Radiographer - Eastbourne Eastbourne, England
Job description
Applications are invited from newly qualified therapy radiographers to join the Sussex Cancer Centre Radiotherapy team, to be based at Eastbourne, employed by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust but working to serve our East Sussex population.
The Sussex Cancer Centre has recently completed a period of expansion of its radiotherapy services. This exciting development included opening a number of linked units as part of our strategy to deliver radiotherapy services across Sussex.
The post holder provides professional radiotherapy services within all the Sussex Cancer Centre locations covering the planning, simulating, calculating and treatment of cancer patients as well as liaising effectively with the multidisciplinary team. Once experienced the post holder will have the responsibility for the daily running of the Linear Accelerator through set competency training.
The post holder requires advanced clinical knowledge of radiotherapy procedures, tissue tolerances, and physiological reactions due to radiation exposure. The post holder practises in accordance with current legislation governing the use of ionising radiation IR(ME)R. High level of competence is required in the use of a wide range of highly complex technical and computerised systems, including;
- Linear accelerators for the delivery of radiation treatment,
- Computerised patient information and appointment management system
- Image matching programmes for verification and evaluation procedures during treatment QA equipment for daily tolerance checks
- Equipment for the delivery of high dose radiation: dual energy, dual modality Linear Accelerators Computerised Tomography (CT) scanners.
- Computerised treatment planning systems
- QA equipment for daily tolerance checks
- Close association with Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Sussex Universities.
- £2,000 R&R payment available
- Staff discounts in Sussex.
At UHSussex we’re proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of theUK’s largest acute Trusts, we’re a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years.
Improving lives: We are a vibrant and inclusive organisation, with hardworking, talented and dedicated individuals, who work together towards a common goal, to always put ourPatient First. Our mission is summed up by our ‘where better never stops’ motto and no matter the role at UHSussex, you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex. We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in ourwellbeing programmefor staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
Build a career with us: As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
- Use electronic imager to confirm patient positioning at start of radiotherapy course and during treatment as part of QA protocol.
- Calculate accuracy of patient position and use clinical judgement to adjust positioning, taking into account contour of patients, progression and regression of tumour.
- In case of discrepancies and inability to treat patient refer for changes in calculation or refer back to CT/planning for re-planning.
- To ensure that prior to each treatment, provide expert assessment to whether each patient is fit for treatment, and take appropriate action if unfit for treatment by referral to a clinician.
- Making judgements when speciality support is required by other disciplines due to the nature of the patients problems and referral on to dieticians and Macmillan team
- Arrange for blood / urine sampling and analyse results before treatment, Responsible for continuing or suspending patient’s treatment, depending on result. Inform patient of highly sensitive result and refer to clinician if treatment is suspended
- Permanent skin mark patients to ensure accurate and reproducible daily treatment set-up
- Use spatial awareness, visual precision and manual dexterity in the precise and safe manipulation of both patient and equipment for optimal daily set-up. The result is an accurate irretrievable radiation beam set within three millimetres tolerance which ensures that as a consequence no vital structure is treated.
