Principal Radiotherapy Physicist - Imaging

Job overview

We are looking to recruit a highly experienced radiotherapy physicist to the role of Principal Physicist in Imaging at Nottingham Radiotherapy Centre. You must have HCPC registration as a clinical scientist and ideally you should have registration as an MPE. However those with enough experience to be able to submit an MPE portfolio within 1 year will be considered.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will have specific responsibilities within the area of radiotherapy imaging. This includes both pre-treatment imaging and on treatment verification imaging. Specifically this will include the day-to-day scientific and technical management of radiotherapy imaging and managing the medium term developments of the radiotherapy imaging processes, such as the introduction of new techniques and the commissioning of new imaging systems. The post holder co-ordinates the services provided by Radiotherapy Physics and the Radiotherapy Department with respect to imaging. There will be close liaison with the Head of Clinical Radiotherapy Physics, Head of Dosimetry and QA, and the principal physicists for Information Systems, Dosimetry and Treatment Planning. Guidance in this role may be obtained from the Head of Radiotherapy Physics. The post holder is required to communicate at all scientific and management levels in pursuance of their duties. They will be required to explain, influence and persuade people with regard to change in practice. They will act as a Medical Physics Expert as defined by legislation (IRMER 2017) and advise on the optimisation of radiotherapy imaging modalities.

Working for our organisation

Nottingham has six Elekta Versa HD linear accelerators, two of which have ExactTrac and HexaPOD couches. We carry out the full range of radiotherapy treatments including SRS and SABR (including SABR for pancreatic cancer). We are a paediatric radiotherapy centre. We have two new Canon Aquillion Exceed LB CT scanners. Outlining is carried out using the MVision AI auto-contouring system. The main planning system is RayStation. This is about to be upgraded to version 12B.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Patient/client care

a. Responsible for the scientific and technical aspects and of the various radiotherapy imaging systems in accordance with all relevant legislation and guidance.

b. Immediately respond to imaging system problems in radiotherapy to minimise their effect on patient treatments.

c. To provide advice on the optimisation of radiotherapy imaging to radiotherapy and be an active participant on the Radiotherapy Medical Exposures Committee.

d. To undertake the responsibilities of the medical physics expert (MPE) in radiotherapy together with the other MPEs, and as such provide highly specialised advice to the Radiotherapy Service of Oncology as laid down in legislation (IRMER 2017).

e. Assist and advice the consultant oncologists on imaging techniques, including the dose to the patient.

f. Commission new equipment in the area of radiotherapy imaging. This includes the development of procedures for clinical practice.

g. Collaborate with the Principal Physicist for Treatment Planning on areas of overlap – e.g. adaptive planning, image fusion, auto-segmentation.

h. Prepare and check treatment plans for radiotherapy patients.

2. Policy and service development

a. Propose and assist in the implementation of service developments within specific responsibilities to Radiotherapy Physics and the Cancer and Associated Specialties (CAS) Davison.

b. Manage the introduction of new developments involving Radiotherapy Imaging within Radiotherapy Physics and CAS.

c. Support the development of the paediatric radiotherapy service.

d. Develop and update relevant procedures within the Radiotherapy and Radiotherapy Physics ISO9000 quality system.

e. Ensure that all work is delivered in accordance with the Radiotherapy and Radiotherapy Physics ISO9000 quality system and Trust policies and procedures

i. Ensuring that all relevant procedures are of an appropriate standard, conform to national standards or guidelines and are regularly reviewed and agreed, as appropriate, with service users

ii. Advising on the written procedures required to cover all aspects of the work which the post holder has responsibility. All procedures should be subject to regular review to ensure that current published guidelines, published literature; results of local or national audits and changes in technology are taken into account

3. Physical and financial resources

a. Be responsible for the section’s input to the commissioning, acceptance testing, and routine testing/calibration of systems (equipment value approximately £ 1.5 M) when required.

b. To advise Radiotherapy, when required, on suppliers of equipment by having expert knowledge of such equipment.

4. Human Resources

a. Day to day supervision of Radiotherapy Physics Staff carrying out work in area of responsibility

b. Aid the Head of Radiotherapy Physics in ensuring Radiotherapy Physics staff are adequately trained and work to agreed systems and procedures.

c. Train staff from within the Radiotherapy Department in the use of systems to post holder is responsible for.

d. Provide training and supervision as required to staff training within the department (e.g. STP trainees)

5. Information Resources
a. Be responsible for the technical maintenance of radiotherapy imaging systems (CT scanners, verification imaging systems: All such systems are computer based.).
b. Develop software to enable the Radiotherapy Department to analyse patient and other information as required. Such data is required to ensure the treatments are accurate and minimise the risk of injury to the patient

6. Research & Development
a. To develop imaging techniques within Radiotherapy and Radiotherapy Physics

b. To provide MPE advice to radiotherapy about radiotherapy imaging, including radiotherapy trials.

c. Participate in research and development within Radiotherapy Physics, actively contributing to improvement and innovation in the section.

d. Be aware of developments within radiotherapy physics both nationally and internationally.

e. Manage the introduction of new developments within area of responsibility.

f. Participate in the evaluation of radiotherapy equipment

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.