Enhanced Practitioner in Radiotherapy Planning, Band 7

Job description

Job responsibilities

Enhanced Practitioners in radiotherapy planning will participate fully in the provision of external beam treatment planning service providing specialist clinical technical services within the Radiotherapy department

All planning radiographers are required to assess and plan patients in accordance with occupational policies and work with autonomy for practice while working as part of a team who deliver dosimetry to a caseload of patients every day

Use computers and their advanced knowledge of anatomy, physiology and radiobiology, together with their understanding of radiation beams to make individualised plans for how to treat cancer patients

Using their expertise in dosimetry and having an enhanced understanding of what constitutes an optimal Radiotherapy plan to achieve the desired outcome of tumour control with minimal damage to healthy organs. Any error may result in overdose or underdose to the patient.

Adherence to ICRU guidelines is critical to ensure no harm to the patient

The post holder has responsibility to ensure that the treatment has been planned correctly, the plan is accurate, complies with good current practice and doses to sensitive critical structures are below limits at which damage may occur.

Work autonomously using expert judgement and analytical skills to choose between a range of different options for an optimal radiotherapy plan. In producing a complex plan the post holder must decide which of several competing approaches to choose when setting out toproduce a plan for a cancer patient. This will include beam placement, beam energies, the use of areas to avoid and areas to treat. The Oncologist will inspect the selected plan, not always seeing all of the alternative possibilities that the postholder considered along the way.

The post holders judgement must be sufficiently sound that the Oncologist can rely on them to have selected the optimum path.

The plans produced inform the treatment radiographers how to set up the patient and the linear accelerator to treat each individual patient. All set up information and instructions need to be accurately recorded as any errors will result in inconsistencies and errors on treatmentfloor.

To be an expert and maintain up to date planning skills and competencies for all sites to an advanced level undertaking IMRT/VMAT in addition to 3DCRT, 4DCT planning and palliative dosimetry. Undertake both simple and complex planning

Evaluate CT scans ensuring they are suitable to use for radiotherapy planning and refer the patient for a rescan if appropriate

Use their knowledge to correctly interpret the consultants prescription and intent and challenge them if it is incorrect, not achievable or not in the best interest of the patient

Use their knowledge to provide Consultants and Registrars with expert advice on treatment plan options and effect on dose distributions to create optimum individualised treatment plans

Advise Consultants on the use of bolus to gain optimal dosimetric coverage of clinical target volumes

Person Specification

Qualifications, knowledge and experience

Essential

• BSC in Radiotherapy or equivalent
• HCPC registration
• Evidence of Masters level training
• Use of specific department computerised patient system - ARIA/Pinnacle
• Understanding of dosimetry and complex planning
• Able to work independently and on own initiative
• Able to prioritise tasks for self and others
• Able to work effectively in a mentally challenging department - constant juggling of multiple tasks
• Significant experience in complex radiotherapy planning
• Ability to prioritise and organise workload to meet deadlines

Desirable

• Use of hospital computerised patient system (PAS)
• Experience of a rotation through pre-treatment

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Oncology Centre (Cheltenham General Hospital)

Cheltenham

GL53 7AN

Employer's website

https://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)