Detailed job description and main responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

•    The post holder is expected to troubleshoot patient care or technical issues in all pre-treatment areas.

•    The ability to trouble-shoot in the treatment area is also required, within the bounds of reasonable expectation.

•    To supervise, instruct and take part in pre-treatment imaging for radiotherapy planning and virtual simulation planning of patients for radiotherapy and make decisions pertaining to patient care and treatment.

•    To supervise, instruct and take part in production of required immobilisation of patients for radiotherapy.

•    To supervise, instruct and take part in the cannulation of radiotherapy planning patients and administration of radiographic contrast.

•    Recognise normal anatomy and pathological appearances to make analytical judgement on imaging and pre-treatment actions.

•    To assess complex patients with regards to their immediate & future planned pathway, seeking medical advice when necessary.

•    To act as an expert resource on pre-treatment imaging, planning equipment and software as well as oncology management systems.

•    Be pro-active in the maintenance, improvement and development of competence in the pre-treatment team

•    To work closely with the other Superintendents and the Quality manager, to monitor the work across the service to maintain high quality service delivery and professional standards, helping to further develop and maintain the accredited Quality Management System

•    Take a lead role in reviewing and writing work instructions and operating procedures for which overall responsibility and sign off will be with the Principal Radiographers.
•    Ensuring all errors in pre-treatment areas are reported in a timely manner in accordance with current departmental policy

•    To continually assess and monitor risk in their practice and that of others, challenging others as appropriate.

•    In depth knowledge of UK radiation legislation IRR 2019 and IR(ME)R 2019 and to act as an expert resource in interpretation of the legislation with regards to standard operating procedures and error reporting.

•    Good knowledge of other relevant legislation, including Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Manual Handling Operations regulations 1992.

•    Participate in the shift system, bank holidays, weekend working and on call.

•    To regularly liaise with the treatment superintendent team to ensure a coherent approach between pre-treatment and treatment delivery practices.

•    To develop and maintain good working relationships with counterparts at other Christie radiotherapy departments and work collaboratively toward radiotherapy and trust objectives

•    To network with other radiotherapy centres outside of. The Christie, with the objective to share with and learn from others

Supervisory and Managerial Responsibilities

•    To provide professional, technical, operational and clinical leadership, advising and supporting radiographic staff across the service.

•    Act as an advocate for The Christie at national forums and vendor meetings.

•    To keep up to date with best practice and national guidance in radiotherapy locally and nationally and disseminate to the team.

•    To establish and maintain good communication links between multi-disciplinary teams.

•    Promote opportunities for team development and individual role enhancement.
•    Will act as named lead for on call duties and manage the on-call service.

•    To initiate preliminary discussion with patients, relatives, visitors and other professional disciplines in regard to complaints, failures and feedback.

•    Attend meetings at managerial and Trust committee level, liaising with multidisciplinary teams to facilitate input from and feedback to the Radiotherapy Department across all sites.

•    Attend inter-trust meetings at managerial and Trust committee level to ensure efficient service and effective working between trusts where integration of services are required.

•    To investigate errors and incidents as per Trust policy.

•    To undertake clinical operational responsibility for the pre-treatment areas in the absence of the Principal Radiographer.

•    To provide dedicated supervision and mentoring to the permanent pre-treatment radiographers and ensure that this person is sufficiently skilled to pick-up some of the pre-treatment superintendent’s responsibilities in their absence.

Teaching and Training

•    To ensure all personal relevant competencies are achieved as outlined by the radiotherapy education team within a time period specified by line manager.

•    To ensure all the training needs associated with new developments are recognised and to put into place the mechanisms to meet them.

•    To provide training, and expert advice on cannulation and administration of IV radiographic contrast and emergency drugs.

•    Use technical expertise to induct and train staff in pre-treatment areas, ensuring competencies are attained in a timely manner.

•    Be responsible for a portfolio of personal development reviews of junior staff.

•    Ensuring the team supervise and manage pre-registration student training in accordance with trust/university policy.

•    Ensuring all team members in the designated area are capable, have requisite competencies and have up to date essential training.

•    To ensure that opportunities for clinical audit and research and development are identified, and that staff are encouraged to participate in relevant projects.

Responsibilities for Human Resources

•    To work closely with other Superintendent radiographers and Principal Radiographers to ensure the most effective use of staffing resources across The Christie Radiotherapy network.

•    Active role in managing inadequate performance, including capability and poor professional standards for students or employees. Participating in investigation process and providing evidence.

•    To work closely with the Clinical Service Manager for Radiotherapy, Principal Radiographers Pré-treatment and Treatment Superintendents to monitor the work across the service, to maintain high quality service delivery and professional standards. Applying disciplinary and or capability policies where necessary.

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

Research and Development

•    To be pro-active in the development and implementation of evidence based clinical practice in line with local and national initiatives, facilitating changes in service where necessary.

•    To provide technical advice in the evaluation, procurement and introduction of new techniques, procedures and equipment.

•    Lead, supervise and/or undertake an active role in research, audit, development, improvement and implementation of new techniques and practices within the department, assessing results and impacts.

Responsibility for Resources

•    Ensure that all equipment is in a safe condition and complies with the relevant Health and Safety Legislation and that appropriate action is taken in the event of equipment failure.

•    Ensure that relevant risk assessments are carried out and reviewed at regular intervals and the Risk Register updated.

•    To be responsible for the equipment in the work area, ensuring that fault reporting and handover procedures are followed, working closely with medical physics and technical services staff to ensure that repairs and routine servicing of equipment is carried out with minimal disruption to service provision.