Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification

On initial recruitment you will join the department full time to support the day to day service provided by the RRPS until commencement of the apprenticeship programme. 

The Regional Radiation Protection Service (RRPS) provides comprehensive radiation protection, diagnostic radiology physics and X-ray engineering services out of the Royal Surrey County Hospital area mainly to the south and south west of the country, but also works nationally and internationally. Services include the statutory provision of Radiation Protection Advisers (RPA), Medical Physics Expert (MPE) in Diagnostic Radiology, Laser Protection Advisers (LPA), Radioactive Waste Advisers (RWA) and MR Safety Experts. 

We have a team of 11 clinical scientists,11 medical physics technical officers, a computer scientist and 3 admin staff, plus postgraduate trainees and undergraduate students. The RRPS also provides advice and services to users of non-ionising radiations including MRI, lasers, and ultraviolet.  The Service provides NHSBSP mammography services for the South East (East) region. The RRPS is active in income generation outside the NHS and provides a wide range of radiation protection advice and services to a variety of employers including corporate organisations, companies, private hospitals, dentists, vets and others. The service is active in research, development and training, including organising courses both locally and at a national level

On commencement of the 3 year apprenticeship programme this will combine and integrate work-based and traditional academic learning. You can expect to spend up to 80% of your time on-the-job, in a productive role and at least 20% of your time learning off-the-job.  

Training will be completed through a combination of attending face-to-face and/or virtual sessions delivered by the Higher Education Institution, where support will be given to empower you to complete and pass the theoretical and academic components and assessments. You will also complete a range of clinical placements, observations and work-based assessments as required by the apprenticeship programme. These aspects will be completed within the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust (RSFT) or with a designated placement provider, where you will be supported by appropriate professionals. During this time you will gain experience working across an audited practice learning environment (placement setting) that will provide supervision and assessment, as set by the National School of Healthcare Science.  

Alongside this, you will continue to be based as a paid employee, in the RRPS where you will work as part of the team in delivering a high quality and effective service, with guidance from registered professionals, practice supervisors and practice educators. You will work autonomously within the team and be responsible and accountable for your decisions and for reflecting on the effectiveness of your actions, with the aim of continually improving the service you provide.

During the apprenticeship you will develop the skills and knowledge to allow you to work in today’s dynamic and changing healthcare environments and through assessment, intervention, critical reflection and the application of analytical skills, you will demonstrate the Trust Values of Caring Together, Learning Together, Excelling Together and Continuously Improving. You will ensure that only those activities for which competence has been assessed and achieved are undertaken without supervision and that recognition is given to the impact and consequences of practising outside capability and competence.  

As funding for the training element of this post is drawn from the apprenticeship levy, apprenticeship funding rules and eligibility criteria will apply. 

To be in a position to be offered a full-time substantive position the successful applicant will need to have completed their qualification in full.

The postholder will initially join the department full time supporting the service in a wide range of activities including performance testing, measurements and reporting on all types of diagnostic X-ray systems and possibility of involvement in other non-ionising areas such as MRI, ultrasound, lasers and UV where required.  The postholder will be registered to begin the Healthcare Science Practitioner apprenticeship at the beginning of the next academic year which will include a 3 year apprentice programme covering on the job experience with the RRPS and an academic element working towards a BSc (Hon) in Healthcare Science provided by the University of Bristol. 

You will need to be enthusiastic, good communicator and team player. You will need A levels or equivalent in maths or science based subjects to be eligible for the apprenticeship scheme.  Specific eligibility requirements for this post are fully outlined in the job description. This post will ideally suit anyone who has recently completed their A levels or equivalent studies and is looking towards a pathway into becoming a healthcare scientist. 

Travel is involved and overnight stays are occasionally required.