Clinical Technologist (Radiation Physics)

Job overview

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust are seeking to appoint a Clinical Technologist to join our Clinical & Radiation Physics Team. We provide scientific and technical support to all users of ionising and non-ionising radiation within the Medical Physics SEND network (south, east and north Devon).

This includes quality assurance and acceptance testing of radiological equipment and the provision of a radiation protection service. This service provides advice and develops processes and procedures to ensure the Trust’s compliance with all relevant legislation.

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Provide clinical technical services to maintain and enhance the medical physics services to both NHS and commercial customers concerned with the safe use of ionising and non-ionising radiation. This includes:  

• Undertaking equipment testing (QA) on complex systems & provision of technical support.
• Undertaking radioisotope stock control & manage records.
• Administration of the personal dosimetry service & provision of technical support.
• Co-ordinating the environmental monitoring programme
• Undertaking and administrating calibration of complex radiation measurement equipment.
• Carrying out audits of safe working practices
• Carrying out radiation protection tasks including contamination monitoring and radioactive waste disposal
• Provide basic radiation protection training
• Supervise and/or train staff/students/trainees within scope of practice.

Working for our organisation

Why Work With Us

The post holder is required to deal effectively with staff of all levels throughout the Trust as and when they encounter on a day-to-day basis. In addition, the post holder will deal with external engineers, external organisations and the public. This will include verbal, written and electronic media. 

Of particular importance are working relationships with: 

• Clinical Scientists
•  Radiographers
•  Clinical Technologists
• Engineers
• Private customers e.g. vets and dentists
• Trainees

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication and working relationships

• To routinely communicate complex information relating to radiation protection and risk in written or verbal form to a wide range of staff, including clinical teams and members of the public. This includes the communication of technical data in test reports relating to diagnostic imaging equipment and radiation protection instrumentation. This is complex scientific information that will need to be delivered to ensure it is effectively understood by both technical staff and persons unfamiliar with the scientific basis and ensure the appropriate action is taken.
  

Analytical and judgement

• Required to make judgements involving a range of facts or situations, which requires analysis or comparison of a range of options to determine the appropriate course of action. For example: judgements involving testing complex radiological equipment. 

Planning and organisation

• Plan, organise and carry out equipment testing at the required frequency and produce reports in line with the Trust’s Quality Assurance programme.
• Plan and carry out environmental monitoring programme for controlled areas under guidance of Trust RPA.
• Plan and carry out annual programme of calibration of radiation measurement equipment.
• Able to prioritise work, work to tight deadlines and meet schedule demands across multiple workstreams.

Responsibility for patient and client care

• Provide clinical technical services primarily equipment performance and measurement tests against local and nationally defined standards to ensure equipment is performing as required.

Policy and service responsibility

• To work in accordance with all Trust and Departmental Policies.
• Propose changes to policies/procedures in own work area in order to improve the service.
• Contribute to service improvement through auditing and investigations as directed by senior members of staff.

 Responsibility for finance, equipment and other resources

• Responsible for the safe use of complex radiological equipment used extensively in diagnostics and interventional procedures used across the Trust and by external customers.
• Responsible for day-to-day supervision or co-ordination of staff within a section/function of a department/service, regularly responsible for professional/clinical supervision of a small number of qualified staff or students and regularly responsible for providing training in own discipline/practical training or undertaking basic workplace assessments.

Information technology and administrative duties

• Keep accurate records of all work and data analysis performed.
• Ensure records are updated as appropriate.
• Generate appropriate technical reports of equipment testing
• Generate appropriate audit reports for compliance and governance records.
• Enter data received from the approved dosimetry service into local systems for management of Personnel Dosimetry, ensuring that all data is correct and current in accordance with statutory requirements and is shared with appropriate users as required.
• Plan and carry out radiation protection tasks and compliance audits to the required schedule and produce records/reports in a timely fashion.

Responsibility for research and development

• To keep an up-to-date knowledge of the skills required for this post and be able to demonstrate these in Continuing Professional Development (CPD). 
• Regularly undertakes equipment testing to support optimisation of imaging exposure techniques as part of routine practice and in support of clinical trials. 
•  Undertakes specialised audits in own area designed to improve practice and the service.

Responsibility and accountability

• Take part in regular performance appraisal.
• Undertake any training required in order to maintain competency including mandatory training, e.g. Manual Handling.
•  Contribute to and work within a safe working environment.
•  You are expected to comply with Trust Infection Control Policies and conduct him/herself at all times in such a manner as to minimise the risk of healthcare associated infection.
• As an employee of the Trust, it is a contractual duty that you abide by any relevant code of professional conduct and/or practice. applicable to you.  A breach of this requirement may result in action being taken against you (in accordance with the Trust’s disciplinary policy) up to and including dismissal.

You must also take responsibility for your workplace health and wellbeing:

• When required, gain support from Occupational Health, Human Resources or other sources.
• Familiarise yourself with the health and wellbeing support available from policies and/or Occupational Health.
• Follow the Trust’s health and wellbeing vision of healthy body, healthy mind, healthy you.
• Undertake a Display Screen Equipment assessment (DES) if appropriate to role.