Senior Radiographer
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, motivated, and dynamic Band 6 Radiographer to join our friendly team at our satellite Radiotherapy Centre, The Christie at Salford. At The Christie at Salford satellite centre, we deliver both radical and palliative radiotherapy to approximately 80 patients a day.The department is equipped with a CT simulator and two Elekta Versa HD Linac with HexaPOD, operating within an IMPAC MOSAIQ environment, offering IGRT, SGRT, IMRT, VMAT, SRS and SBRT treatments. Excellent communication skills will be required along with the ability to be decisive, organised, approachable and hard working with the ability to work effectively and efficiently with the rest of the friendly and enthusiastic team at The Christie at Salford to provide a seamless, safe and pleasant environment for staff and patients alike.
In addition, flexibility is a necessity within a small team.
Main duties of the job
The Band 6 Radiographer is a key member of the treatment team. The post holder will be responsible for the day to day running of their designated treatment area, ensuring all aspects of treatment delivery and preparation are completed in a timely manner.
This role will rotate through both the treatment and pre-treatment areas, allowing the post holder to gain knowledge and skills across both areas of the patient pathway.
Please see the Job Description and Person Specification for more information.
Working for our organisation
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 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 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.
We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services.We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years.
We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
The Christie at Salford opened in 2011 and is one of three Christie satellite centres delivering Radiotherapy to patients closer to their homes. The Christie at Salford is the only Christie Centre currently offering Stereotactic Radiosurgery Treatments.
Working hours must be flexible to fit the needs of the service and individuals will be expected to participate in all shift patterns and will be contracted to work between 6am and 11pm.
Detailed job description and main 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 and reporting any variances, faults and malfunctions.
- Undertake and evaluate radiation dose delivery and complex calculations involving a range of radiation types and energies.
- Interpret, monitor and evaluate the treatment prescriptions to ensure that radiotherapy is delivered accurately and reproducibly and in accordance with the quality system.
- Evaluate delivery of radiotherapy through application and interpretation of treatment verification procedures.
- Ensure the team follows 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.
- Ensure the team keeps 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, and provide emotional support, to patients and their carers/relatives including children and the terminally ill.
- Provide information to patients and their carers with regard to the radiotherapy pathway and expected side effects.
- To communicate accurate and timely information with all other disciplines involved along the patients pathway.
- With the team on the unit, patients and the wider multidisciplinary team manage areas of conflict and escalate as necessary.
- Anticipate and identify common and complex treatment related side effects, offering advice and where necessary refer to other relevant health care professionals.
- To provide, receive and use sensitive information maintaining patient confidentiality at all times in line with information governance legislation.
- 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 cross infection through contamination by bodily fluids/matter. In accordance of the infection control policy.
- To implement the procedures and work instructions described for the department in accredited quality management system and report any variances.
- Contribute to development of the quality management system by reviewing and writing work instructions and operating procedures.
- Ensure all work and actions comply with local rules and current UK Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999 and IR(ME)R 2000.
- 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 Direction (PGD).
- Participate in the extended shift system, bank holidays, weekend working and on-call.
- 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.
- Demonstrates values in accordance with the Professional Code of Conduct and accountable for own attitude and behaviour
- As a band 6 you will be expected to lead, co-ordinate, supervise and manage a team of staff operating radiotherapy equipment and act as lead practitioner, making assessments and key decisions in regard to workload management, patient care and treatment
- As a band 6 you will be expected to provide mentorship and guidance for junior staff and be a good role model.
- Participate in an annual Personal Development Review.
- Attend all essential training and clinical updates as required and ensure your team also attend all relevant training.
- Be capable of assimilating new ideas and techniques and have an ability to assess their value.
- Assist in the supervision and training/teaching of pre-registration students and new members of staff.
- Highlight to line manager all issues of inadequate performance, including capability and poor professional standards, for students and employees. Provide evidence where necessary and requested.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Graduate level qualification in radiotherapy
- Registration with the HCPC as a Therapeutic Radiographer
- Evidence of post-registration study/education in area relevant to role
Experience
Essential criteria- Clinical Experience within a treatment setting
- Experience of quality, governance and service improvement
- Experience of working within a team environment
- Evidence of CPD activity
- Awareness of contemporary trends in advanced radiotherapy
Skills
Essential criteria- Ability to communicate effectively
- Demonstration of leadership skills
- Excellent IT skills
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Knowledge of the principles of radiotherapy applied to all aspects of the radiotherapy pathway
- Good knowledge of other relevant legislation, guidance and national working parties in radiotherapy
Values
Essential criteria- Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
The closing date for this post may be extended if there are insufficient applicants or brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.
We want to ensure that everyone who works at the Christie or uses our services is welcomed, valued and treated with dignity and respect. The Christie values diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all and fair representation across the organisation at all levels.In support of these commitments, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority people and people with disabilities for this post. Appointment will be only on merit.
We are committed to creating a balanced and diverse workforce. As such we welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Together we will foster inclusion and tackle inequity and health inequalities in cancer care.
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy
All positions within the Christie are subject to the receipt of satisfactory written references, medical clearance and evidence of your Right to Work in the UK. Some roles will require a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. Please note if you are successfully appointed to a post with this Trust, you will be required to pay for your own DBS Disclosure.
By applying for this post you are agreeing to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.
If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, I regret that on this occasion your application will have been unsuccessful.
The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and will form part of the recruitment process. In the event that you are successful following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.
Overseas candidates wishing to apply for this position and who would require immigration sponsorship, may wish to self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for the post on the UKVI website.
You should be aware the Trust operates a No Smoking Policy and therefore employees are not permitted to smoke at work.