The
radiotherapy department delivers treatment care packages to approximately
6,500 patients with cancer per year. As qualified professionals,
practitioners are expected to contribute to the efficient, effective and safe
flow of workload in their clinical area.
To
work as part of a multi-disciplinary team providing Radiotherapy Treatment
& Patient Support, in line with Trust and departmental policies and
procedures. The post holder is responsible for performing with the highest
standard of patient care and technical practice in their clinical area while
treating patients.
Radiotherapy
practitioners are required to rotate through all areas within the
radiotherapy service. After a period of induction they will be expected to
fully undertake treatment procedures. Practitioners must only operate within
defined departmental protocols & procedures, acting within professional
codes of practice until they have passed a 12-month preceptorship period
during which they will be assessed and upon completion will have limited
scope to operate outside protocol. Until they pass this preceptorship period
they must work alongside a specialist/team leader practitioner at all times,
referring issues outside their scope of practice to more senior colleagues.
Our
values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this
as strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our
staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are:
All
our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values.
Radiotherapy
roles are additionally expected to contribute towards the NHS Cancer Plan.
Successful performance requires a clear personal commitment to the
radiotherapy service, working across the department, Trust and Cancer Network
as appropriate.
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'
members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts
are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove
adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the
shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this
process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any
questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Technical
/ Clinical
Responsible for maintaining the
highest standards of technical practice and patient care while treating and
supporting patients.
Responsible for the checking /
calculation of doses and prescriptions in accordance with departmental
procedures.
Ensure that own clinical decision
making falls within departmental protocols, referring any decisions falling
outside of protocol to a more senior colleague.
Responsible for keeping up to date
with technical practice and offering support, guidance and encouragement to
others, to do the same.
Responsible for ensuring all
equipment is used appropriately and safely, including administrative and
management systems, monitoring equipment performance and reporting faults.
To take an active role in audit,
development and research (on an occasional basis).
Responsible for the review of
verification images and clinical decisions resulting thereof.
Management
Responsible for assisting with quality
assurance procedures & assisting in organisation on the unit.
Responsible for ensuring that
clinical and technical information, and all information relating to each
treatment course undertaken on the unit, is accurately and fully recorded and
reported.
Participate in clinical training
and supervision of students, returners, assistants and any other learners on
the unit.
Assist in managing the allotted
workload ensuring efficient, effective and safe working practices are
maintained, prioritizing as appropriate.
Representing the views of team
members and peers at meetings and workgroups and reporting information back
to the team.
Patient
care
Responsible for the care of the
patient whilst undergoing treatment. Monitor patient care needs and organise
care including referral to practitioners.
Assist with developing specific
care plans / pathways (with other disciplines) by providing clinical advice
for routine treatments.
Provide appropriate advice and
information to patients and carers at all stages of radiotherapy, referring
complex/unusual issues to senior staff as appropriate.
General
Actively participate in and support
activities in promoting and recruiting to the profession.
To work flexibly as required by the
service need.
Carrying out additional duties as
requested by the Head of Radiotherapy, management team or team manager,
commensurate with the grade of the post.
Health
and Safety/Risk Management
All
staff are responsible for working with their colleagues to maintain and
improve the quality of services provided to our patients and other service
users. This includes complying at all
times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Policies, including Health
and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working
procedures, and reporting incidents using the Trust Incident Reporting
system.
Additionally
for Radiotherapy
Complying
with statutory Ionizing Radiations (Medical Exposures) Regulations IR(ME)R
and Local Rules (Ionising Radiations Regulations -IRR) and departmental
radiotherapy incident reporting procedures.
Responsible
for prompt reporting of radiation incidents, equipment, patient and safety
related incidents in accordance with departmental / Trust procedures. Also
identifying and reporting any areas of perceived risk.
Infection
Control
The
jobholder must comply at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS
Trust Infection Control policies, in particular by practising Universal
Infection Control Precautions. Hand hygiene must be performed before and
after contact with patients and their environment.
Equality
and Diversity
The
jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure
equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the
individual needs of patients and their families. No person whether they are staff, patient
or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of their gender,
ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.
Patient
and Public Involvement
The
Trust has a statutory duty to involve patients and public in evaluating and
planning services. All staff have a
responsibility to listen to the views of patients and to contribute to
service improvements based on patient feedback.
Training
and Personal Development Continuous Professional Development
The
jobholder must take responsibility in agreement with his/her line manager for
his/her own personal development by ensuring that Continuous Professional
Development remains a priority. The
jobholder will undertake all mandatory training required for the role.
Respect
for Patient Confidentiality
The
jobholder should respect patient confidentiality at all times and not divulge
patient information unless sanctioned by the requirements of the role.
Communication
and Working Relationships
An ability to provide and receive
complex and sensitive information to / from cancer patients in an empathetic,
reassuring and professional manner.
Assess potential communication
barriers and demonstrate where necessary persuasive, motivational and
negotiating skills, referring to senior staff where appropriate.
To recognize the potential for
conflict in relationships and seek to minimize this, and contribute to
effective communication and team working.
To promote and maintain effective
communication and relationships with immediate colleagues, the
multi-disciplinary team, patients and visitors.
Special
Working Conditions
Physical
Effort
This
post requires dexterity and highly developed co-ordination and sensory skills
in order to speedily and accurately manipulate equipment with a high degree
of precision, as well as finely manipulating the patients body to align the
relevant anatomy with the radiation beam to accuracy within 1 mm.
They
should also be able to accurately apply permanent patient skin marks (tattoo)
with needles and ink.
This
is a physically demanding post with constant manoeuvring of patients and
equipment, which can often be heavy and / or awkward.
The
post holder will need to exert intense physical effort by reaching over and
twisting heavy patients at height (approx 5 feet from the ground) for short
periods of time (5 minutes), several times a day (15-20), every day.
The
post holder will also need to lift accessory equipment (some weighing 6-10Kg)
and position these at head / shoulder height onto other equipment. There are
postural constraints involved in this due to limitations in work design.
These
risks have been assessed by the Trust Back Care Lead and physio.
Post
holder works in pairs so lifting of accessories is recommended as a two
person lift.
Mental
Effort
A
high level of concentration is required when treating each patient constantly
in order to undergo patient assessment and maintain a high level of care
(10-30 mins per patient / up to 50 patients per day.
Ability
to view patient set-ups in both 2D and 3D. Excellent psychomotor and spatial
awareness to accurately position patients (to within 1mm).
When
not treating patients, periods of prolonged concentration (1-2 hrs) are
required when viewing images, calculating prescriptions and checking datasets
for accuracy.
Emotional
Effort
To
recognise and appropriately act upon the emotional and psychological needs of
patients, colleagues, team and ones self due to the frequent exposure to distressing
and emotional circumstances, e.g. continually working with patients with
cancer.
Dealing
empathetically with cancer patients, families and carers with challenging
behaviour, caused by either the physical and/or emotional effects of
diagnosis or the disease, impacts on the emotional effort required for this
post.
Dealing
with the large age range of patients and carers / dependents of varying
physical states including anaesthetized and unconscious.
To
act in an influencing role in areas that may cause significant conflict due
to changes in traditional working practice.
Working
Conditions
Working
in an environment where radiation is used continuously.
Approximately
95% of time will be spent in clinical areas, therefore the post holder will
require a professional approach to occasional exposure to unpleasant working
conditions (uncontained body fluids, smells) and have knowledge of how to
deal with these appropriately. Post holder will need to lead by example in
effectively dealing with any exposure to verbal aggression and threatening
behaviour (usually due to patient distress), and be able to support other
junior staff to develop strategies regarding the correct de-escalation
processes.
The
remainder of the role is split between staff support and development,
teaching, departmental meetings and functions.