Head of Radiotherapy Physics | Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

"About the DepartmentThe Department of Medical Physics at Guy’s and St Thomas’ provides a comprehensive range of scientific and technical services to the Trust and external organisations. Its large radiotherapy physics group works closely with the Radiotherapy Department to deliver high quality patient care on state of the art equipment. Imaging is supported by diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine and MR physics. Wider patient, staff and public safety is addressed by the radiation safety and non-ionising radiation sections which also calibrate diagnostic and test equipment for many external customers. Equipment support is provided to an extensive range of medical devices across the Trust, with device development and repair backed up by well-equipped workshops and a clinical engineering section dealing with regulatory and policy issues. As part of the King’s Health Partners Academic Health Science Centre, the Department has close links to the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences and other groups at King’s College London and to medical physics and engineering colleagues at Kings College Hospital, for service delivery, teaching and research. The Department aims to provide its 150 staff with interesting and worthwhile careers.Job OverviewThe Radiotherapy service at Guy’s and St Thomas’ is the sole provider for the South East London Cancer Network (1.6 million population). As part of King’s Health Partners, the Trust has an ambitious programme to transform cancer care in the region. The Medical Physics department seeks an experienced and ambitious physicist with strong academic credentials, leadership and project management skills to head the Radiotherapy Physics Section. The postholder will lead the service through a period of rapid development to achieve and maintain world‑class standards. The Section’s functions include radiotherapy treatment planning and verification, clinical advice on radiotherapy physics, dosimetry, equipment quality assurance, fault investigation, and support for procurement and commissioning. The team operates within a multidisciplinary framework and quality system, closely integrated with the clinical radiotherapy service. As Head of Radiotherapy Physics, the postholder will provide scientific, clinical and professional leadership, ensuring high‑quality, safe, and innovative service delivery. They will oversee academic, strategic and project work, manage resources and staff, and coordinate with Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology colleagues on service and strategic developments. The role includes leading research and development, fostering academic collaboration with KCL and partner institutions, and contributing to teaching and training, supported by an honorary KCL contract.The post holder will have contact with a wide range of staff in Radiotherapy and other clinical departments involved in cancer treatment across Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospitals and other centres in the cancer network. This will include working closely with consultant and junior medical staff, therapy radiographers, senior nurses, clinical nurse specialists, allied health professionals, general managers and administrative and clerical support staff. The post holder will also work with academic staff and industry.Organisational ValuesCaring – we put patients firstAmbitious – we innovate and strive for excellenceInclusive – we respect each other and work collaborativelyKey ResponsibilitiesClinical ServiceLead all relevant staff in Medical Physics, and work closely with Clinical Oncology to provide a high quality Medical Physics clinical, scientific and technical service to the Guy’s Cancer Centre.Direct and manage the work of the Radiotherapy Physics Section to achieve objectives and service developments in line with Departmental and Trust strategies and policies. Develop new services, protocols and procedures, which may affect staff and activity in Clinical Oncology.Clinical ScientificSet and maintain high standards in the safe and effective application of physical principles to radiotherapy physics in the performance of staff, clinical procedures and the utilisation of equipment and radiation sources.Lead senior staff in the Section to coordinate service delivery and service developments.Ensure Radiotherapy Physics facilities and practices are of a high standard, and comply with national regulations, codes of practice, professional guidelines, Trust and other requirements. Interpret and apply legislation, policies and guidelines.Ensure that the Section’s equipment is being properly maintained and calibrated.Ensure that a programme of Quality Control is maintained, to make sure all treatment equipment is fit for clinical use, meets professionally accepted standards and is regularly checked in accordance with national regulations and professionally‑recognised best practice.Coordinate the work of Radiotherapy Physics with the Head of the Radiation Equipment Servicing group, to ensure treatment equipment is maintained and managed to the highest standards. Authorise the hand‑over and withdrawal of equipment from use.In co‑operation with the Trust’s Radiation Protection Adviser, ensure advice and support is provided to Clinical Oncology on radiation safety. This will include the provision of expert knowledge for the design of new facilities.The postholder will act as a Medical Physics Expert under the definition of IRMER Regulations, in accordance with Trust Policies and Practices. The postholder will coordinate the work of other Medical Physics Experts in the Section and oversee the work of Section staff acting as operators under IRMER.Introduce new radiotherapy procedures into the Trust, in collaboration with other professional staff.Take overall responsibility for maintaining proper Health and Safety standards and adherence to regulations within the Section.Ensure that the ISO 9001 Quality Management System in the Section is maintained and developed to minimise clinical risk, liaising closely with the quality system in other parts of Medical Physics and within Radiotherapy. Make sure quality procedures are followed within the Section.Provide highly complex scientific and technical advice to other clinical staff, as required. Investigate complex and subtle equipment and operational problems to identify solutions.Create and format spreadsheets and databases to meet departmental requirements.ManagerialLine manage all scientific, technical and radiographic staff in the Section. Provide professional leadership to other staff working within Radiotherapy Physics.Carry out annual appraisal of staff for whom the postholder is responsible and agree annual training and development plans. Ensure that staff undertake Continuing Professional Development and mandatory training.Ensure that staff training and development in the Section are given a high priority including achievement of structured training plans and the delivery of internal seminars.Ensure good communication between staff in the Section, the rest of Medical Physics and other departments within the Trust. Coordinate the work of the Section with the needs of clinical users and delegate tasks appropriately.Carry out strategic and annual service planning for the Section as part of Medical Physics business planning. Negotiate detailed Service Level Agreements with Radiotherapy and other departments as appropriate.Manage Section resources. Identify resource needs for existing services and future clinical and service developments. Provide input to business plans and negotiate as required over resource provision.Manage the delegated Section non‑pay budget and other allocated revenue including project grants. Manage budgets for agreed capital expenditure. Monitor and control expenditure within agreed budgets.Attend management meetings as required. This will include regular meetings with senior managers in Medical Physics and Clinical Oncology.Regularly review the balance and cost effectiveness of how services are provided, including in‑house and external equipment maintenance services. Carry out benchmarking as appropriate.Lead bids to the Trust and other funders for projects, staffing and equipment. Propose and manage the introduction of new services and equipment. Lead project teams as required, to manage planning processes for new facilities, equipment procurement and commissioning.Teaching, Training and ResearchInitiate research and development projects relevant to the scientific and clinical work of Radiotherapy Physics and the Cancer Centre. Support applications for research and development funding, including projects undertaken in collaboration with Clinical Oncology and other clinical departments. Obtain and manage external grant funding, manage research and development projects and develop the Trust’s intellectual property. Actively seek collaborations for research within the Trust and KCL, including the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, and also with external organisations and manufacturers.Meet regularly with other staff in the Cancer Centre to coordinate and develop research programmes.Present original scientific and other work at meetings and conferences, and in publication.Supervise the scientific work of trainees, graduate and postgraduate students, and appropriately qualified research staff working in Radiotherapy Physics.Organise and participate in teaching and training programmes for trainees, staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and others as required and as agreed with the Trust and School.Professional DevelopmentThe post holder will be required to keep abreast of the latest technical and scientific developments and new practices relating to Clinical Oncology and Radiotherapy Physics.Attend suitable seminars, meetings and courses as part of personal development and to further the work of the Department.Register and participate in the IPEM or other approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme.MiscellaneousImplement and ensure compliance with accredited Quality Systems in the areas of work for which the postholder carries responsibility.Carry out all duties in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act, relevant Statutory Regulations, Approved Codes of Conduct and Local Rules.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.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 postholder will behave courteously and professionally at all times and seek to ensure that the highest level of service is provided by Medical Physics.Perform other appropriate duties that may be required from time to time by the Head of Medical Physics.This advert closes on Wednesday 10 Dec 2025" #J-18808-Ljbffr