Senior Radiotherapy Radiographer

The post holder will maintain the highest professional and technical standards of radiotherapy. The post holder will need to maintain core clinical skills. This will include statutory skills, Trust mandatory skills for clinical staff and all radiotherapy-specific skills required to perform the role of a Senior Practitioner. The clinical skills framework for the radiotherapy department will include the full range of skills which are expected of the post holder and will be updated periodically.

The post holder will be required to participate in the induction, supervision and teaching of junior staff and students within the treatment environment enabling them to achieve the required level of clinical competence. The post holder will deputise for other Radiographers as required including at internal and external meetings. A flexible approach to work is essential to meet the service needs of the department and hours of work may vary with occasional weekend and public holiday working on a planned and on-call basis.

Post holders may be rotared to work at either the Royal Surrey County Hospital or East Surrey Hospital sites and may be asked to travel between the sites at short notice to cover sickness. Main

Duties and Responsibilities:

To verbally give an explanation of the treatment procedure to the patient and carer answering any questions they may have. Furthermore, you will provide reassurance during the procedure and advise them as to their care and management during a course of radiotherapy. To make a professional assessment during the initial patient interview as to their requirements for further support in relation to their physical, emotional and spiritual needs and refer to other professionals as appropriate.

This will be an on-going assessment during their course of treatment. To communicate efficiently and effectively with both internal and external professionals in the provision of information related to patient care. To negotiate, liaise with and advise with other sections of the department in respect of the patient pathway to ensure that the department is offering a coherent seamless service.

To attend multi-disciplinary and operational radiotherapy treatment meetings to receive and impart both clinical and operational knowledge and report back to the treatment unit team when relevant. To communicate any operational issues, i.e. machine breakdown to Operational Manager for appropriate managerial decisions. To clearly communicate with the technical services department and medical physics staff relevant technical data relating to the treatment units and the operation of them that may affect the safety of their operation, i.e. Radiation safety.

As senior in charge of a given treatment unit you are responsible for reporting actual or suspected treatment errors to the Operational Manager, Radiation Protection Supervisor, Medical Physics Expert and Clinical Oncologist for further investigation in respect of the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposures) Regulations 2000. To achieve personal competence in simple and complex treatment techniques associated with the treatment unit to which you are rotared.

To assist the Radiographer in Charge in the technical training of students and trainee assistant practitioners in the safe and accurate manipulation of the treatment unit equipment and accessories. To assist the Radiographer in Charge in the clinical and theoretical training of students and trainee assistant practitioners in simple treatment techniques within the scope of your competence. To participate in the student assessment, discussion and meetings relevant to the on-going training of students within the department.

To undertake obligatory training associated with new equipment that may be away from your normal place of work. To be technically competent to safely and accurately manipulate the treatment unit and accessories to which you are rotared. To be responsible for, or to be responsible in conjunction with the Team Leader Radiotherapy Radiographer in charge for the routine quality assurance checks on the treatment unit every morning, reporting any faults or unsafe equipment.

To accurately input and check clinical data into the department network database and hospital patient administration system. To report any unsafe equipment / conditions to the Team Leader Radiotherapy Radiographer in charge of the treatment unit to prevent hazards to patients, staff and visitors. As the senior in charge, reporting to the appropriate relevant body and Operational Manager. To ensure that the treatment room is tidy, clean and fully stocked with all necessary equipment and consumables and stationary.

To be responsible for, in conjunction with the Team Leader Radiotherapy Radiographer, the daily efficient time management of the treatment unit and patient workload. A treatment unit may have an average of 40 50 patients per day scheduled for treatment within the nominal opening hours of the department To be responsible…