Job summary
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW CHALLENGE?

We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated Therapeutic Radiographer to join our dedicated Radiotherapy Team at Plymouth Oncology Centre. This is an exciting opportunity to provide expert patient care in a fast-paced and patient-focused environment.

The post holder will be a clinical treatment team leader possessing demonstrable clinical expertise and will be directly responsible for the daily organisation of a busy Linear Accelerator with a varied and highly complex workload. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring highly accurate and consistent standards in the treatment delivery and the management of associated side effects of patients with a cancer diagnosis.

Additionally the post holder works closely with a multi-disciplinary team including Radiotherapy Physicists, Technicians, pre-treatment Radiographers, Oncologists and other professional groups to provide a thorough, efficient service encompassing all aspects of accurate Radiotherapy treatment delivery and patient care.

The post holder provides specialist clinical training and supervision of junior staff, new staff, students and other health professionals within their area of accountability.

Main duties of the job

• To lead a busy Linear Accelerator with a varied treatment workload using effective clinical and personnel management skills and strategies.
• To provide safe and accurate specialist technical service delivering therapeutic ionising radiation, while maintaining a high duty of care to all patients undergoing Radiotherapy.
• Demonstrate ability to resolve complex treatment issues with problem solving skills and effective autonomous decision-making.
• To communicate and participate with the multi-disciplinary team involved in patient care and service delivery.
• Be able to proactively implement and effectively manage change.
• Demonstrate a good understanding of the IR(ME)R 2017 Regulations to ensure safe compliance with National Standard.
• Provide effective leadership to ensure smooth running of the treatment unit taking into account the needs of the patient, staff and service.
• To set and maintain quality standards for work undertaken on the treatment unit.
• Must organise personnel and daily clinical sessions demonstrating effective time management and managerial strategies using available resources to manage fluctuations in demand.

About us
We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.

Job responsibilities

• To ensure that the treatment equipment is safe to operate, both for staff and patients, undertaking the appropriate machine checks and reporting any variances promptly.
• Manage the specialist treatment unit workload efficiently according to the needs of the patients, ensuring an efficient smooth running treatment unit.
• To provide effective and safe patient management encompassing all patients needs, using specialist knowledge of treatment side effects, skin reactions and their management. Taking responsibility for referring patients for clinical assessment by a consultant or deputy, prior to commencement of treatment when symptoms become acute.
• Input and check palliative and complex radical treatment plans in Eclipse and ARIA.
• To maintain and continually develop specialist knowledge of ARIA.
• Undertake autonomous registration, review of images and take responsibility for ensuring the decision making on the changes required for the patients treatment procedure or non-continuation of patient treatment where appropriate.
• To maintain and continually develop a working knowledge and understanding of pre-treatment procedures to enable participation in the on call rota for emergency patients.
• To communicate effectively with Oncology Consultants & Registrars regarding highly complex treatment information to ensure safe and accurate delivery of treatment in accordance with trust and national legislation.
• Be able to make clinical decisions on delivering accurate, effective and safe treatment based on theoretical knowledge, clinical judgement and departmental policy.
• To provide, receive and use highly complex or very sensitive information, using developed persuasion, training, empathetic and re-assurance skills while maintaining patient dignity and confidentiality at all times, ensuring that accurate treatment records are produced.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Degree in Therapeutic Radiography or equivalent
• Current HCPC Registration
• Up to date evidence of C.P.D.
• Proven evidence of MSc Learning
• DCR (T) or BSc (Hons)

Desirable

• PGCE or equivalent in training

Knowledge and experience
Essential

• Specialist proven knowledge of cancer pathology and disease patterns.
• Demonstrable experience of leadership or staff management.
• An active awareness of relevant legislation, national cancer standards, professional guidelines and trust policies. (IRR IR(ME)R ISO9001:2000)
• Specialised proven knowledge of treatment area, including potential radiation risks, acute treatment side effects and their effective management
• Demonstrable experience as a qualified radiographer to masters level or equivalent.

Desirable

• Proven evidence of project management
• Proven knowledge of CT and planning processes and methodologies

Aptitude and Ability
Essential

• Possess a high level of emotional intelligence.
• High level of concentration needed, must be able to concentrate when subject to unpredictable working patterns, whilst delivering highly complex and potentially harmful radiation treatment. (Must be able to manage interruptions by clinical staff, patients and carers with requests or problems whilst treating another patient)
• Proven ability to teach and educate other professional staff.
• Willingness to challenge poor standards or inappropriate behaviours of care or treatment delivery to safeguard patient well-being and treatment accuracy.
• Highly developed physical accuracy and hand/eye co-ordination.

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.

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.