Job overview
We are looking for an enthusiastic Clinical Scientist with MPE and RPA accreditations and a background in providing scientific leadership and support in Radiology Physics.
Please Note: MPE accreditation is essential for this role. We may be able to consider candidates who are close to submitting a portfolio for RPA accreditation within an agreed time frame.
Radiology Physics is part of the Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering Department, which has a high profile within the Trust and is building networks with other Trusts and Universities. We support a wide range of Diagnostic Radiology facilities, including CT, Mammography, Cardiac and the Kent Interventional Radiology Centre. Committed to providing a high quality, safe and effective service, we are able to offer opportunities for career development and progression within a vibrant, progressive and supportive team.
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Main duties of job
· helping to ensure that a safe and effective Radiology Physics service is provided to the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT)
· the delegated day-to-day scientific, technical, clinical and regulatory aspects of the Radiology Physics service
· the delegated day-to-day managerial aspects of the Radiology Physics service, in conjunction with the operational lead
· being the lead Medical Physics Expert under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IR(ME)R 2017) for Diagnostic Radiology, leading the equipment assessment program, including specification, acceptance testing, commissioning, quality assurance and optimisation of complex imaging equipment, acting with a high degree of autonomy when dealing with varied and specialist issues.
· leading on the investigation of complex radiation dosimetry issues and advising on the associated risks.
· calculating dose and risk in the event of planned, unintended or accidental exposures including to the unborn child, and advising clinicians.
· providing / overseeing specialist radiation protection teaching and training to a range of staff groups and being the training lead for STP and Route 2 within the section.
· being an appointed Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) under the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 (IRR 2017) to EKHUFT.
· improving the delivery of the Radiology Physics services and conducting research and development.
Working for our organisation
We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference'. We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called 'We care'. It's about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We're looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day.
Please note that if you require a Certificate of Sponsorship to work in the UK you must declare this on your application form, even if you currently have a certificate of sponsorship or a work permit for another role and are already working in the country. Please note we are only able to sponsor candidates on a Skilled Worker Visa applying for roles Band 5 and above.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Detailed JD and main responsibilities
Acting as a Radiation Protection Adviser, (RPA), Medical Physics Expert (MPE) and Operator for Radiology within the Trust and other healthcare organisations, fulfilling the legal requirements of IRR, IR(ME)R and associated guidelines / approved codes of practice. Providing expert advice at all levels on highly complex issues, including:
· Specification, selection, commissioning and routine assessment of highly complex and patient-critical equipment for X-ray imaging, in an efficient and timely manner.
· The design of new or modified radiation facilities including sophisticated shielding calculations and surveys to ensure staff and the public are protected in accordance with the limits and recommendations set in national legislation.
· Regular IRR and IR(ME)R compliance audits of radiation facilities
· Managing programs for the examination, testing and calibration of radiation protection and quality assurance equipment in accordance with national guidance and best practice.
· Clinical incident investigation, including notification of clinically significant incidents to the Care Quality Commission; advising when the patient and IR(ME)R duty holders need to be notified.
· Incident investigation and reporting, including notification of serious incidents to the Health and Safety Executive.
· Specific risk assessments for patients, staff and members of public relating to radiation exposure.
· Leading on Trust input and response to external reviews and audits from the Care Quality Commission and Health and Safety Executive regarding the use of ionising radiation in imaging.
· Optimisation programs, dose audits and local diagnostic reference level setting for radiographic equipment.
· Assisting clinical teams in the implementation of new techniques and diagnostic procedures using X-ray imaging equipment
· Devising assessment methodologies for a wide-range of imaging equipment to establish and maintain diagnostic suitability and radiation safety.
· Creation and review of IR(ME)R Employer's Procedures in collaboration with clinical staff.
· Oversight of the development, testing, validation and full documentation of software tools required for the Radiology Physics service.
· Provision of MPE advice to clinical trials involving X-ray imaging.
· Keeping scientific and clinical developments in Diagnostic Radiology under review. Working with Radiographers, Radiologists and other medical staff to introduce new techniques for patient processes so as to provide the highest standards of imaging.
· Advising the Head of Clinical Physics and the Head of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering on issues relating to Radiology Physics.
· Producing and maintaining good documentation for protocols and procedures of the Radiology Physics service and assisting in the development and maintenance of the ISO accredited quality system.
· Maintaining agreed statistics and producing the required data for regulatory agencies
Staff and patients from across East Kent Hospitals are the feature of the biggest NHS recruitment drive in its 70 year history.
Filmed in William Harvey and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother hospitals, the 'We are the NHS' campaign highlights the extraordinary work that staff across EKHUFT do every single day. As one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a population of over one million people, EKHUFT was perfectly placed to demonstrate the care, cutting-edge treatments, research, innovations and life-saving operations that the campaign needed.
There are lots of great opportunities at East Kent Hospitals, where staff are caring and put patients first, innovation flourishes and you can develop your career. We're on an exciting journey of transformation. With a new Medical School at the centre of our community, a focus on research, clinical leadership and making our trust a rewarding and friendly place to work,
there's never been a better time to join us. To find out more about east Kent visit our website at. The Trust fully supports the SAS Doctors Charter and is committed to their development through its CPD Framework.
We'll close this job advert once we've received sufficient applications which may be before the closing date so please apply as soon as possible. We only accept online applications. If you have any difficulty with this please contact our Resourcing Team on who are happy to help.
We have a relocation policy for eligible candidates, parking available at Trust sites but we encourage other options, like car sharing or public transport.
The Trust is committed to supporting flexible working to fulfil our pledge as part of The Trust's People Strategy to help staff to achieve a healthy work/life balance. Please speak with your Recruiting Manager for further information on how this can be managed alongside department expectations and requirements.
The ability to converse easily and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for all customer facing roles.
Most positions require a Disclosure and Barring check and will be exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Posts working regularly or unsupervised with children or vulnerable adults require an enhanced check.
Applicants for eligible roles requiring Tier 2 sponsorship must meet UK Visas and Immigration eligibility criteria.
We operate a no-smoking policy on all our sites and grounds.
You can search for and apply for roles directly on our website.
If you are applying via NHS Jobs your application will be sent to our recruitment system TRAC. All subsequent information will be generated from TRAC so you won't be able to see the progress of your application or receive messages through NHS Jobs and we won't be able to respond to e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. By applying for this post you are agreeing to us transferring your application and details to our system. If you are offered a job information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records. Good luck with your application, we'll contact you via email so please check your junk/spam folders.