Advanced Practitioner Radiographer

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical trials/research:

• Be responsible for the provision of ECIP programme and study related information for the purpose of patient recruitment and consent and ascertain and record sensitive information as required for case report form (CRF) completion.

• Provide an important point of contact for the patient and carers regarding their participation in an ECIP programme study, PBT clinical trial or departmental research, both during and after completion of treatment, ensuring continuity of care.

• Plan and prioritise workloads i.e., organise daily schedule and acceptance of ECIP programme (and PBT trial patients).
• Lead, supervise and/or undertake an active role in audit, research, development, improvement/ implementation of new techniques and practices, assessing results and impacts.

• Have a sound knowledge of research governance, clinical governance, research ethics, and trial regulations and comply with the principles of ICH GCP, ensuring certification remains current.

• Attend National Institute of Health Research and The Christies research and innovation department training courses, lectures, presentations, and conferences to maintain current knowledge and skills in clinical trials and research.

• Ensure that all documentation and QA is completed prior to any trial or study opening.

• Ensure correct care paths are input for ECIP programme (and PBT trial patients), with established links to relevant stakeholders, so plan reviews are completed in a timely and efficient manner.

• Be responsible for the accurate collection, reporting and transcription of ECIP programme (and PBT trial related data), working closely with the PCOU team ensuring such data is stored securely, and where appropriate, anonymised, according to ECIP programme stipulations and exported to the ECIP platform.

• Liaise with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, the Greater Manchester Clinical Research Network, The Christies research and innovation department, local and national research organisations, and trials registration offices to facilitate the implementation of studies within the ECIP programme and PBT services.

• Assess, analyse, and interpret research data and use this to make evidence-based clinical judgements.

Clinical:

• Participate in and supervise, where competent and appropriate, in pre-treatment imaging, treatment delivery, image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) and adaptive radiotherapy (ART) for patients across the PBT service.

• Ensure accurate and safe delivery of highly complex treatment plans and to act as an expert in the delivery of trials-based treatment techniques.

• Give information at an appropriate level of understanding to ensure a patient is fully informed along all stages of the patient pathway.

• Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients and their families/carers by offering support, treatment information, and advice on radiotherapy side effects.

• Use clinical reasoning in the assessment of patients for the ECIP programme and study related activities.

• Assess and troubleshoot patient care issues and provide support, advice and referrals where appropriate, particularly with regard to the ECIP programme, clinical trials and/or the research patient pathway.

• Report faulty equipment and medical devices to the appropriate supervisor.

• Ensure that treatment deviations from ECIP programme (and PBT trials protocols) are appropriately reported.

• Maintain in-depth knowledge of UK radiation legislation IR(ME)R 2017 and IRR 2017 and act as an expert resource in interpretation of the legislation with regards to standard operating procedures and error reporting; plus knowledge of other relevant legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, and MHRA Safety Guidelines for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Equipment in Clinical Use.

Supervisory and managerial:

• Provide professional, technical, operational and clinical leadership regarding ECIP programme (and PBT trial procedures) to radiographic staff.

• Promote opportunities for team development and individual role enhancement.

• Be responsible for the collection of key performance indicator data to support business cases for team expansion.

• Support and deputise for the Principal Clinical Trials Research Radiographer by playing a key role in the department management, which includes undertaking clinical operational responsibility, contributing to business case development and attending trust committee, local trust partnership, managerial, radiotherapy-related research, and research and development meetings when required.

• Ensure that Trust standards are maintained, and all staff are kept up-to-date with clinical trials and research developments across the PBT service.

• Establish and maintain excellent communication links with the multi-disciplinary team.

• Act as an advocate for The Christie, and the radiotherapy profession, at national and international forums, conferences, and vendor meetings

• Develop and review work instructions and operating procedures in conjunction with the clinical trials radiographers.

• Act as lead radiographer on the ECIP programme projects, demonstrating an ability to work autonomously and as a team member.

• Continually assess and monitor risk in own practice and that of others, challenging others as appropriate.

• Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff through supporting appointment panels, completion of paperwork and liaison with Human Resources and Occupational Health departments to ensure successful employment of candidates.

• Demonstrates the Trusts values and be accountable for own attitude and behaviour.

Teaching and training:

• Induct, train, and supervise clinical trials staff, ensuring competencies are attained in a timely manner.

• Participate in organising and facilitating visitors to the PBT department, in both operational and clinical trials/research aspects.

• Disseminate specialist findings to colleagues and members of the health care professions through presentation and publication at national and international level.

• Participate in the development and implementation of competencies and training packages relevant to all aspects of the IGRT and ART workflows.

• Supervise and manage pre-registration student training in accordance with Trust/university policy.

• Ensure that opportunities for clinical audit, research and technical developments are identified and that staff are encouraged to participate in relevant projects.

• Support the learning needs of the wider multi-disciplinary team, including clinicians, physicists, Research & Innovation staff such as research nurses and clinical trials coordinators.

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc in Therapeutic Radiography (or equivalent).
• Registration with the HCPC as a Therapeutic Radiographer.

Desirable

• Research or education or management/leadership qualification or relevant CPD.

Experience

Essential

• Clinical experience at a senior level within the radiotherapy setting (such as expertise with advanced and complex radiotherapy techniques such as IMRT, IGRT, SABR, SRS, ART, SGRT).
• Experience of teaching and supporting the learning of others such as on-the-job teaching with students, new staff, and/or other healthcare professionals.
• Experience of service improvement, governance, and quality such as active role in the setting and maintenance of quality standards.
• Experience of working flexibly both autonomously and as part of a team.

Desirable

• Experience of clinical trial application across proton, MR-linac or photon services.
• Experience working in a proton beam therapy service.
• Experience preparing teaching and learning materials.
• Experience providing feedback and/or assessing progress of learners.
• Experience with the development of process maps, systems analysis and organisational improvement proposals.
• Project management/leadership experience.

Skills

Essential

• Ability to communicate effectively with all grades and disciplines of staff, patients, carers, and the general public.
• Ability to disseminate information through different media, including in group settings, and utilising presentation aids as appropriate.
• Excellent organisation skills and ability to manage workload and the completion of tasks to a high quality within agreed deadlines, prioritising amongst competing demands.
• Effective management of workflows/pathways to ensure patient activities are conducted in a safe, effective, and efficient manner.
• Ability to analyse data and formulate plans based on these.

Desirable

• Research skills such as critical analysis of current literature and evidenced-based practice.
• Ability to show initiative and innovation in order to develop the service for the future.
• High standard of communication skills including negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Ability to manage difficult conversations.
• Track record of publications in scientific and/or professional journals and/or presentation of own research.
• Data analysis, including use of Excel and/or similar statistics packages.

Knowledge

Essential

• Good knowledge of the radiotherapy pathway with extensive understanding of radiotherapy practice and its role within wider oncology pathways.
• Good knowledge of the policy environment applicable to radiotherapy in the NHS such as IR(ME)R 2017 and IRR 2017 and responsibilities relating to own professional practice, data protection legislation, health and safety legislation, and other clinical governance.

Desirable

• Good knowledge of clinical trials and research principles such as ICH GCP guidelines and NIHR/GMCRN governance and knowledge of the local, national, and international governing bodies and committees for clinical trials.
• Knowledge of the target times for clinical trials implementation.
• Awareness of current trials (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) ongoing for all disease groups in both the radical and palliative settings.

Values

Essential

• Ability to demonstrate the Trust's values by supporting the core values of the Trust as an organisation that cares for patients and those who are important to them.
• Ability to demonstrate the Trust's behaviours by being accountable for one's own attitude and behaviour and modelling positive behaviours to colleagues.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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