Radiographer

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, reporting any variances, faults and malfunctions as necessary. This may include run up of equipment alongside the engineers at some sites.

Undertake and evaluate radiation dose delivery complex calculations, involving a range of radiation types and energies.

Interpret, monitor and evaluate the treatment prescription to ensure that radiotherapy is delivered accurately and reproducibly.

Evaluate delivery of radiotherapy through application and interpretation of treatment verification procedures.

Follow 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.Keep 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 in line with information governance, and provide emotional support, to patients and their carers/relatives including children and the terminally ill. Provide information to patients and their carers about the radiotherapy pathway and expected side effects.

To communicate accurate and timely information with all other disciplines involved along the patients pathway.

Anticipate and identify common and complex treatment related side effects, offering advice and where necessary refer to other relevant health care professionals. 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 and cross infection through contamination by bodily fluids/matter. In accordance of the infection control policy.

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.

To implement the procedures and work instructions described for the department in the accredited Quality Management System, and report any variances.

Ensure all work and actions comply with local rules and current UK Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 and IR(ME)R 2017.

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 Directive (PGD).

Participate in the shift system, bank holidays, weekend working and on-call.

Awareness of the process to report safeguarding issues and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.

Any other duties negotiated with the post holder, to develop their role in the organisation.

To achieve all the competencies as outlined by the radiotherapy education team within a time period as outlined by line manager.

Apply and abide by trust principles and behaviours. Work collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team, ensuring timely and effective communication to support continuity of care. Adhere to infection prevention, moving and handling, safeguarding, health and safety, and information governance policies at all times. Participate in quality assurance, audit, research, service development, and the implementation of new techniques and technologies. Complete required competencies and ongoing professional development, including training to dispense medication under Patient Group Directions where appropriate. Contribute to departmental rota requirements, including shift work, weekends, bank holidays, and on-call duties. Demonstrate Trust values and behaviours, support continuous improvement, and undertake additional responsibilities appropriate to the role and service needs.

Teaching and training

Participate in an annual Personal Development Review.

Attend all essential training and clinical updates as required.

Take personal responsibility for compliance with essential training.

Be capable of assimilating new ideas and techniques.

Assist in the supervision and training/teaching of pre-registration students, new members of staff and all learners.

Highlight to line manager all issues of poor inadequate performance, including capability and poor professional standards, for students and employees.

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, looking after more than 64,000 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 25% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.

We are the largest radiotherapy provider in the NHS with one in 20 treatments delivered at The Christie. We have up to 15 linear accelerators operating across our network of sites. We operate the largest chemotherapy unit in the UK on our main site and treatments are also provided at 13 other networked sites, and in patients homes. And as a specialist tertiary surgical centre, we focus on rare cancers, complex procedures, and multidisciplinary approaches to cancer surgery, specialising in colorectal, peritoneal, gynaecological, urological and plastic surgery.

We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We have been named by the UK's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), as one of the best hospitals providing opportunities for patients to participate in clinical research studies, with more than 800 studies open at any time, caring for over 3,000 patients.

Qualifications

Essential: - Graduate level qualification in radiotherapy; - Registration with the HCPC as a therapeutic radiographer

Desirable: - Evidence of attending post-registration training events

Experience

Essential: - Evidence of clinical placements to demonstrate technical and patient care experience; - Experience of working within a team environment

Desirable: - Experience of quality, governance, and service improvement; - Evidence of CPD activity

Skills

Essential: - Excellent communication; - Ability to make sound judgements in a clinical setting; - ICT- e.g. OMS, R and V

Desirable: - Ability to use Elekta radiotherapy equipment; - Ability to deliver training to and mentor student radiographers

Knowledge

Desirable: - Awareness of contemporary trends in advanced radiotherapy; - Knowledge of relevant and up-to-date literature pertaining to radiotherapy delivery

Values

Essential: - Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours