Senior Radiotherapy Physicist

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 61,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS foundation in the UK seeks a Senior Radiotherapy Physicist to join their Radiotherapy Physics department. You will play a key role in ensuring the safe delivery of radiotherapy services at North Middlesex Hospital, including treatment planning, quality assurance, and molecular radiotherapy. Candidates should have relevant experience in radiotherapy physics, strong communication skills, and be HCPC registered. The position offers an annual salary between £61,631 and £68,623, and opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• Several years relevant experience in Radiotherapy Physics.
• Experience with Radiotherapy Dosimetry and QA.
• Knowledge of appropriate legislation.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safe delivery of the Radiotherapy Physics Service.
• Produce and approve treatment plans for radiotherapy.
• Take responsibility for the annual quality assurance programme.

Skills

Communication of complex technical material

Ability to organize own workload

Research and development interest

Good interpersonal and negotiation skills

Software development for data mining

Education

Honours degree in a physical science or equivalent

HCPC registered Clinical Scientist

Medical Physics Expert certificate (RPA2000)

Tools

Varian Eclipse

MatLAB

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity to join our friendly, forward-thinking Radiotherapy Physics department in a key role at theNorth Middlesex Hospital sitein North London.You will be a Senior Radiotherapy Physicist at Band 8A, responsible for the safe delivery and development of Radiotherapy.

You will act as a Medical Physics Expert under IR(ME)R, providing expert advice to the Radiotherapy department and tomembers of the Radiotherapy Physics team.

The department provides a comprehensive physics service to support the delivery of radiotherapy treatment atNorth Middlesex Hospital. This includes all treatment planning, machine quality assurance and the provision of molecular radiotherapy. The department consists of 10 clinical scientists, including this post, 6 dosimetrists and 6 engineering and technical staff.

The Radiotherapy department has a mix of Varian TrueBeam and Halcyon Linacs and an XStrahl superficial unit. Varian Eclipse is used for all treatment planning activities, and we have ongoing projects to implement and expand knowledge based planning, AI auto-contouring, scripting and automation, and lots more besides.

Main duties of the job

The senior physicist's role is to ensure the safe delivery of the Radiotherapy Physics Service at North Middlesex University Hospital, assisting the Head of the service as well as other designated Medical Physics Experts (MPE) in their various areas of responsibility.

The role is autonomous and the post-holder is expected to carry out their duties without supervision.

The senior physicist will have MPE responsibility in the safe delivery and development of the following areas: Treatment Planning, Quality Assurance, Molecular Radiotherapy.

Job responsibilities

Clinical Scientific – Treatment Planning

1. Assist the Treatment Planning Lead Physicist and provide MPE advice where needed to ensure safe delivery of service.
2. Produce routine and complex treatment plans for external beam radiotherapy. Use computerised planning systems to design and customise treatment plans. Analyse requirements and make complex judgements regarding treatment parameters and patient dose effects to produce the required dose distribution over the treatment volume. Take responsibility for the accurate production of individualised treatment plans and associated dosimetry calculations.
3. Advise clinical staff 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 set-up, as required.
4. Check and approve routine and complex treatment plans, dose calculations and templates produced by other members of staff.
5. Re-plan patient treatments where required, following a treatment error or changes in patient shape. Use judgement to analyse and determine the most appropriate compensation method. Calculate the compensation required and subsequent patient dose. Carry out manual dose calculations.

Clinical Scientific – Quality Assurance

1. Assist the Quality Control and Dosimetry Lead Physicist, providing MPE advice where needed to ensure safe delivery of service.
2. Take responsibility for the development of the annual quality assurance programme including liaison with maintenance contract suppliers; radiotherapy physics engineers and radiotherapy.
3. Take responsibility for physics dosimetry and quality control in radiotherapy, according to established protocols. Undertake dosimetry measurements to a high degree of accuracy with suitable equipment. Perform quality control and other measurements and procedures on highly-complex patient-critical equipment.
4. Take responsibility for the revision of protocols and dosimetry techniques. Develop and revise working practices in accordance with national guidelines and codes of practice. Ensure the accurate calibration of all dosimetry equipment and Radiotherapy treatment machines is maintained.

Clinical Scientific – Molecular Radiotherapy

1. Take responsibility for administration of radioisotopes for therapeutic use. Explain procedures to patients and liaise with other groups such as ward staff as required. Assist with resolving problems with the procedure, including those arising with the patient present.
2. Ensure all equipment used in the monitoring of patients, environment and source activity maintain a valid calibration.
3. Ensure all procedures undertaken comply with relevant radiation protection regulations, including waste and sealed sources management.

Clinical Scientific – General

1. Provide support to physics computing in radiotherapy. Write software to the requirements of the department and adapt existing software packages as required. Monitor and resolve problems on computing systems in radiotherapy and radiotherapy physics.
2. Participate in acceptance testing and commissioning of new equipment as appropriate.
3. Provide scientific and technical advice to radiotherapy consultants and other clinical staff regarding patients treatment.
4. Develop clinical and clinical scientific procedures and protocols under the Departments Quality System. Consult with Radiotherapy where changes impact on their systems. Take part in working parties to agree changes to protocols affecting both Pre-treatment and Treatment sections.
5. Act as liaison contact for identified radiotherapy equipment. Oversee work carried out on this equipment and give physics advice and direction as required. Investigate and resolve complex problems on complex, patient-critical radiotherapy and associated equipment.
6. Act as a Medical Physics Expert in Radiotherapy Physics in accordance with the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations, exercising professional judgement within their scope of practice.
7. Act as an operator under the definitions of the IR(ME)R regulations in accordance with Trust Policies and Practices.
8. Implement legislation in radiation protection. The post holder is required to be up to date with current legal requirements, will analyse current practice against these requirements and make recommendations regarding alterations to practice and procedures.

Managerial

1. Prioritise and manage own work to meet agreed outcomes.
2. Keep careful records of all work performed and complete other appropriate records.
3. Supervise the professional work of other junior staff groups working in areas or on projects being managed by the post holder.
4. Perform regular 1-to-1 review meetings with junior staff.

Teaching, training and research

1. Provide practical training to physicists, medics and radiographers in Treatment Planning, QC & Dosimetry, and in Molecular Therapy.
2. Assist with training other staff, as required (e.g. radiation protection advice to nursing staff on wards with molecular radiotherapy in-patients)
3. Supervise trainee clinical scientists on placement.
4. Assess and approve staff competencies within specified areas of work.
5. Present original work at meetings and conferences, and in publication. Present seminars and feedback on meetings.
6. Instigate and participate in Research and Development projects and clinical audit. Develop and improve equipment and techniques for radiation therapy.

Professional

1. Participate in an approved Continuing Professional Development scheme and maintain HCPC registration.
2. Keep abreast of the latest technical and scientific developments and their applications in medical and associated fields. Attend suitable seminars and courses as part of training and personal development and to further the work of the department.
3. Ensure all activities are carried out within a quality framework and conform to Statutory Regulations, approved Codes of Practice and Local Safety Rules.

Other responsibilities

1. Ensure compliance with accredited Quality Systems in the areas of work for which the post holder carries responsibility. Participate in the development and routine operation of quality systems.
2. Carry out all duties in accordance with the requirements of the Health & Safety at Work Act, relevant Statutory Regulations, Approved Codes of Conduct and Local Rules.
3. Work hours necessary for the proper and efficient performance of the work. In practice, the appointee will occasionally be required to perform duties outside the normal working hours of the department.
4. When working in other departments, the postholder will liaise with local heads of department, medical consultants, superintendents, nursing sisters or their representatives as appropriate, adhering to local policies and practices. The post holder will behave courteously and professionally at all times and seek to ensure that the highest level of service is provided by Radiotherapy Physics.
5. Perform other appropriate duties which may be required from time to time by the Head of Service, Radiotherapy Physics.

Person Specification

Education and Qulaifications

• (1st or 2nd class) Honours degree in a physical science or equivalent.
• HCPC registered Clinical Scientist
• Medical Physics Expert certificate (RPA2000). Or able to achieve within 12 months of appointment (evidence will be required at interview)
• Member of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (or equivalent)

Skills and Abilities

• Able to communicate complex, technical material to colleagues and other professionals
• Able to organise own workload
• Exhibits a keen interest in research and development
• Good interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Ability to develop software for datamining and dataanalysis. Able to use packages such as MatLAB
• Able to lift medium/heavy weights (eg QA equipment)

Experience

• Several years relevant experience in Radiotherapy Physics
• Several years relevant experience of Radiotherapy Dosimetry and QA
• Several years relevant experience of Radiotherapy Treatment Planning
• Knowledge of appropriate legislation [eg IRR, IR(ME)R, BSI and ISO standards, professional and regulatory body reports and guidelines]
• Relevant experience in radioisotope therapies
• Experience working with Varian hardware and software

Personal qualities and values

• Ability to work as one of a team.
• Exhibits personal initiative and responsibility
• Demonstrable ability to meet Trust values

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.

£61,631 to £68,623 a yearPer Annum Including HCAS