Radiotherapy Advanced Practitioner Radiographer (XR07)
To provide highly specialised patient centred radiotherapy service.
The post holder is responsible for performing with the highest standard of patient care and practice at all times, and for deciding the course of action in complex clinical care scenarios referred to them by others.
Responsible for leading the development of the departmental technical/clinical standards. This will include a thorough knowledge and understanding of the patient needs and techniques/systems for patient treatment and also appropriate supervision, development and ongoing performance management of those in their allocated area, ensuring that they undertake their allotted roles in relation to patients, carers, trainees and departmental visitors.
Main duties of the job
The radiotherapy department delivers treatment care packages to approximately 6,500 patients with cancer per year. Advanced Practitioners are expected to work across the radiotherapy department, using their specialist expertise to contribute to the efficient, effective and safe flow of workload. The post holder will be expected to work closely with the Principal radiographers when developing protocols for clinical practice and to ensure there is appropriate back-up to their Area of advanced practice.
Advanced practitioners are required to make clinical judgments which fall outside of protocol. They will be required to use their experience, highly specialist knowledge & initiative in order to achieve the expected results, within professional codes of practice, referring to the management team where appropriate.
As an Advanced Practitioner, the post holder will lead on the development of practice within a specified clinical area, requiring a highly specialised level of knowledge/skill.
About us
The Leeds Way Values
Our values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this as a 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:
1. Accountable
2. Empowered
All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values.
Additionally, the following are core values which relate specifically to this post:
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 responsibilities
CORE BEHAVIOURS AND SKILLS
The post holder will be honest, reliable & professional and demonstrate the behaviours outlined by the Trust and the College of Radiographers Professional Code of Conduct. They must ensure that professional attitudes and standards are maintained.
They will have a commitment to team working, creating good interpersonal relationships and working atmosphere so that 2-way discussion, learning and development of the whole team can occur.
CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
A basic understanding of the cancer pathway must be developed for the role. A more thorough understanding of the radiotherapy pathway and support functions involved in service delivery is also required. Both of these can be acquired through training in post over a few weeks induction.
A specialised knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the radiotherapy service is essential for this role. In addition, the post holder must have demonstrated highly specialised knowledge and skills for their specific area of practice (commensurate with Masters level). The ability to relate and develop radiotherapy practice to relevant guidance and research is expected. They must be acutely aware of the potential for harm of high energy, variable and complex beams of X-rays that must be delivered accurately on a daily basis.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Area of Advanced Practice
* Lead the development of radiographers skills in relation to area of practice (staff training, technique development, equipment development, future service development etc.).
* Develop technique protocols for the dept.
* Ensure area of advanced practice is evidence based and in-line with national guidance.
* Represent the department at national conferences presenting development work to professional audiences.
* Liaise with MDT group to ensure clinical/technical practice is of the highest standards.
Education
* Provide a highly specialised resource for radiotherapy both locally and nationally.
* Carry out teaching, supervision and delivery of core specialist knowledge and work place activities.
* Plan, implement and evaluate education programmes based on evidence based practice.
* Collaboratively develop multidisciplinary competency frameworks to underpin the expanding scope of practice.
Management
* Line management of select group of staff ensuring appraisals are performed and on time.
* Undertake routine daily management of these staff.
* Undertake assessment, feedback, training and development of staff in response to observed, reported or incident related practice to ensure appropriate staff behaviour.
General
* Maintain personal high standards of clinical/technical practice.
* Maintain appropriate level of awareness of current and developing radiotherapy pathways and treatments.
* Create good interpersonal relationships and working atmospheres where 2 way discussion, learning and development of all staff can take place.
* Attend appropriate departmental, service and external meetings, contributing appropriately to the ongoing smooth operational delivery and development of the service.
* Carrying out additional duties as requested by the Operational Head of Radiotherapy, 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 job holder 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 job holder 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 job holder 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 job holder will undertake all mandatory training required for the role.
Respect for Patient Confidentiality
The job holder should respect patient confidentiality at all times and not divulge patient information unless sanctioned by the requirements of the role.
COMMUNICATION & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
An ability to provide and receive complex and sensitive information to/from patients and others in an empathetic, reassuring and professional manner.
Assess potential communication barriers and demonstrate where necessary persuasive, motivational and negotiating skills, referring to more 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.
Ability to use and justify professional judgment when problems arise, recognizing when solutions may be outside of the job holders scope of practice and referring to appropriate staff for advice.
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 constantly when treating patients (10-30 mins per patient/ up to 50 patients per day) in order to undergo patient assessment and maintain a high level of care. A lapse in mental concentration could result in compromising patient safety.
Ability to view patient set-ups in both 2D and 3D. Excellent psychomotor and spatial awareness to accurately position patients (to within 1mm).
For this post when not treating patients, periods of prolonged concentration are required when undertaking development work.
EMOTIONAL EFFORT:
To recognize and act upon the emotional and psychological needs of cancer patients and carers, visitors, colleagues, team and oneself due to the exposure to highly distressing and emotional circumstances, e.g. working with patients with terminal illness.
Dealing empathetically with 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/dependants 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:
Approximately 40% of time will be spent in clinical activities when treating patients and as such would be expected to maintain a professional approach to the occasional exposure to unpleasant working conditions (uncontained body fluids, smells) and lead by example in effectively dealing with any exposure to verbal aggression and threatening behaviour (direct and indirect).
The remainder of the role is split between staff support and development, service development, teaching, departmental meetings and functions, with at least 40% of time spent in a specialist advisory role to others. Approximately 20% of time is spent using VDU and various IT packages.
Person Specification
Experience
* Recent significant experience at senior 1 or specialist practitioner level with highly specialised knowledge and skills.
* Highly developed clinical skills relevant to the specialist area.
* Evidence of leading/developing service development.
* High level teaching/facilitation/coaching/motivation/leadership/decision making/technical skills.
* Awareness of current research and findings relevant to specialist area.
* Experience of managing staff.
* Able to write development reports/business cases.
* Time and deadline focused.
* Wide experience base.
* Detailed knowledge of radiotherapy development and wider cancer agenda.
* Awareness of current research and findings in the specialist area.
Qualifications
* BSc in Therapy Radiography or equivalent.
* Current State Registration (HCPC).
* Specialised training to Masters level or equivalent in relevant subject.
* Strong evidence of leading service development.
Skills & Behaviours
* Willingness to undergo all training requirements of the post.
* Ability to devise and deliver departmental training to develop competence in others.
* Able to develop and maintain effective communication.
* Ability to work effectively under pressure.
* Key organizer of events/programmes.
* Evidence of developing training packages.
* Enthusiastic and upbeat in the face of challenges.
* Advanced keyboard skills.
Other Criteria
* Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post (with reasonable adjustments if necessary), including clearance on blood borne viruses in compliance with Trust Policy.
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.
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