Job summary
An opportunity has arisen for a Band 8A vacancy for a Clinical Scientist to join the evolving Radiotherapy Physics Team at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Medical Physics Department.
You will be joining an enthusiastic, dedicated and friendly team focused on improving patient-centred care and would be expected to work in all aspects of Radiotherapy Physics.
We are looking for someone who has or is close to gaining Medical Physics Expert certification. Candidates should be HCPC registered and have several years of experience working at Band 7 level or equivalent.
Main duties of the job
You will provide specialist advice as Medical Physics Expert for the purposes of the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 (IRMER) to the multidisciplinary team.
Maintains knowledge of new developments in the field of radiotherapy.
You will participate in audit, research and development.
About us
Torbay Hospital supports flexible working, and we would be happy to discuss options around this at interview.
This is an exciting time for the department as although we are a small team of Physicists and Engineers currently utilising 2 matched VERSA Elekta Linacs, with Mosaiq TMS & Pinnacle TPS our near future plans involve the commissioning of a new Planning system along with an SGRT system. Long term future plans will involve preparing for a back to back Linac commissioning program in 2027.
The department actively participates in clinical trials. Lung SABR Treatment commenced in 2021 and is expanding such that we are in the process of commissioning Bone & Nodal Treatments which are expected to start in early 2024.
Job responsibilities
Torbay Hospital has 2 Radiotherapy Treatment units (Linacs), 2 Treatment planning systems, a CT scanner for treatment planning and 1 Treatment Management System.
These specialised pieces of equipment are of extremely high value.
Act as Medical Physics Expert (MPE) as defined in the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposures) Regulations 2000 for the Radiotherapy service, in the specific areas defined by local competencies.
Act as an Operator under the definitions of the Ionising Radiations (Medical Exposures) Regulations 2000, in accordance with Trust Policies and Procedures.
Radiotherapy Treatment Planning
Perform final checking of treatment plans (appropriate to personal competencies) including complex inverse plans, ensuring accuracy of calculations, quality of dose distribution and minimal dose to critical organs. Resolve problems detected during the checking of complex radiotherapy treatment plans before and during treatment.
Undertake treatment planning (appropriate to personal competencies) for external beam radiotherapy, including complex plans and plans for clinical trials ensuring quality of dose distribution. Analyse requirements and make complex judgements regarding treatment parameters and patient dose effects to produce the required dose distribution over the treatment volume, using computerised planning systems as appropriate.
Advise medical consultants, planning radiographers and dosimetrists on the effects of various treatment plan options on patient dose distributions. Discuss and agree approaches with clinical staff to create optimum treatment plans and advise on aspects of the treatment and patient setup.
Carry out dosimetry calculations for treatment plans, in accordance with clinical prescription and agreed procedures and perform measurements relating to complex plans to confirm computed dose calculations including analysis of results.
Calculate dose for unplanned treatments using a range of independent dose calculations.
Review treatment imaging and advise on the effects of patient set-up or anatomical changes in relation to plan dosimetry.
Assist in the commissioning of treatment planning systems and software, including the establishment of accuracy, and overall limitations of the system.
Assist with developments relating to new complex planning and treatment techniques, collaborating with others as required.
Participate with the implementation of scientific and technical aspects related to radiotherapy treatments, forming part of national trials.
Quality Assurance of Equipment
Perform Quality Assurance measurements on radiotherapy treatment equipment (appropriate to personal competencies), in accordance with ISO9001:2015 standards and departmental protocols.
Ensure that accurate documentation of machine quality assurance is maintained. Recognise out of tolerance results and act on these findings as appropriate.
Provide MPE support for dosimetric systems in clinical use (appropriate to personal competencies).
Assist with acceptance testing and commissioning of radiotherapy equipment prior to clinical use.
Managerial
Prioritise and manage own work to meet agreed outcomes.
Keep accurate records of all work performed and complete other appropriate records.
Teaching, Training and Research
Assist with training other staff, as required. Supervise trainee clinical scientists on placement, as appropriate. Present original scientific work at meetings and conferences, and in publication. Participate in research and development projects and clinical audit.
Professional
Be responsible for the safe use of highly complex, expensive and potentially hazardous radiotherapy equipment, such as linear accelerators, sealed radioactive sources and equipment, and dose meters.
Maintain a record of competence to practice as required by the Health Care professions Council e.g. IPEM or other approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme.
Maintain an up-to-date personal knowledge of national and international radiotherapy physics practice in order to identify improvements to the service.
Key Result Areas
To provide support to Lead Principal Physicist MPE for Planning and New Techniques and Technology.
Communication And Working Relationships
Communicate effectively in verbal, written and graphical formats, complex scientific, technical and specialist information to a wide variety of individuals and groups: Radiotherapy Consultants & Radiology Consultants, Radiographers in Radiotherapy & Radiology, Radiation Protection Supervisors, Medical Physicists, (internal and external), Engineers & Dosimetrists, Health and Safety Advisor, Manufacturers and service engineers, Research Team (internal and external).
Most Challenging Part Of Job
Maintaining and updating knowledge of developments in multiple fields of scientific and technological progress, radiation regulations, legislation and professional standards to a level where advice can be given to a wide range of groups involved.
Concurrent involvement in multiple tasks and projects that require analytical input for decisions, some with short deadlines. The analysis and judgements may be scientific, mathematical, practical and multifaceted.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
* BSc(Hons) Physics or physical sciences
* MSc in Medical Physics or equivalent
* Post Graduate Diploma in Medical Physics from Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine
* State Registered under the HCPC as a Clinical Scientist
* Has satisfied the Professional Body for competency, through Corporate Membership of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine to MIPEM level or above
Desirable
* RPA2000 listed MPE (IR(ME)R 2017)
Knowledge
Essential
* In-depth knowledge and understanding of all aspects of radiotherapy physics, including the implications of the various radiation interaction processes and their biological consequences in human tissues.
* In-depth knowledge and understanding of the functioning and use of the full range of radiotherapy equipment.
* Knowledge and understanding of radiation protection principles and radiation safety issues as they apply to staff, patients and members of the public.
* Good knowledge and understanding of standards, protocols and recommendations in quality assurance, dosimetry and commissioning procedures in radiotherapy.
* Good IT skills and the ability to write and/or apply computer software.
* Able to exercise own initiative when dealing with issues within own specialist area of competence and within broader areas of radiotherapy physics.
Specific Skills
Essential
* At least 4 years post diploma experience in the application of Physics to Radiotherapy.
* Experience in the manipulation, interrogation and quantification of data, utilising scientific and mathematical methodology.
Desirable
* Development and implementation of new techniques in Radiotherapy treatment especially experience of VMAT.
* Experience of working with Elekta Radiotherapy Treatment Equipment.
* Experience of Pinnacle Radiotherapy Treatment system.
* Record of peer reviewed publications and presentations.
Environment/Conditions
Essential
* In depth understanding of the hazards, posed by and precautions needed for working with ionising radiation.
* Electrical hazards from portable radiation sensing or measuring instrumentation.
Physical Skills/Effort
Essential
* Having the manual dexterity to manipulate high activities of radioactive materials in the process of equipment testing or calibration, ensuring doses to the hands and body are low as reasonable achievable.
* Having the ability to make accurate measurements using sophisticated testing equipment on high precision radiotherapy treatment units.
* Able to lift equipment, Perspex test tools or patient equivalent phantoms and monitoring devices up to 8kg, on a regular basis.
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