Job summary
An opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, motivated, and dynamic Senior Therapy Radiographer (Band 6) to join the team at our cancer centre in Macclesfield. The Macclesfield unit is the first Christie satellite centre with radiotherapy and chemotherapy departments and is therefore able to offer concurrent chemo-radiotherapy treatments. The department also delivers complex radiotherapy techniques (e.g. SABR and SGRT) using state of the art equipment. Consequently, we can offer a wide range of treatments to local patients, as well as varied development opportunities to radiographers.
The post holder will be based at the Macclesfield site in East Cheshire but, will be expected to work across all Christie sites as required.
This is a rotational post and you will have the opportunity to work across treatment and pre-treatment sections of the department.
Successful applicants will be highly motivated and have excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a commitment to developing themselves and helping develop our service.
All candidates must be already registered with the HCPC.
Main duties of the job
- Take responsibility for running a unit and manage a workload of patients across all areas of the radiotherapy service
- Manage and co-ordinate radiographic activities and staff within the designated area of responsibility in order to provide an accurate, efficient and high quality radiation treatment service, ensuring the safe and competent use of radiation and the highest standard of patient care, in compliance with the accredited Radiotherapy Department Quality System and in accordance with the Professional Code of Conduct
- To be actively involved with the development of Radiotherapy Services.
- Maintain close communication and involvement with all Christie radiotherapy sites and host site.
About us
The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
Job description
Job responsibilities
DUTIES AND 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.
- Be able to 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 regarding the radiotherapy pathway and expected side effects.
- To communicate accurate and timely information with all other disciplines involved along the patients 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.
- To 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 work-place.
- Minimise risk of cross infection through contamination by bodily fluids/matter in accordance of the infection control policy
- To 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 2000.
- 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 organization
- To achieve all the competencies as outlined by the radiotherapy education team within a time period as outlined by line manager.
Supervisory and Managerial
- As a band 6 you will be expected to lead, co-ordinate, supervise and manage a team of staff operating radiotherapy equipment and act as lead practitioner, making assessments and key decisions regarding workload management, patient care and treatment
Teaching and Training
- As a band 6 you will be expected to 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.
- Be capable of assimilating 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
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oGraduate level qualification in radiotherapy
- oRegistration with the HCPC as a therapeutic radiographer
Desirable
- oEvidence of attending post-registration training events
- oM-level modules/MSc
- oManagement/leadership training
Experience
Essential
- oClinical experience within a radiotherapy treatment setting as a Band 5 radiographer
- oExperience of quality, governance, and service improvement
- oExperience of working within a team environment
- oEvidence of CPD activity
Desirable
- oAwareness of trial protocols and procedures
- oExperience of conducting Audit and Service evaluation
- oExperience with IGRT, SGRT, SABR
- oExperience in clinical decision making
Skills
Essential
- oExcellent communication
- oLeadership- proficient in conflict resolution, motivation of team members and fostering of a team environment
- oICT- e.g. OMS, R and V
- oAbility to make sound judgements in a clinical setting
- oAbility to manage a team of radiographers and clinical workload
Desirable
- oAbility to use Elekta radiotherapy equipment
- oAbility to deliver training to and mentor radiographers, students and other disciplines
- oAbility to analyse data and formulate plans based on this
Knowledge
Essential
- oKnowledge of the principles in radiotherapy applied to all aspects of the radiotherapy pathway
- oKnowledge of other relevant legislation, guidance and national working parties in radiotherapy
- oIRMER, IRR, RCR
Desirable
- oAwareness of contemporary trends in advanced radiotherapy
- oKnowledge of relevant and up-to-date literature pertaining to radiotherapy delivery
VALUES
Essential
- oAbility to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
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.
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 .
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 .
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website .
Employer details
Employer name
The Christie NHS FT
Address
Radiotherapy Macclesfield - E00864
Victoria Road
Macclesfield
SK10 3BL