Senior Therapeutic Radiographer

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Therapeutic Radiographer to join our friendly Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) team. We offer an excellent new starter induction programme and a wide range of training and development opportunities. These include support from our specialist education team and opportunities to attend and present at our Proton School. As a Band 6 Radiographer, you will be a key member of the treatment team, taking responsibility for the day-to-day running of a proton gantry, managing a diverse patient workload and supervising staff, with support from the Proton Superintendent Radiographers. The role offers excellent multidisciplinary working with anaesthetics, nursing and physics teams. We are looking for an experienced treatment radiographer with broad knowledge of radiotherapy equipment and techniques, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and a commitment to developing themselves, the team and the Proton Service. Our Varian centre uses state-of-the-art ProBeam spot-scanning technology and provides a welcoming and supportive working environment. HCPC registration is essential. Full and part-time applications are welcome, with temporary posts available. Shifts operate between 06:00 and 23:00 to meet service needs. Informal enquiries and departmental tours are warmly welcomed.

Main duties of the job

Main duties include:

• Lead, coordinate and supervise staff operating radiotherapy equipment, acting as lead practitioner and making appropriate decisions regarding workload, patient care and treatment delivery.
• Safely and accurately operate complex radiotherapy and imaging equipment, completing required checks and reporting faults or variances.
• Evaluate treatment delivery through appropriate verification procedures and accurately position patients throughout the radiotherapy pathway.
• Ensure safe and timely delivery of the workload, maintaining accurate records and complying with departmental policies and procedures.
• Assess relevant clinical information and provide safe, effective and individualised patient care.
• Communicate sensitive information compassionately, providing patients and carers with information and emotional support throughout their radiotherapy pathway.
• Work in accordance with the departmental Quality Management System, reporting variances and contributing to the review and development of procedures.
• Participate in audit, research and the implementation of new techniques and processes.
• Work in accordance with relevant radiation legislation, local rules and departmental procedures.
• Complete required competencies within agreed timescales.
• Participate in shift, weekend, bank holiday and on-call working as required.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To ensure that the highly complex radiotherapy and imaging equipment is safe and accurate to operate, both for staff and patients, undertaking the appropriate machine checks and reporting any variances, faults, and malfunctions.
• Undertake and evaluate radiation dose delivery and complex calculations involving a range of radiation types and energies.
• Interpret, monitor, and evaluate the treatment prescriptions to ensure that radiotherapy is delivered accurately and reproducibly and in accordance with the quality system.
• Evaluate delivery of radiotherapy through application and interpretation of treatment verification procedures.
• Ensure the team follows appropriate systems and working methods to achieve the safe, timely achievement of workload targets.
• Accurately position patient and operate highly complex radiotherapy and imaging equipment along the radiotherapy pathway.
• Ensure the team keeps accurate records and comply with necessary policies and procedures.
• Analyse systematically and evaluate all data and information relevant to patients’ diagnosis, ensuring the patient and their relatives are treated with dignity and respect at all times.
• Communicate confidential sensitive information, and provide emotional support, to patients and their carers/relatives including children and the terminally ill. Provide information to patients and their carers with regard to the radiotherapy pathway and expected side effects.
• Communicate accurate and timely information with all other disciplines involved along the patient’s pathway.
• With the team on the unit, patients and the wider multidisciplinary team manage areas of conflict and escalate as necessary.
• Anticipate and identify common and complex treatment related side effects, offering advice and where necessary refer to other relevant health care professionals.
• Provide, receive, and use sensitive information, maintaining patient confidentiality at all times, in line with information governance legislation.
• Apply safe and effective moving and handling skills in order to protect patients and staff and abide by Health and safety legislation in the workplace.
• Minimise risk of cross infection through contamination by bodily fluids/matter. In accordance with the infection control policy.
• Implement the procedures and work instructions described for the department in accredited quality management system and report any variances.
• Contribute to development of the quality management system by reviewing and writing work instructions and operating procedures.
• Ensure all work and actions comply with local rules and current UK Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999 and IR(ME)R 2017.
• Be aware of and participate in the audit and research within the department and the implementation of new processes and techniques.
• Undertake training and competency to dispense medication under Patient Group Direction (PGD).
• Participate in the extended shift system, bank holidays, weekend working and on-call.
• Any other duties negotiated with the post holder, to develop their role in the organisation.
• Achieve all the competencies as outlined by the radiotherapy education team, within a time period as outlined by line manager.

Supervisory & managerial

• Lead, co-ordinate, supervise and manage a team of staff operating radiotherapy equipment and act as lead practitioner, making assessments and key decisions in regard to workload management, patient care, and treatment.

Teaching and training

• Provide mentorship and guidance for junior staff and be a good role model.

. • Participate in an annual Personal Development Review.

• Attend all essential training and clinical updates as required and ensure your team also attend all relevant training.
• Assimilate new ideas and techniques and have an ability to assess their value.
• Assist in the supervision and training/teaching of pre-registration students and new members of staff.
• Highlight to line manager all issues of inadequate performance, including capability and poor professional standards, for students and employees. Provide evidence where necessary and requested.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.