participating in teaching and training of clinical oncologists as part of the FRCR course

assisting in training and supervision of trainee physicists

Research and Development

NHS service research and development is necessary for continuous improvement of radiotherapy and for the implementation and development of the potential of new equipment and facilities and the development of new treatment techniques and methods. This is a significant role for Radiotherapy Physicists, in particular:

Perform highly complex, clinically relevant, radiotherapy research and development.

Publish research in internationally recognised peer reviewed research journals and to communicate research through national and international conferences.

To liaise with clinicians, other physicists, etc. to support and participate in the Directorate and Departments research and development programme, with the aim of continuous improvement of the clinical service.

To supervise junior physicists and research students from time to time.

Professional

To participate in the IPEM Continuing Professional Development scheme

To prioritise and manage own work

To keep abreast of the latest technical and scientific developments and their applications in medical and associated fields

To attend suitable seminars and courses as part of training and personal development and to further the work of the Department.

COMMUNICATION & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The postholder works alongside other users of clinical technology and radiotherapy dosimetry data, including clinical service managers, clinicians, clinical scientists, radiotherapy physicists, clinical technologists and radiographers. There is frequent liaison with clinicians and other clinical scientists and radiotherapy physicists to ensure that services are consistent with clinical, scientific, technical, legislative and quality requirements. It is necessary to communicate complex information on a daily basis, for example regarding patient treatment plans. Work in the clinical development and treatment groups can involve close contact with patients, radiographers, anaesthetists, theatre staff and radiation oncologists.

Liaises with clinicians, other physicists, etc. to support and participate in the Departments research and development programme, with the aim of continuous improvement of the clinical service

Gives presentations at research meetings (local, national, international) and provides lectures

The post also involves collaboration with external NHS organisations, Leeds University, other radiotherapy and radiotherapy physics departments and organisations, professional and scientific bodies, external companies (e.g. TPS), patients and relatives.

Person Specification

Skills & behaviours

Essential

• To act at all times in a professional manner, showing courtesy and respect for other staff and patients.
• Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality.
• Ability to work flexibly.
• Ability to cope with large and variable workload.
• Ability to make decisions quickly and accurately in a stressful situation, e.g. about a patient in pain or anaesthetised.

Experience

Essential

• Qualifications, knowledge and experience to act as an Operator under IR(ME)R within the field of radiotherapy.
• Specialist knowledge and practical experience of main areas of radiotherapy physics.
• Understanding patient progress through radiotherapy and the requirements of a radiotherapy physics service to ensure that it is performed in a safe and accurate manner.
• Detailed understanding of patient and staff risks arising from the use of ionising radiation for radiotherapy
• Understanding of relevant legislation, national standards, codes of practice, professional and other guidelines

Desirable

• Qualifications, knowledge and experience to act as Referrer and Practitioner for concomitant doses

Qualifications

Essential

• Good (1st or 2nd class) honours degree in a relevant subject
• MSc or equivalent in radiotherapy physics [or equivalent field]
• State registration as a Clinical Scientist, or working to achieve registration within 12 months of recruitment.
• Appropriate post-grad training within structured programme including radiotherapy physics and/or imaging for radiotherapy (MR an advantage) e.g. IPEM Clin Scientist Training Scheme or MSC or STP.

Desirable

• PhD
• Corporate Membership of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF

Employer's website

https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)