Healthcare Scientist Practitioner (Nuclear Medicine)

Job overview

Provide technical support to the physics service - primarily of Nuclear Medicine but also to the work of Clinical and Radiation Physics at Plymouth University Hospital NHS Trust.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification***

• Provide a range of clinical technical support services within the Clinical & Radiation Physics Group, which is part of the Healthcare Science and Technology Service Line.
• Provide scientific technical services in support of Nuclear Medicine
• Monitor, audit and dispose of radioactive stocks and waste while ensuring records are accurate and up to date.
• Manage statutory records for radioactive sources
• Assist in the management of radioactive sources
• Assist in maintenance and calibration of radiation monitoring equipment
• Perform quality assurance tests on a range of imaging and measurement equipment in diagnostic radiology (x-rays) and nuclear medicine (sealed and unsealed sources of radioactivity).

Working for our organisation

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

1. Radiation Protection
2. 1. Assist the Consultant and Principal Physicists in the scientific activities of the Nuclear Medicine department.
3. 2. Perform routine equipment quality assurance (QA) tests on highly complex hybrid gamma cameras and computer systems.
4. 3. Perform routine equipment QA tests on measuring equipment such as gamma probes, well counters and radiation detectors.
5. 4. Maintain quality control records for nuclear medicine imaging equipment.
6. 5. Assist with monitoring and disposal of radioactive stocks and waste. This includes taking personal responsibility for ensuring that all database information is accurate.
7. 6. Perform procedural audits and audits of radioactive material in nuclear medicine.
8. 7. Perform staff dosimetry analysis.
9. 8. Assist with and analyse environmental monitoring across the Trust and external customers’ sites.
10. 9. To assist the physics staff in the provision of the Radionuclide Therapy Service.
11. 10. Administration duties related to the classified workers within the Trust.
12. 11. Assist physics staff in compliance with legislation, including Medical Device Regulations.
13. 12. Organise calibrations for radiation monitoring instrumentation. This will include requesting quotes, arranging for monitor calibrations and taking personal responsibility for ensuring monitors in use are within calibration.
14. 13. Perform local calibration measurements for radiation monitoring instrumentation.
15. 14. Investigate and perform tests on faulty monitoring equipment and arrange repairs where necessary.
16. 15. Perform regular checks on contamination monitoring equipment between calibrations.
17. 16. Perform quality control measurements on wide range of complex x-ray and associated devices.
18. 17. Analyse test results, produce reports of the findings, present and discuss these with other scientific staff.
19. 18. Maintain records of clinical trial activities.
20. 19. Support the RPA/RWA and Clinical Scientists in providing radiation protection advice and support to the Trust and other customers.
21. 20. Assist in the provision of compliance assurance regarding ionising radiations.
22. 21. Assist other scientific staff in the collation and analysis of data.
23. 22. Support the wider operational workload of the Clinical Radiation Physics Service as directed by the Heads of Clinical & Radiation Physics.
24. 23. Assist with contamination monitoring and decontamination of rooms used for unsealed source therapy. (Carryout without supervision)
25. 24. Maintain records for contamination monitoring.
26. 25. Assist in the management of disposal of radioactive waste from the nuclear medicine department waste store.
27. 26. Carry out leakage testing of sealed radioactive sources and sealed source audits.
28. 27. Other tasks relating to source management such as performing regular audits.
29. COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
30. 1. Communicate daily with Nuclear Medicine Physics staff which will involve complex communication about planning work and discuss on-going work.
31. 2. Clinical, scientific and admin colleagues in the Nuclear Medicine department will occasionally involve negotiating skills with daily communication.
32. 3. Communicate with customers, NHS Trust staff, non-NHS healthcare customers, service providers (UK Health Security Agency, Manufacturers etc.).
33. 4. Liaise and co-operate with other scientific, medical and professional staff within work area. Attend Group, Service Line and other meetings as required.
34. 5. Communicate with patients of the Nuclear Medicine department. This may involve tact, negotiation and influencing skills. There may also be barriers to communicating to patients such as physical or learning disabilities.
35. QUALITY AND CLINICAL GOVERNANCE
36. 1. Follow procedures for record keeping and maintain accurate records of all work carried out.
37. 2. Participate in Service Line and Trust-wide corporate and clinical governance initiatives as appropriate.
38. 3. Be familiar with relevant quality management systems, procedures, and work instructions. Propose changes to quality documentation for own work areas.
39. 4. Support the maintenance and development of the accredited quality system.
40. 5. Be familiar with the Trust’s adverse incident reporting procedure.
41. 6. Participate in audits and review of the service.
42. OTHER
43. 1. Manage and prioritise own workload.
44. 2. Plan QA tests on equipment to ensure they are carried out within agreed timescales and around clinical need. This will involve liaising with the Lead Technologist or their deputy to allow sufficient time to complete tests on gamma cameras and other equipment.
45. 3. Act as an Operator under the IR(ME)R regulations by performing QA tests on highly complex hybrid gamma cameras and computer systems and other measuring equipment, so images acquired are diagnostic and therapy administrations are given within tolerance. Ensure any problems with these tests are highlighted immediately to the Medical Physics Expert, to ensure that any imaging carried out on the equipment is diagnostic and patients receive the prescribed amount of radioactivity for imaging and treatment.
46. 4. Provide general technical administrative support.
47. 5. Work flexibly to meet service requirements, this will require some tasks to be performed outside the directorates core working hours. For example, routine contamination monitoring is performed at the end of the extended working day (18.00).
48. 6. To behave courteously and professionally at all times and seek to ensure that the highest level of service is provided.
49. 7. Work safely at all times and in particular when working with sources of ionising radiations.
50. 8. The working environment may require the post holder to occasionally have exposure to unpleasant working conditions.
51. 9. Support training of other staff.
52. 10. Provide administrative support when needed to departmental and directorate activities including audits under the departmental quality system, use of the Trust asset database (eQuip) and the ordering of goods, and services (EPROC).
53. 11. Post holder required to undertake a programme of continued professional development in order to develop, as required by the service.

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree equivalent level of knowledge in Physics or equivalent science-based degree

• On the Voluntary Register of Clinical Technologists (VRCT)
• Completed PTP training scheme (or in house equivalent)

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

• Demonstrable evidence of project work involving extensive measurement and analysis of data
• Working in a team environment (can be as a member of a student team at university level)
• Basic knowledge of radiation theory and its application to nuclear medicine

• Work in a large healthcare provider environment
• Experience of handling radioactive sources
• Understanding of legislation pertaining to health and safety, radiation protection and radioactive substances

APTITUDE & ABILITIES

• Ability to communicate complex information to a wide range of people
• Self-organised and able to work in a busy environment
• A strong sense of personal accountability coupled with a clear understanding of the boundaries around delegated authority, responsibility and accountability
• Computer literate – able to use MS Office, Excel and Word
• Manual dexterity: able to setup highly accurate experiments.
• Able to demonstrate problem solving and prioritising abilities and to complete projects to a satisfactory conclusion
• Ability to deal with occasional distressing circumstances

• Able to use Access or other database systems

DISPOSITION / ATTITUDE / MOTIVATION

• Able to work both automatously and with others
• A positive outlook and a desire to develop

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY INCLUDING YOUR JUNK FOLDER.

If you need support with the online application process or require reasonable adjustments with the application and/or interview process please contact the Recruiting Manager for this post.

We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We recommend contacting the manager of the role prior to applying and we commit to giving requests full consideration.

We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included.

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.

This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.

For Doctors Roles:

Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details

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