Clinical Technologist/Treatment Planner (XR06) in Leeds

Applications are invited for a permanent Band 6 Clinical Technologist/Treatment Planner in the Leeds Cancer Centre, St James's University Hospital. We are looking for a radiographer/clinical technologist with experience in radiotherapy to join a team of 20 technologists/dosimetrists working in the treatment planning section. We have a strong multi-disciplinary approach to working and the successful candidate will participate in a rotation of technologists/dosimetrists through site specialist teams. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to contribute to routine dosimetry, linac and simulator quality control as well as teaching to radiotherapy staff undergoing training. Research and innovation are at the heart of the service, with opportunities to be part of development work as well as support a large portfolio of local and national clinical trials. We have an advanced extra-cranial SABR service and treat sites including the spine, liver and pelvis. Within the Leeds Cancer Centre all VMAT is planned and delivered using flattening filter free beams.

Main duties of the job:

• To contribute to the day-to-day work of the treatment planning section, principally the computer planning of patients undergoing radiotherapy including both routine and complex treatments.
• To participate in the routine dosimetry and quality control programme on treatment machines and treatment simulators in the department.
• To assist with the work of the Mould Room Department when required.
• To fulfil the role of Operator as required by the Ionising Radiations (Medical Exposures) Regulations 2017.

About us:

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest and busiest acute hospital trusts in the UK. We are committed to delivering the highest quality and safest treatment and care to every patient, every time. Our staff helped to define the values and behaviours that we should work to so that we can achieve this vision. This has become known as The Leeds Way, and forms the foundation of our culture, our ethos and how we work every day.

The radiotherapy service in St James's treats over 7500 new radiotherapy patients per annum. The centre is equipped with the latest technology, including 12 Versa HDs, MRSim, RayStation treatment planning, a Flexitron HDR remote afterloading platform for advanced image guided brachytherapy, I-125 prostate brachytherapy service and Gamma Knife ICON. The managed equipment service was recently renewed, ensuring equipment replacement and comprehensive support for the next 15 years.

Job responsibilities:

• Prioritise and manage own work and that of the Treatment Planning section whilst in the facilitator role.
• Keep careful records of all work performed on the patient database and other appropriate records as required for statistical purposes on the computerised information systems.
• Represent the treatment planning department in site specific MDT meetings.
• Act as an Operator, under IRMER, for specified areas of work.
• Responsibility for the operation of linear accelerators, virtual simulators, treatment planning systems and other high capital investment items of equipment.
• As the department plans over 4000 patients per year, a significant proportion of time will be spent interpreting complex patient treatment planning requests from clinicians and giving advice to medical staff on appropriate planning techniques.
• Planning of patients undergoing radiotherapy with external beam photons or electrons using both manual and computer methods.
• Ensuring that all patient images required to produce treatment plans are available.
• CT planning (using 3-D computerised techniques) for patients undergoing radiotherapy, analysing requirements and making complex judgements regarding treatment parameters and patient dose effects to produce the required dose distribution over the treatment volume ensuring where possible the conformance to international standards e.g. ICRU50, 62 and 83.
• Identify and contour all critical organs at risk on CT scans whether explicitly mentioned by the clinical staff or not.
• Work as part of the multidisciplinary team, supplying specialist planning input including anatomical scanning limits, patient positioning, treatment techniques, reference tattooing and appropriate fitting of patient immobilisation devices to millimetric tolerances.
• Replan patient treatments where required, following changes to the treatment regime or patient shape.
• Participate in the development of new treatment techniques under the direction of the Chief Dosimetrist.
• Co-ordinate patient visits to clinics and virtual simulators, and start dates for radiotherapy such that they meet the required timescales of the Cancer Standards whilst allowing adequate time to do the work in a safe and considered manner.
• Be fully conversant with the clinical operation of the treatment machines and appreciate their potential and limitations with regard to patient treatment techniques.
• Keep careful records of all work performed.
• Participate in the evaluation process for new items of high capital radiotherapy planning equipment and the subsequent implementation and training.
• Assist in producing written protocols for localisation, simulation, treatment planning and radiotherapy treatments as part of the Departments Quality System.
• Participate fully in implementing and maintaining this system.
• Participate in staff meetings to agree changes to protocols affecting Radiotherapy Physics and Radiotherapy.
• Accurately record all relevant information and ensure these records are maintained in accordance with the requirements of the department procedures.
• Communicate complex technical information to other disciplines across the field of radiotherapy.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with Trust staff including those involved with radiotherapy treatment and other relevant professional groups.
• Participate in the facilitation of all information entering the department, processing and prioritising this information to ensure a smooth flow of work through the department.
• Participate in site-specific MDT sessions, offering advice on technique development to clinicians and radiographers.
• Assist Mould Room staff as required.
• Take part in the Quality Assurance programme of the planning section ensuring that the calculated doses are within tolerance.
• Take part in the Quality Assurance programme of the linear accelerators, virtual simulators on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, making analytical judgements on tolerances where required.
• Take part in the routine weekly calibration of linear accelerators and superficial and orthovoltage treatment units, ensuring that the doses delivered are within agreed limits.
• Participation with other medical physics staff in continual evaluation and development of techniques used.
• Take part in the ongoing supervision and training of new members of staff, trainee physicists, clinicians and radiographers as well as student radiographers whilst in the treatment planning department.
• To be involved and contribute to any development work as required by the Head of External Beam Radiotherapy Physics.
• To be involved in the planning of patients who are entered into specific clinical trials.
• Involvement, with site specialist clinical colleagues, in the process of attaining accreditation for the Trust to participate in clinical trials.
• Keep abreast of the latest technical and scientific developments and their applications in medical and radiotherapy fields.
• Ensure all activities are carried out within a quality framework and meet regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to service development and the investigation of new radiotherapy treatment techniques.

Person Specification:

• To act at all times in a professional manner, showing courtesy and respect for other staff and patients.
• Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality.
• Creative lateral thinker.
• Proven ability to work flexibly.
• Proven ability to cope with large and variable workload.
• Positive attitude to change.
• Organised, neat, articulate and numerate.
• Highly developed physical accuracy and hand eye co-ordination to millimetric levels of accuracy.

Experience:

• Knowledge in the operation of 3D treatment planning systems.
• Knowledge of CT simulator output and patient set up.
• Understanding of current Mould Room working practices.
• Training and practical experience in quality systems such as ISO/9001:2008.
• The operation of complex radiotherapy technology including linear accelerators.
• Experience of working with CT simulators.
• Experience of Mould Room output.
• Auditor training.

Qualifications:

• Degree in Clinical Technology or related discipline or BSc Therapy Radiography.
• Registered Clinical Technologist or Registered Therapy Radiographer or a clearly defined path to Clinical Technologist registration.
• Incorporated level membership of the Institute of Medical Physics & Engineering (IPEM).

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.