Radiotherapy Research & Innovation Technical Lead (XR08)

Job responsibilities

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Clinical

Act as a source of expertise and highly specialist advice to the staff within and outside the Trust regarding clinical radiotherapy research

Undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous therapeutic radiographer practitioner

Support junior staff in the management of complex patients

Take a lead role in a team exercising advanced levels of clinical judgement, knowledge, and experience

Have a very extensive knowledge of appropriate equipment and evidence-based radiotherapy

Sensitively deal with distressing or emotional circumstances regarding patient care

Adhere to the Professional Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and HCPC standards and facilitate compliance staff with local and national standards

Academic Research

Co-ordinate, support, supervise, lead and hold responsibility for proper conduct of research activity within your specialist area; that is, be a primary and/or co-investigator that contributes to improving health outcomes for patients

Identify areas for translating research into clinical practice, and design the appropriate methods of investigation

Collaborate in research or service development within and outside of clinical boundaries such as with commercial, non-commercial, and academic partners

Engage actively in practice development and research activities relevant to your specialist area in order to promote evidence based practice

Follow Trust guidelines and secure appropriate approvals to perform research within the Trust

Disseminate research findings; for example to publish in appropriate high quality peer reviewed publications and at appropriate national and international conferences

Work according to Good Clinical Practice https://www.nihr.ac.uk/health-and-care-professionals/learning-and-support/good-clinical-practice.htm & governance standards.

Collaborate with the Lead Research and Innovation Radiographer in the development and awareness of research activity

Be an ambassador for clinical academic careers at the Trust and enhance the visibility and reputation of LTHT through excellence in research

Liaise, inform, and gain support from appropriate members of the multidisciplinary team for research activity

Collaborate with the wider MDT to lead on ongoing development and implementation of the radiotherapy research strategy

Apply for and support others in their applications for funding to support research and development activity.

Form commercial and strategic industry partnerships that aid in technical radiotherapy service development.

Ensure the implementation and translation of research findings into clinical practice and service development within and beyond your clinical specialist area.

Develop Radiotherapy trial protocols with the multidisciplinary team by advising on the practicalities and specialised Radiotherapy requirements for the trial.

Encourage a research active culture, initiating and leading research where appropriate and communicate these activities to the wider department.

Provide key steer in the implementation and effective use of research and development findings across the service, including advising on (relevant new rather than routine) equipment specification and developments.

Oversee the development of patient information sheets regarding the purpose of the trials and the discussions with the patients to ensure that complex information regarding the trial and choices to be made are clearly understood.

Balance research development with the timely and efficient provision of radiotherapy services within the available resources.

Develop working practice guidelines so that working practice meet current professional standards and legislation, and are documented, accessible and regularly reviewed.

Critically analyse the trial procedure at all stages to improve the process if necessary.

Analyse and interpret the results of trials using statistical computer packages where necessary.

Use presentation aids to present and discuss results with clinicians and physicists.

Monitor the quality-of-service provision within the defined radiotherapy treatment services.

Communicate the results of trials by publishing work in multidisciplinary and professional journals and presenting abstracts at National and International conferences, workshops and meetings.

Revise the research objectives annually to contribute to departmental business planning.

Ensure changes because of research and development activities are reflected in protocols and procedures and that timely information is disseminated to all relevant professional groups.

Drive and coordinate research publications and conference presentations from the department, encouraging and supporting staff to present and publish and raise the profile of Leeds as a centre of research excellence.

Support, line manage and advise radiotherapy trials team alongside R&I lead.

Service Delivery and Planning

To maintain close liaison with Head of Radiotherapy, other managers, medical, and medical physicist colleagues to ensure effective implementation of change and efficient use of resources.

Lead and/or provide support in the identification and preparation of appropriate bids for research funding.

Monitor programme implementation, project future workload and resource requirements, and develop business plan bids as appropriate.

Provide information to support service planning for the cancer network.

Participate in equipment specification and development.

Provide advice on cost improvement programmes in line with the Divisional and Trust requirements.

To provide inspiration, leadership, direction, innovation and support as a leader to ensure the achievement of Trust service objectives

Lead the implementation of new research findings into your specialist clinical practice

Continually update specialised knowledge in order to inform the clinical service lead so that there is effective implementation of new clinical strategies

Help the service lead to identify and utilise appropriate outcome and service impact measures to accurately evaluate patient response and service development needs

Stay updated with the latest developments in academia and industry to identify future needs, ensuring that the Trust remains at the forefront of clinical academic radiotherapy practice

Liaise with other expert clinicians within and outside the Trust to seek and implement national guidance on best practice.

Manage and deal with staff education and professional Issues

Participate in the design, delivery and monitoring of radiographer and other professional groups training needs.

Provide formal teaching internally and externally to both undergraduate and postgraduate radiographers.

Participate in the development of postgraduate training programmes to support advanced practice needs.

Participate in internal multidisciplinary teaching courses teaching at national and international level.

Communicate new developments after conferences and meetings within the radiographers profession to the radiographers.

Be the identified radiographer expert to enable the development of multidisciplinary teaching courses at national and international meetings.

Maintain clinical competence, which will involve highly specialised input into the delivery of a clinical service. Postholder will therefore need to maintain competence and work clinically as/when needed.

The post holder will be honest, reliable & professional and demonstrate the behaviours outlined by the Trust and the College of Radiographers Professional Code of Conduct. They must ensure that professional attitudes and standards are maintained.

They will have a commitment to team working, creating good interpersonal relationships and working atmosphere so that 2-way discussion, learning and development of the whole team can occur.

A detailed and extensive (expert level) understanding of all aspects of the radiotherapy service are essential for this role. The postholder will be expected to formulate strategies regarding the operational issues required to address relevant national policy.

The postholder will need to have extensive expert knowledge in operational management of a radiotherapy department gained through extensive experience and further personal development / higher level study. The ability to relate and develop radiotherapy practice to relevant guidance and research is expected. They must be acutely aware of the

potential for harm of high energy, variable and complex beams of X-rays that must be delivered accurately on a daily basis. They must be able to critically evaluate and contribute to relevant research and evidence-based practice in radiotherapy.

PLEASE SEE FULL JOB DESCRIPTION.

Other Criteria

Essential

• Standard keyboard skills
• Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post (with reasonable adjustments if necessary), including clearance on blood borne viruses in compliance with Trust Policy

Skills & Behaviours

Essential

• Willingness to undergo all training requirements of the post
• Ability to devise and deliver departmental training to develop competence in others
• Able to develop and maintain effective communication
• Ability to work effectively under pressure

Desirable

• Key organizer of events / programmes
• Evidence of developing training packages
• Enthusiastic and upbeat in the face of challenges

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc in Therapy Radiography or equivalent
• Current State Registration (HCPC)
• Specialised training to Masters level or equivalent in relevant subject.
• Significant post grad experience and qualifications.

Desirable

• Strong evidence of leading service development
• Working towards or has a PhD in relevant subject/area
• Research qualification

Experience

Essential

• Recent extensive experience at advanced practitioner level with highly specialised knowledge and skills
• Highly developed clinical skills relevant to the specialist area
• Evidence of leading / developing service development
• High level teaching / facilitation / coaching / motivation / leadership/ decision making/technical skills
• Research and audit skills
• Awareness of current research and findings relevant to specialist area.
• Experience of managing staff
• Able to write development reports / business cases
• Time and deadline focussed

Desirable

• Wide experience base
• Proven project management skills
• Detailed knowledge of radiotherapy development and wider cancer agenda
• Awareness of current research and findings in the specialist area

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).