Senior Treatment Planning Dosimetrist

Job summary

We are looking to employ an experienced treatment planning dosimetrist. The main role of this post is to carry out treatment planning and checking as part of the external beam treatment planning team based at the Guy's Cancer Centre.

Main duties of the job

The Radiotherapy Physics Section is responsible for providing a clinical scientific service to the Radiotherapy Department of Guy's Cancer Centre. Functions of the section include: carrying out patient radiotherapy treatment planning and checking; advising other clinical staff on thephysics of radiotherapy; measuring patient received doses and radiotherapy treatment equipment output; ensuring the safety of patients and staff in a hazardous environment which includes exposure to high levels of ionising radiation; ensuring equipment is operating safelyand effectively, and investigating complex faults; the evaluation, selection, procurement, installation and acceptance testing of equipment; and supporting research and clinical trials.

Working closely with Clinical Oncology and Radiotherapy, physicists, dosimetrists and technicians provide a wide range of services. The main role of this post is to carry out treatment planning and checking as part of a team in the Treatment Planning service. The post holder willbe responsible on a day to day basis to the Lead Treatment Planning Dosimetrists.

Please see the Job Description and Person Specification for detailed information regarding the responsibilities and requirements for this post.

About us

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust (GSTT) has embarked upon a comprehensive cancer strategy that will shape the future of services for the next generation of cancer patients. We strive to become a world class cancer service, delivering internationally distinctive services that are patient centred, research driven and clinically led. The cancer centres at GSTT and Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup (QMH) have been created so that we can realise this vision.

The Department of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering at Guys & St. Thomas' provides a comprehensive range of scientific and technical services to the Trust and external organisations. Its large Radiotherapy Physics and Engineering section works closely with the Radiotherapy Department to deliver high quality patient care on state of the art equipment.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Relationships The post holder will come into contact and liaise closely with a wide range of staff in Radiotherapy and Medical Physics, including medical and nursing staff, administrative support staff, physicists, technicians and radiographers.

4. Duties and Responsibilities 1. Clinical Produce routine and complex treatment plans and carry out associated dosimetry calculations, in accordance with clinical prescription and agreed procedures. Check that all patient images required to produce treatment plans are available. Analyse requirements and make complex judgements regarding treatment parameters and patient dose effects to produce the required dose distribution over the treatment volume, using computerised planning systems as 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 Provide support to the Mould Room as required. Prepare immobilisation devices for patient treatment as well as other customised aids and shields to facilitate patient set up and Check and approve treatment plans, dose calculations and templates produced by other members of Supervise and provide peer review feedback to other staff within the treatment planning section as required Treatment Planning Dosimetrists and radiotherapy Understand the operation of the treatment machines and appreciate their potential and limitations with regard to treatment techniques. Provide treatment radiographers with advice on planning aspects of the treatment and attend the set-up of patients on machines, as Replan patient treatments where required, following changes to the treatment regime or patient shape. Use judgement to analyse and determine the most appropriate compensation method. Calculate the compensation required and subsequent patient dose. Carry out dose calculations for As required, provide support to brachytherapy treatments. Carry out dose calculations and distributions, and attend theatre and patient imaging sessions. Assist with resolving any problems with the procedure, including those arising with the patient As required, assist with routine patient-specific dosimetry measurements ( DQA, in vivo dosimetry) and machine QA As required, attend multi-disciplinary meetings (MDM), advising on any treatment planning issues and acting as liaison on behalf of the treatment planning team. Work with the Lead Treatment Planning Dosimetrists to coordinate individual patient planningpathways to agreed Assist in producing or revising written protocols for localisation, simulation, treatment planning and radiotherapy treatments as part of the Department Quality System. Participate fully in implementing and maintaining this Attend weekly treatment site specific clinician peer review meetings as facilitated within the Radiotherapy Service in accordance with RCR Take part in treatment site specific working parties to agree changes to protocols affecting Radiotherapy Physics and Act as an operator under the definitions of the IR(ME)R regulations in accordance with Trust Policies and Practices.

2. Managerial Prioritise and manage own work to meet agreed Keep careful records of all work performed and complete other appropriate records for statistical monitoring purposes.

3. Teaching, training and research Provide practical instruction in all treatment planning techniques associated with the post. Supervise trainees radiography students from South Bank University, and FRCR Assist with training and mentoring of other staff in treatment planning, as required.Provide one to one training and tutorials to staff on rotation through treatment planning radiotherapy physicists. Ensure training logs are kept Present seminars plan-of-the-week, and feedback on meetings Participate in research and development projects and clinical audit, in conjunction with other staff groups.

4. Professional Participate in an appropriate Continuing Professional Development Attend suitable seminars and courses as part of training and personal development and to further the work of the Ensure all activities are carried out within a quality framework and conform to Statutory Regulations, approved Codes of Practice and Local Safety Ensure compliance with accredited Quality Systems in the areas of work for which the post-holder carries responsibility. Participate in the development of quality 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 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 When working in other departments, the appointee 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 Medical Perform other appropriate duties which may be required from time to time by the Head of Radiotherapy Physics or Head of Medical Physics.

Please see the Job Description and Person Specification for detailed information regarding the responsibilities and requirements for this post.

Person Specification

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential

Honours degree in relevant subject or evidence of equivalent knowledge State registration as a Therapeutic Radiographer, or Register of Clinical Technologists

Desirable

Progress towards higher degree in a relevant subject

Experience

Essential

Broad knowledge and experience across the range of working procedures and practices in radiotherapy Specialist experience & knowledge of treatment planning

Desirable

Experience of working in the mould room

Skills

Essential

Broad understanding of patient and staff risks arising from radiotherapy planning and treatment Able to communicate complex information across professional boundaries & good interpersonal skills

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