Radiotherapy Engineering Advanced Practitioner

Job overview

The post holder is a member of the Radiotherapy Engineering team (a sub-section of the Radiotherapy Physics department) which provides engineering support to Oncology and Radiotherapy Physics. The Radiotherapy Engineering section provides linear accelerator engineering services on behalf of Radiotherapy Physics in the Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering Department. Linear accelerators (linacs) are highly complex radiotherapy treatment units (capital value >£1.5million) and require many safety critical maintenance procedures to ensure dose accuracy and safety.

Main duties of the job

In addition to the below summary, you need to familiarise yourself with the full Job Description and Personal Specification documents attached to this advert.

The primary role of the team is to provide highly specialist, patient-focussed support and immediate response for the Radiotherapy and Radiotherapy Physics services in the form of pre-treatment maintenance, diagnostic testing, and decisions about the clinical status of the Radiotherapy department’s linacs on a daily basis. The team carries out preventative maintenance tasks, calibration of patient critical equipment parameters, safety testing, and prompt fault diagnosis and repair on a wide range of highly complex and patient critical therapeutic and associated ancillary equipment with the aim of minimising downtime. The linacs are very busy (~ 40 patient appointments per linac per day), and machine breakdowns have an immediate impact on patient treatments and compliance with cancer waiting time targets.

The post holder will have specific responsibility and act as an expert for the linear accelerator IT systems and will take the lead role in this field.

Working for our organisation

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust provides radiotherapy treatments for Nottingham using 6 Elekta linacs. It also provides highly specialist radiotherapy (SRS, paediatric radiotherapy) for the East Midlands. SABR is a standard therapy available. The department has an active major equipment programme to ensure the most up tp date equipment is available for our patients.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

1) Clinical Technical
a) Provide specialised clinical-technical services to Oncology and Radiotherapy Physics.
i) Start-up linear accelerators and perform daily pre-clinical maintenance to determine the clinical status and ensure the safe and effective operation within manufacturers tolerances and clinically defined parameters.
ii) Interpret complex treatment machine parameters, to identify possible deterioration of specific components, predict useful life remaining and be proactive in the acquisition of replacement items prior to machine failure.
iii) Communicate with treatment radiographers, clinical scientists and clinical staff to gain a clear understanding of any problematic equipment symptoms. Use initiative and sound judgment to assess the seriousness and implications of any problems, and dictate the clinical status of the equipment accordingly.
iv) Perform immediate rectification tasks where possible, to allow the continuation of interrupted patient treatment. Consult with treatment radiographers where patient contact is imminent in order to ensure the privacy and modesty of patients is protected.
v) Undertake advanced fault-finding on highly complex electronic, electrical and mechanical systems to component level. Apply proven fault-finding techniques to diagnose problems promptly, often under severe pressure, including those beyond the scope of manufacturer-supplied information. Use judgment to estimate machine downtime. Report novel fault conditions to the manufacturer.
vi) Perform scheduled quality assurance checks and calibrations on treatment machines, to ensure the correct operation of primary and secondary electronic, mechanical and software driven safety devices.
vii) Organise and participate in routine maintenance procedures and schedules for a wide range of highly complex patient-critical equipment.
viii) Participate in a shift pattern to provide pre-treatment maintenance on the weekends for patients undergoing intensive radiotherapy treatment, including on-call breakdown cover for evening weekends and bank holidays, plus weekend on-call breakdown cover for all other emergency radiotherapy patients.
ix) Responsible for maintaining the integrity of protection systems for radiation controlled areas.
x) Responsible as an IR(ME)R operator.
xi) Perform safety-related checks and implement performance-enhancing modifications to treatment equipment, in accordance with manufacturers’ directives and instructions.
xii) Provide support on the maintenance and repair of the complete range of radiotherapy and radiation dosimetry/monitoring equipment.
xiii) Take responsibility for the clinical status of patient treatment machines, following maintenance.
xiv) Work to a high standard and take responsibility for quality of own work.

b) responsible for assuring all relevant test equipment maintains its calibration to a traceable standard.
c) Provide highly specialist support in a particular area of linac engineering to be determined at appointment and on current departmental requirements.
d) In conjunction with Radiotherapy Clinical Scientists, provide highly specialist knowledge and assistance in the adjustment of patient critical equipment, to optimise performance and obtain the required clinical parameters.
e) Participate in all general clinical engineering duties as required.
f) Liaise with clinical and clinical science staff to organise and perform planned and un-planned maintenance, and adjust schedules in response to short-term clinical needs.
g) Contact manufacturers to obtain information, provide feedback on equipment-related issues and return of parts for assessment.
h) Monitor stocks of components, spares and materials held, re-ordering when necessary to maintain stock levels.
i) Keep relevant scientific and technical records for all tasks performed.
j) Take responsibility for all tools and equipment within the post holder’s care. Ensure electronic workshop facility is kept clear and well-ordered and that all equipment is maintained to safe and acceptable standards.
k) Where electronic workshop equipment is passed to others to use or used within the workshop, make sure they are authorised to use it in a safe and effective manner.
l) Ensure adequate safety devices and signs are in place prior to live working on lethal voltages.
m) Comply with all local and national safety standards.
n) Provide technical advice to physicists, clinical scientists, radiographers, other staff groups and departmental colleagues as appropriate.
o) Assist with evaluation, commissioning and safety testing of intricate and highly complex equipment.
p) Be proactive in locating replacement parts from the most competitive source, whilst maintaining the quality of all items used.

2) Managerial
a) Prioritise and manage own work in accordance with section policies and competing service demands.

b) Propose changes to own working practices and procedures.

c) Supervise the work of members of staff with less knowledge or experience.

d) Take responsibility for the work of other staff when performing tasks under the post holder’s direction.

e) Participate in regular meetings with the other technical staff in the Section, Head of Radiotherapy Engineering, Clinical Scientists and Radiographers as required.

f) Keep accurate records of all work performed and complete appropriate sections in the ISO9000 quality system.

g) Prioritise and manage own work in accordance with section policies and competing service demands.

h) Propose changes to own working practices and procedures.

i) Supervise the work of members of staff with less knowledge or experience.

j) Take responsibility for the work of other staff when performing tasks under the post holder’s direction.

k) Participate in regular meetings with the other technical staff in the Section, Head of Radiotherapy Engineering, Clinical Scientists and Radiographers as required.

l) Keep accurate records of all work performed and complete appropriate sections in the ISO9000 quality system.

3) Teaching, Training and Research

a) Attend relevant manufacturers’ and in-house training courses and seminars.
b) Regularly teach and train other staff (technicians, physicists, radiographers) in the operation and care of radiotherapy equipment.
c) Train staff in the full range of techniques and methods used in the Engineering Facility.
d) Supervise trainees on placement.
e) Give presentations at seminars and training courses.
f) Assist other groups within department in the development and construction of new and innovative devices to support clinical activity and research.
g) Participate in the evaluation of medical equipment.

4) Policy and service development

a) Contribute to the development of engineering procedures within the Radiotherapy and Radiotherapy Physics ISO9000 quality system, ensuring that all procedures are of an appropriate standard, conform to national standards or guidelines and are regularly reviewed and agreed, as appropriate, with service users.

b) Ensure that the work of the section is delivered in accordance with the Radiotherapy and Radiotherapy Physics ISO9000 quality system and Trust policies and procedures.

c) Propose and assist in the implementation of service developments within Radiotherapy Physics and the Cancer Services Directorate.

5) Physical and financial resources

a) Maintain safe operation of high value (>£1.5million) treatment equipment.

b) Order and ensure the maintenance of the stock and equipment for the section.

c) Assist with the section’s input to the commissioning, acceptance testing, and routine testing/calibration of radiotherapy treatment equipment.

6) Information Resources

a) Assist with the review of data relating to the performance of radiotherapy treatment units, in conjunction with relevant physics staff if required.

7) Research & Development

a) Participate in research and development, contributing to improvement and innovation in the technical services in the division.

b) Be aware of technical innovations within clinical radiotherapy physics.

c) Participate in the evaluation of radiotherapy equipment as required.

8) Professional

a) Keep abreast of technical developments in all areas of expertise. Enrol in appropriate Continuing Professional development programmes. Attend suitable seminars and courses as part of personal development and to further the work of the Department.
b) Keep abreast of changes to standards and legislation, particularly regarding radiotherapy technology and medical equipment issues.
c) Ensure all activities are carried out within a quality framework and meet regulatory requirements, professional standards and acceptable guidelines.

9) Miscellaneous

Other appropriate duties, as required, for which the post holder has adequate training