Advance Practice Therapeutic Radiographers

Job description

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Demonstrate the agreed set of values and accountable for own attitude and behaviour
• Within the MR Linac environment work as an advance practice radiographer responsible for the efficient, safe delivery of MRI-guided radiotherapy. Including the The post-holder will be expected to work with the MR Linac treatment and research radiographers to provide a clinical service on the MR Linac for patients and volunteers undergoing radiotherapy treatment or MR imaging on the MR Linac
• Lead in the implementation of oxygen enhanced MRI (OEMRI), contrast enhanced, diffusion weighted (DWI), 4D and other functional imaging techniques within a research framework
• Act as the MR Linac treatment delivery and imaging expert, and deputy MR Linac Responsible Person as needed
• Be responsible for high standard of patient care and experience in the MR Linac and research teams
• Carry out in a responsible and efficient way, the radiotherapy and imaging processes required for the development of the MR Linac and associated research programs, supporting service delivery and research activities.
• Take responsibility for areas of practice including MR Linac adaptive treatment delivery, MRI-guided pre-treatment for patients under-going MR Linac treatment/clinical trials and possibly other areas of MRI within the Trust/MCRC (e.g., MRSim Protons, MRI Radiology, or WMICC).
• In the event of unplanned or planned downtime the post holder work clinically on another Linac to support the continuity of care for those patients affected provided the care of MR Linac and trials participants is not compromised. This may require the post holder to join the Linac teams working in a shift pattern.
• Attain competence in research/trials, adaptive/bio-adaptive radiotherapy, and MRI. This may include deployment to diagnostic radiology as this post will require the post holder to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge of MRI, and an understanding of MRI protocols and safety procedures that will ensure compliance of the radiotherapy department with national MRI safety regulations.
• Develop, implementand support agreed clinical and research activities and outputs with a focus on radiographer driven MR-guided adaptive radiotherapy.
• Work with the local, regional, national and international partners to advance radiotherapy practice through the development of protocols for the most advanced forms of radiotherapy.
• Support the development a skilled workforce that will be a huge asset for future radiotherapy research in the UK, particularly in the areas of adaptive/bio adaptive and MRI guided radiotherapy, radiotherapy research and clinical trials
• Work within clinical and research teams to support increased recruitment of patients into clinical trials related to MRI-guided and adaptive/bio-adaptive radiotherapy.
• Develop, implement and provide of an MRI-guided clinical service within a research framework, including (but not limited to) collaborations to develop associated quality system processes and documents, and an MRI-guided radiographer competency-based educational framework

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• The post holder will be expected to undertake research as a major job function and will be expected to support colleagues undertaking research, to maintain an awareness of current clinical trials and ensure this is included in the educational update programme and to image or treat patients involved in clinical trials.
• The post holder will undertake research activities to support the MR Linac research projects.
• The post holder may undertake independent research with the agreement of the Consultant Research Radiographer (Head of Radiotherapy Developments) and the Professional Head of Radiotherapy.
• The post holder will liaise with clinical, academic and industrial colleagues to identify the specific need for service improvement projects and to intensively support the implementation of MR-guided radiotherapy.
• The post holder will use expert knowledge to identify gaps in the evidence base, making a critical analysis of new evidence and its relevance, and contribute to this evidence base by participating in high quality audit and research programmes.
• The post holder will lead radiographic input into the research themes of the Manchester Centre and BRC advanced and bioadaptive radiotherapy themes, including MR based treatment planning, Motion Management and Image Guidance and Verification. Areas of research may include:

1. Leading the clinical translation of research developing and delivering defined projects to the clinic.
2. Developing and disseminating the essential expertise in clinical Therapeutic Radiography to lead the development of planning and image-guided solutions for MR-Linac.
3. Disseminating local, regional, national treatment protocols developed through this work to research partners
4. Identifying opportunities to gain external funding (e.g.EPSRC/EU), and assisting in the writing of grant applications.
5. Developing radiographic MR quality assurance (QA) protocols and MRI sequences for various tumour sites
6. Establishing radiographic workflows for adaptive/bioadaptive planning and integration of MRI into CT-based planning
7. Implementing tools that will provide infrastructure to evaluate the impact of anatomical changes in current clinical practice and predict the impact of novel adaptive strategies for the MR-Linac.
8. Exploring the impact of motion compensation methods in treatment delivery.

Physical Skills

As a therapeutic radiographer, the post holder will be expected to develop and maintain the physical skills required to prepare and deliver a radiotherapy treatment, including use of the CT and MRI Scanners, Linear Accelerators and other specialist equipment and to be able to instruct others who are developing these skills.

These highly-developed physical skills require millimetre accuracy in the utilisation of complex machinery in a clinical setting where there is a very narrow margin for error and precision is vital for patient care.

The post requires highly developed physical skills, where a high degree of precision and high levels of hand, eye and sensory co-ordination are essential.

The post-holder must not have any contra-indications to working within a high strength magnetic environment.

Responsibility for Patient/Client Care

The post holder will provide highly specialist clinical and technical services including managing the transition from the research to the operational sphere. They will provide highly specialised advice to the Radiotherapy Multi-Professional Team which contributes to the design, implementation and monitoring of radiotherapy pathway of patients undergoing treatment for cancers and non-malignant conditions.

Maintain own clinical skills at a level where advanced practice advice may be provided particularly in MRI guided adaptive/bioadaptive radiotherapy

The post-holder will be rostered to undertake imaging, planning or treatment services and will provide senior advice on these services to students and other learners and to more junior qualified colleagues.

Pursuant to the Ionising Radiations (Medical Exposures) Regulations, 2000 (as amended) (IR(ME)R), act in the role of Operator for imaging and treatment exposures and as a Referrer and Practitioner for treatment verification exposures.

Responsibility for Policy/Service Development

As a radiographer within the research team, the post holder will propose changes to policy and service in radiotherapy following identified processes. They will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of these policies across the Radiotherapy Service.

They will work under the supervision of the more senior Radiographers and where appropriate medical physics and medical colleagues.

The post holder will collaborate with the service delivery sections of the department such that they implement service improvements across all sites systematically.

They will work with colleagues in national and international clinical, academic and industrial partners to develop the clinical technologies and work practices of radiotherapy at the cutting edge. The post-holder will be responsible for proposing departmental policy in relation to MRI guided, adaptive/biodaptive and other areas of new/emerging radiotherapy as appropriate and for overseeing the implementation of these policies across the Radiotherapy Service.

Responsibility for Financial and Physical Resources

The post-holder will utilise expensive and highly complex radiotherapy equipment effectively and efficiently reporting any faults as per departmental policy.

Responsibility for Human Resources

The post holder will be expected to show leadership at an appropriate level for their banding and to support line managers in supervising staff.

The post-holder will support induction programmes for new starters within area of responsibility and provide specialist training on research topics to trainees or qualified staff members who may be radiographers, medical physicists, dosimetrists, engineers and doctors within and outside of the radiotherapy service as required.

The post-holder will ensure that accurate staff records are maintained.

The post-holder will undertake PDR Reviews and co-operate in a pro-active absence management scheme.

The post-holder will be involved in staff and student selection both on site at The Christie and at sites attached to clinical, academic and industrial partners.

They will train clinical researchers of the future in the field of advanced radiotherapy, including assessing trainees in relevant disciplines.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Completion of recognised post-graduate studies in MRI and/or research methods
• HCPC registration as a Therapy Radiographer
• GCP training

Desirable

• MSc in Radiotherapy, MRI or Radiotherapy Related Research
• Qualification in MRI or Adaptive RT

Experience

Essential

• Experience in radiotherapy research and developments
• Clinical radiotherapy experience to expert level
• Experience in on-treatment imaging and relevant on-set clinical decision making
• Experience working in MRI-guided Radiotherapy (tx and planning preferred)
• Experience in teaching and facilitating the learning and development of others
• Experience working as team member implementing a new service
• Experience of quality, governance and service improvement
• Experience delivering adaptive radiotherapy
• Experience working in and MRI environment
• Treatment Planning Experience

Desirable

• MR Linac experience
• Experience publishing in peer reviewed journals
• Experience presenting at National/International Scientific meetings
• Experience consenting patients to clinical trials
• Experience in the design of training packages supporting innovation

Skills

Essential

• Ability to communicate effectively
• Excellent Leadership Skills
• Excellent IT skills
• Research skills - including ability to contribute to research design, delivery, analysis and dissemination
• Ability to acquire, optimise and interpret MR images for the purpose of radiotherapy planning and development
• Multidisciplinary team working
• Use of radiation scanning and treatment equipment, working to millimetre precision

Desirable

• Scientific report writing and a track record of publications in scientific journals and conferences
• Contribution to funding or ethics applications

Knowledge

Essential

• Extensive knowledge of radiotherapy practice
• Advanced understanding of the clinical role of radiotherapy
• Understanding of the hazards posed by the clinical use of radiation (both man-made and sealed source) and MRI
• Advanced knowledge of radiation protection practices and the UK legal environment
• Experience creating risk assessments, root cause analysis and managing quality improvement systems
• Experience developing and supporting quality indicators and targets
• Evidence of conducting own research, audits and participation in technical developments. As well as supporting the research of others/contributing to research protocols and design
• Awareness of Magnetic Resonance
• Expert knowledge of the principles of radiotherapy applied to all aspects of the radiotherapy pathway
• Good knowledge of other relevant legislation, guidance and national working parties in radiotherapy

VALUES

Essential

• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours

OTHER

Essential

• Flexibility in working hours
• Ability to undertake travel locally, nationally and internationally as needed
• Able to work in high magnetic field environment without risk

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

The Christie NHS FT

Address

Radiotherapy Withington - E00079

Wilmslow Road

Manchester

M20 4BX

Employer's website

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