Head of Radiotherapy Physics (Consultant Clinical Scientist)

NHS; Guildford; On-site; GBP 93,000 - 108,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Guildford is seeking a Head of Radiotherapy Physics to lead the radiotherapy physics team. The successful candidate will manage the clinical scientific services ensuring accuracy and safety in treatment, as well as support research and education. Candidates must have an MSc in Medical Physics and extensive experience in treatment planning and dosimetry. This role offers a competitive salary package including HCAS.

Benefits

Comprehensive health and wellbeing program

Professional development opportunities

Flexible working patterns

Qualifications

• MSc in Medical Physics or related subject required.
• HCPC registered Clinical Scientist.
• Experience in treatment planning, dosimetry, or brachytherapy.

Responsibilities

• Manage all aspects of Radiotherapy Physics service.
• Ensure accuracy and safety in radiotherapy delivery.
• Lead clinical development and research.

Skills

Treatment planning

Dosimetry

Brachytherapy

Regulatory compliance

Education

MSc in Medical Physics

PhD in Radiotherapy Physics

Tools

Varian Eclipse

Aria cloud-based system

Job description

Head of Radiotherapy Physics (Consultant Clinical Scientist)

An exciting opportunity has arisen to lead the excellent Radiotherapy Physics team at the Royal Surrey Cancer Centre, located within the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford and East Surrey Hospital, Redhill.

The Cancer Centre is focused on providing excellent patient pathways and patient-centered care. We strive to continuously evolve to reflect the technical advances within Radiotherapy, and work closely as a multi-professional team to achieve this. We have a Varian ETHOS on the Guildford site, delivering daily online adaptive radiotherapy for bladder and cervical cancers, as well as four Varian Truebeams, one of which will be replaced later this year with a Varian Halcyon. The satellite centre in Redhill has a newly-installed Halcyon and ETHOS; both are equipped with Align-RT surface-guidance and Hypersight advanced imaging, which are also to be installed on the ring-based pair at Guildford. External beam treatment planning is carried out using the Varian Eclipse system, and includes use of automated planning and auto segmentation. All systems work within a cloud-based Aria environment. We have 3 CT scanners across the two sites and use MR imaging in treatment planning, with further development of PET/CT underway. The Guildford site additionally has an orthovoltage unit, a Papillon unit for contact radiotherapy and a comprehensive, highly-renowned brachytherapy service including both HDR and LDR treatments.

Main duties of the job

To manage and develop all aspects of the Radiotherapy Physics Section within the Department of Medical Physics

The Radiotherapy Physics Section of the Department of Medical Physics provides a comprehensive physics service to the Radiotherapy Department of the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The Radiotherapy Physics Section provides a wide range of specialist services including radiotherapy treatment planning, radiation dosimetry, equipment maintenance and quality assurance, and brachytherapy. They also lead and/or support clinical development and research as well as the education of staff and students.

The postholder:

Manages the provision of clinical scientific and technical services to the radiotherapy department ensuring the highest possible level of accuracy and safety of radiotherapy cancer treatment is achieved.

Provides the scientific lead in the development, provision, and administration of the radiotherapy physics service.

Is responsible for providing expert advice to Medical Physics, Radiotherapy, and the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in order to comply with regulatory and statutory requirements relevant to Radiotherapy.

Is responsible for meeting the teaching and training commitment of the section and has responsibility for its organisation and delivery.

About us

Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing program along with a commitment to developing and advancing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family will ensure you that you feel valued from your initial interview through your entire tenure.

We are clinically led and provide joined up care by bridging the gap between hospital and community services alongside regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. We provide adult community health services in homes across Guildford and Waverley.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have given us an overall rating of Outstanding.

Royal Surrey has a strong reputation and history to build on. We are proud of our achievements and we are investing in our colleagues through our commitment to supporting professional development as well as investing more than £45 million in our physical environment and new equipment in the next few years. There has never been a better time to join us.

Although it isn't the Trusts normal practice, adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

A video about the Royal Surrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R96pMboIYdo

Job responsibilities

Based at Guildford, occasional attendance at the satellite centre in East Surrey Hospital, Redhill will be required on occasion. The postholder will work flexibly to accommodate clinical need within the hours of 08:00 to 20:00. Bank holiday working or weekend working will be required on occasion.

The successful candidate will manage all aspects of the Radiotherapy Physics service to provide a high quality specialist service that ensures the accuracy and safety of radiotherapy/brachytherapy delivery, including: radiotherapy treatment planning; radiation dosimetry; equipment maintenance and quality assurance; and brachytherapy. They also lead and/or support clinical development and research as well as the education of staff and students.

The post is based in our main site in Guildford, which gives easy access to the beautiful North & South Downs Way, is an hour from the coast and has great transport links to the surrounding counties of Berkshire, Hampshire and Sussex. The town offers cultural diversity, is home to the University of Surrey and it is great place to reside and explore. Attendance at our satellite centre in Redhill will be required on occasion.

The department has strong links with the National Physical Laboratory and University of Surrey, and participates in a number of external consortia; the postholder will be encouraged to further develop external links. Staff wellbeing is important to us and as such we support flexible working patterns (eg 9-day fortnight), as well as offering the opportunity to work from home for part of your time.

Should you require more information or have any questions regarding this role please contact Liz Adams, Head of Medical Physics ([e-mail]).

Person Specification

Qualifications

• MSc in Medical Physics (or related subject)
• HCPC registered Clinical Scientist
• RPA2000 registered Medical Physics Expert under IR(ME)R in the field of Radiotherapy
• Registration as a Higher Specialist Scientist, or equivalent level of knowledge and experience of acting as a Consultant Clinical Scientist.
• PhD in Radiotherapy Physics, or equivalent scientific experience

Knowledge

• Extensive up-to-date experience and advanced specialist knowledge in at least one of the areas of: treatment planning, dosimetry or brachytherapy
• Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of all aspects of radiotherapy physics
• Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of ionizing radiation.
• Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of clinical issues and their implications for radiotherapy physics practices
• Advanced knowledge of clinical procedures in radiotherapy
• Expert knowledge of patient and staff risks arising from exposure to ionising radiation.
• Expert knowledge in the safe handling and preparation of brachytherapy sources and their calibration.
• Broad expert knowledge of other areas of medical physics e.g. Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, MRI and Ultrasound.
• Expert knowledge of patient and staff risks arising from equipment failure or operator error.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, regulations, national standards, professional codes of practice and other guidelines.
• Extensive experience at expert level of analysing and interpreting complex, highly varied situations and judging the measures required for optimal benefit, accounting for performance, risk/benefit and relevant legislation/guidance/standards.
• Understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy/national guidance/CQC and appreciation of the implications of this on the service
• Experience of project management, including prioritising, defining project plan and timescales, adapting plans, resource planning
• Experience of budget management, including business planning, budget setting and a working knowledge of financial processes
• Corporate Member of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (or equivalent)
• Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge to act as a Medical Physics Expert (MPE) under IR(ME)R in the field of radiotherapy.
• Registered for Continuing Professional Development

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.

£93,540 to £107,535 a yearPer annum (pro rata) inc HCAS