Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical duties and Responsibilities

• Plan and manage own workload and the workload of the service, in a flexible manner, ensuring that service provision meets the need of patients.
• Work with the clinical team to formulate clinical decisions and complex treatment plans to manage acute radiotherapy toxicity and psychosocial issues by responding to actual and potential health problems appropriately. 
• Oversee and coordinate the referral and treatment pathway for patients referred for proton beam therapy (PBT).
• Accept and make appropriate referrals from/to other professional colleagues.
• Liaise with GA team to manage care of patients requiring GA for treatment
• Liaise with HPS team to facilitate support and play preparation for paediatric patients
• Liaise with RMCH to manage paediatric radiotherapy patients requiring inpatient care during radiotherapy treatment
• Contribute to the coordination and effective management of the admission and discharge process.
• Prepare accurate and concise records and reports both verbal and written.
• Communicate with the patient’s referring specialist, GP and other community and hospice based services at regular intervals as appropriate. 
• Practice evidence based health care and be responsible for developing, monitoring and updating clinical policies in relation to own area of practice.
• Act as an expert resource and provide advice to ward/departmental areas and the wider community.
• Attend and participate in all relevant MDT’s and clinics ensuring relevant information relating to patient treatment and care is communicated and received.

Patient Care

• Develop a relationship that recognises the person (patient/family member/carer) as an individual.
• Give information, at an appropriate level of understanding, to ensure a patient is fully informed along all stages of the patient pathway.
• Develop and update patient specific information which is age appropriate.  
• Co-ordinate the patient journey ensuring appointments and information is communicated to the patient in a timely fashion.
• Act as a patient advocate with clear feedback systems in place to the MDT and referring hospitals.
• Communicate highly complex, sensitive or contentious information to patients and carers. This may include diagnosis, results of scans or other investigations, management options and details of prognosis.
• Asses on a regular basis whether more support or advice is needed and offered where appropriate.
• Provide an important point of contact for the patient and those around them both during and after completion of treatment, ensuring continuation of care.
• Understand the needs of Teenage and Young Adults with a cancer diagnosis as post holder will manage the pathway for both TYA and adult patient groups.
• Cover other appropriate disease groups as required.

Supervisory and Managerial Responsibilities

• Contribute to the clinical governance process, including adverse incident reporting/investigation and the management of complaints, as appropriate. 
• Attend meetings at managerial, Trust committee and local Trust partnership level, acting as advocate for area of work and profession.
• To undertake clinical operational responsibility in the absence of the lead/principal radiographer and/or nurse/radiographer clinician.
• Participate in national oncology/radiotherapy advisory boards and relevant working groups as invited. Assist in the development of integrated patient pathways (e.g. NICE Guidance on Cancer Services, NHS Guidance etc.).
• Identify gaps in service provision and work with the MDT and cancer network to implement the changes required to improve service provision.
• Act as a reviewer for performance management reviews of junior staff.
• Expand the role of key worker to cover specific oncology clinics within other network Trusts, depending on service need.
• Responsibilities for human resources
• Work closely with team to ensure relevant MDT meetings and clinics are staffed.
• Active role in managing inadequate performance, including capability and poor professional standards for students or employees.
• Participate in any investigation processes.
• Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff.

Professional and Personal Development

• Act in accordance with the HCPC or NMC code of professional conduct: standards for conduct and ethics.
• Provide evidence of continued professional development in the form of a professional practice portfolio to meet the revalidation requirements of the HCPC or NMC.
• Be flexible in line with evolving service across all Christie sites.
• Ensure patient confidentiality at all times.
• Maintain patient safety and dignity.
• Comply with policies and procedures of the Trust.
• Maintain clinical competencies, sufficient to participate in the patient pathway for Head & Neck / Sarcoma patients, and any other relevant disease site
• Participate in performance development review and evaluate own clinical practice.
• Keep up to date on essential training.

Teaching and Training

• Take an active role in the training of all learners in PBT and Radiotherapy with regards to PBT, clinical review, clinical skills, head and neck and sarcoma cancers and treatment
• Educate patients and their carers on issues surrounding health promotion and illness prevention.
• Promote and facilitate changes to lifestyle where appropriate. 

Research and Audit

• Maintain ICH/GCP competence.
• Facilitate radiotherapy/PBT research.
• Keep up to date with current research and publications.
• Initiate and support clinical audit with respect to evaluating service effectiveness and future developments within the role, developing and managing strategies to address any shortfalls.
• Take an active role in research outcomes and data collection, disseminating relevant research findings to colleagues and members of the health professions via presentations and publications.

Project Work

• Assist in the development of patient review pathways in PBT at The Christie.
• Assist in the development of national proton patient pathways through the clinical site groups.   This may involve travel to other PBT providers.
• Lead on developing and updating patient and carer information.
• Assist in the development of appropriate competencies and training for specialist nurses, radiographers and other non-medical health care professionals who may assist the review team.
• Assist in development of relevant protocols in the radiotherapy quality system

This is not an exhaustive list and additional duties may be required as requested by the Radiotherapy Service Manager, Lead Radiographer Protons or clinical teams.