Principal Radiotherapy Physicist (Dosimetry Lead)

The Radiotherapy Physics team at Barts is looking for a Band 8A Physicist with an interest in Dosimetry and QA to join the team.

The successful candidate will support the work of the Dosimetry, QA and Imaging section and be involved in upcoming equipment commissioning projects within the department. They will also work as a member of the integrated team in other aspects of the department, developing their skills and experience across the broad range of Radiotherapy Physics.

The position is suitable for a person who has registration as a MPE or expects to attain it within 6 months.

The Radiotherapy Department has five TrueBeam linacs with Hypersight OBI, RapidArc and Gating facilities. Two have 6DoF couches and HyperArc for SRS. The department also operates a Bravos HDR unit, a Papillon surface brachytherapy machine and an XStrahl superficial unit. External Beam Treatment Planning is carried out on Eclipse v18, Brachytherapy Planning is carried out on the Brachyvision module of Eclipse and other software includes RadFormation Autocontour and PerFraction SunCheck.

The department has an ambitious equipment replacement programme including the introduction of Identify SGRT and the installation of a new Ethos linac and Siemens CT scanner in the coming year. The department is an accredited training department for STP and HSST Programmes and has a very successful track record for actively supporting physicists in submitting their portfolio for MPE registration with RPA2000.

Main duties of the job

As a senior member of the Radiotherapy Physics team assist with the broad provision of a highly specialised clinical scientific and clinical technical service in support of the Radiotherapy service specialising in dosimetry and machine quality assurance (QA).

Undertake and collaborate in scientific and technical research and development in Radiotherapy Physics, primarily in support of the clinical priorities of the Radiotherapy department. Participate in the routine clinical service and development work of the department in the fields of dosimetry, imaging, brachytherapy and treatment planning, as assigned.

Contribute to the teaching and training programme of the section and participate in the development and maintenance of the Quality Management System.

All duties are undertaken in support of the Radiotherapy service and require a high degree of accuracy. The postholder will be expected to demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility and personal initiative and to exercise appropriate professional judgement in the delivery of their duties.

The postholder will be an HCPC registered clinical scientist. They will be an Operator as defined by the Ionising Radiation Medical Exposure Regulations (IRMER 2017) and will be expected to work at the level of Medical Physics Expert (MPE). They will be appointed an MPE when eligible.

About us

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.

Benefits

• Competitive salary: £66,274 to £73,496 per annum
• Permanent, full-time position
• Opportunities for professional development and growth
• Collaborative and inclusive working environment

Person Specification

Experience

• Significant post registration experience in radiotherapy physics
• Understanding and experience of working within a quality management system
• Experienced as a treatment planner/checker
• Experience in equipment commissioning, QA and imaging in radiotherapy
• Experience of multidisciplinary working

Skills

• Clear and concise verbal and written communication in English
• Able to explain complex scientific concepts to a range of professional groups
• Effective communication with management, other radiation professionals and members of the multidisciplinary team
• Teaching and Training Skills
• Project management skills

Knowledge

• Substantial knowledge of radiotherapy physics and radiation physics at MPE level
• Dosimetry and dose calculation for medical exposures
• Knowledge of optimisation of dose associated with medical exposure
• Commissioning, acceptance testing and routine quality assurance testing of radiotherapy equipment
• Detailed understanding of the requirements of UK medical exposure regulation and its practical application