Practice Educator Radiotherapy

Job summary

An exciting opportunity hasarisen to cover for our practice educator for a 15 month period. Although this is advertised as a full time post, applications from staff wanting to work part time are welcome.

We are seeking applications fromforward thinking, clinically competent senior radiographers who have the abilityto act under their own initiative to teach and train others.

The practice educator will beresponsible for ensuring that the educational and training needs of theradiotherapy workforce within the Worcestershire Oncology Centre are met. Thiswill include supporting newly qualified, international, apprentice as well asqualified radiographers working within thedepartment.

You will be expected to workclinically in order to maintain and update your own clinical skills in order tosupport hands on training on set.

We are based in a new bespokepurpose built building on the Worcestershire Royal Hospital site, withbeautiful views of the Malvern Hills and the Cotswolds.

We are a smallfriendly team of approximately 35 radiographers. We have 3 Elekta Linacs 2 ofwhich are capable of 4DXVI as well as a superficial unit and a Cannon wide boreCT scanner. We are paper light utilizing Mosaiq which is currently shared withUHCW and our own Raystation planningsystem

We provide placements forundergraduate students from Birmingham City University and have started tointroduce apprenticeships through Sheffield Hallam University.

Main duties of the job

Maintain clinical competency at Band7 level andtake on the full responsibilities of that role when required. Such as being able to operate radiotherapyequipment safely and accurately interpreting and applying radiationprescription plans, using clinical judgement to justify deviation fromprotocol.

Be clinically competent to safely andefficiently manipulate all complex and specialised equipment associated withthe planning and treatment of patients undergoing radiotherapy treatment withionising radiation.

Ensure all post graduate and undergraduateradiographers have access and understanding of radiotherapy development andpractices here at Worcestershire Oncology Centre.

Support newly qualified staff andinternational recruits utilising a preceptorship programme.

Lead on the training of apprenticeswithin the radiotherapy team.

Act as the placement liaison between thedepartment and higher education institutes

Attend meetings within the trust, widerICB and WM region relating to training/education.

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:

Best services for local people Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients Best use of resources Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Mainduties and Responsibilities:

Education and Development

Liaisewith the Radiotherapy Service Manager, Clinical Lead Radiographers, treatmentand pre-treatment Radiographers, Medical Physicists and Clinical Oncologists,to identify the development and training needs of the current and futureradiotherapy workforce, in line with individual staff needs and servicerequirements.

Devise support mechanisms and assessment criteria in all aspectsof training within the treatment and pre-treatment areas to ensure a commonstandard.

Develop,implement and evaluate competency based training programmes and facilitatelearning opportunities to meet the educational and skills development needs ofTherapeutic Radiography staff (including apprentices) and HCAs within theRadiotherapy Department.

Facilitateand support the development and implementation of preceptorship programmes fornewly appointed staff.

Provide coaching and mentorship forRadiotherapy staff throughout their career to enable them to realise their fullpotential.

Participatein curriculum development and joint professional development activities withother agencies CHEC learning and development team and Birmingham City University.

Provide educational support for student radiographers (includingapprentices) to maximise the learning opportunities available throughout theirclinical placements. Liaise with HEIs toensure any additional requirements for learners are met whilst on clinicalplacement.

Ensurethat there are effective mechanisms for managing and recording training andassessment. Provide and present reports as appropriate.

Ensurethat Trusts Statutory and Mandatory training requirements for therapeuticradiographers and HCAs within radiotherapy are met.

Ensurethat annual PDRs are undertaken in a timely manner

Providesupport for return to practice

Clinical/Technical

Takeresponsibility for the correct interpretation, application and delivery ofroutine and complex Radiotherapy treatment prescriptions using expert clinicalskills

Ensurethat highly specialist Radiotherapy equipment is used safely and accuratelywithin the tolerances defined for the technique/ procedure and in accordancewith manufacturers guidance and departmental protocols.

Undertakeverification processes evaluating the accuracy of treatment using portalimaging or CBCT, ensuring that results are systematically analysed to maintaintreatment accuracy.

Approveand clinically justify any deviation from department protocols or predeterminedtolerances keeping appropriate records and calling on other members of themultidisciplinary team for further advice / action as necessary.

Takeresponsibility for ensuring that in-vivo dosimetry measurements are undertakenfor patients receiving external beam treatment and acting on measurements thatare out of tolerance.

Undertaketreatment routine and complex localisation procedures using a CT scanner.

Ensurethat the most appropriate technique / modality is selected to meet the needs ofthe patient and the requirements of their treatment plan.

Identifyand undertake appropriate pre-treatment processes for both simple and complextreatments ensuring that they are completed in a safe and timely fashion. Thiswill include:

o Production of vsimtreatment plans

o Input and checking oftreatment critical data using the patient management system (Mosaiq)

o Electronic checking ofcomplex treatment prescriptions

o Collation of alltreatment accessories and requirements prior to the patients first visit

Undertakefinal check of all treatment parameters and processes to ensure that they arecorrect, complete and compliant with department protocols prior to theinitiation of treatment. Take appropriate corrective action in the event of anerror or non-conformance ensuring that any process failures or training needsare identified and addressed.

Provideclinical / technical advice on Radiotherapy treatment to members of themultidisciplinary team and other professionals within and external to the Trust

Takeindividual professional responsibility for the accurate delivery of treatmentto radiotherapy patients ensuring that the requirements of all ionisingradiation regulations are adhered to.

Toundertake Out of Hours and On-Call duties to support full service delivery.

Patient care

Takeresponsibility for ensuring patients medical condition and progress ismonitored during treatment and any significant changes are reported to theappropriate consultant or Macmillan Review Radiographer.

Planand implement an appropriate supportive care package for patients liaising withmultidisciplinary, team, other departments, professionals and agencies tooptimise support before during and after treatment.

Providewritten and verbal information to patients and carers on all aspects ofRadiotherapy treatment and its associated side effects ensuring thatexplanations are appropriate to the patients comprehension and level ofunderstanding.

Educate,motivate and reassure patients to ensure consent to and compliance withtreatment regimens which may be arduous and poorly tolerated, assessing thepatients physical and emotional state on a daily basis to ensure fitness fortreatment.

Clinical Leadership

Actas a clinical role model for effective clinical leadership enabling andfacilitating others to take forward initiatives.

Attaincontinuous improvements to service provision by maintaining current/up to dateknowledge of best practice and by creating an environment of trust and respect.

Workcollaboratively with other professional groups to maximise development opportunitiesand inter-professional learning opportunities.

Maximiseopportunities to share good practices and innovations with colleagues locallyand nationally.

QualityManagement/Clinical Governance

Be responsible and accountable for ownactions in accordance with the HCPC Radiographers Professional Code of Conduct

To understand and comply withprofessional, statutory and trust policies and procedures ( SCOR Code ofProfessional conduct)

Facilitate the development,implementation, monitoring, evaluation and audit of Radiotherapy policies,protocols, guidelines and standards ensuring that they meet current practiceand professional regulations.

Work with QA Lead Radiographer to ensurethat training and development documentation and processes are in line withnational and local requirements.

Act as a resource for staff to accessand raise awareness of national and local policies that will impact upon themand affect the delivery of patient care.

Ensure that quality standards are setand monitored and that clinical risk management and clinical audit are anintegral part of practice developments.

Facilitate the implementation ofnational and local quality initiatives to improve service delivery.

Report and be part of the investigationteam for Clinical incidents in line with departmental policy.

Undertake the development,implementation and audit of radiotherapy quality procedures and workinstructions proposing changes as appropriate to ensure that they representbest practice.

Represent the Trust on externalprofessional groups and network with colleagues from other organisations asappropriate.

Professional Development / Practice

Undertaketraining /updates required to operate all equipment safely, effectively and tomaximise its therapeutic potential.

Participatein Continuing Professional Development activities including Trust Mandatorytraining, sharing knowledge and cascade training where appropriate.

Regularlyundertake research, development and audit within the department as requiredfacilitating the implementation of evidence based practice.

Promoteresearch/evidence based practice and audit outcomes to inform clinical practiceand set clinical standards.

Instigateor contribute to research initiatives and clinical audit programmes asappropriate.

Management of Resources

Promotea culture where staff are valued, supported and deliver high quality care

Understand,manage and be accountable for the use of resources in a cost effective way

Participatein the recruitment, selection and retention of staff

Activelysupport the 4Ward initiatives within the Department and across the wider Trust.

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

Essential

Leadership skills, including good interpersonal skills Motivated self-starter and able to motivate others Caring and empathetic Able to work effectively in an emotionally charged environment Inspires confidence in patients and colleagues

Qualifications

Essential

BSc Hons or equivalent in therapeutic radiography Demonstrable CPD and evidence of using learning to improve practice Mentor / assessor training

Desirable

Post graduate education / qualification in radiotherapy Coaching qualification Leadership training (such as ILM or Edward Jenner) PgCert (or higher) in Health related Clinical Education

Experience

Essential

Extensive post qualification experience with some experience in a senior capacity using a wide range of techniques and equipment Experience of developing and implementing new techniques / protocols Supervising junior staff Training and assessment of students Experience of delivering training to others

Desirable

Elekta or Mosaiq experience Acting up experience at band 7 level Participation in project groups or working parties Evidence of project management delivery

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Awareness of IR(ME)R regulations and their implication for Radiotherapy practice Awareness of SOR / RCR guidance for verification (such as on target 2). Able to perform simple and complex treatment set ups quickly and accurately Able to teach clinical skills to others Able to communicate complex or sensitive information in a manner which aids understanding and compliance Good organiser able to prioritise tasks for self and others Able to motivate and enable junior staff to work to their full potential

---