Job Description
A position exists for a Clinical Scientist to work in the Nuclear Medicine group at The Christie.
Candidates must have a good first degree in physics or a physical science, MSc. or equivalent in physics applied to medicine or related subject and be a registered Clinical Scientist working in nuclear medicine or a trainee Clinical Scientist who has completed or is about to complete their training, including significant training and experience in nuclear medicine.
The successful candidate will be a member of a team of clinical scientists who provide the medical physics and radiation protection elements of work with unsealed radioactive substances, primarily at The Christie. They will have the opportunity to contribute to all aspects of the service, including support to both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
The working pattern may include extended working days and weekends.
In Nuclear Medicine at The Christie we offer a specialist range of tests which are focussed on diagnosing and assessing cancer, including gamma camera imaging, PET-CT scanning and non-imaging tests. We also provide a wide range of radionuclide therapy, including procedures requiring personalised doses and/or hospital stays in dedicated facilities. Our department houses a radiopharmacy, two SPECT-CT capable gamma cameras, a PET-CT suite, and facilities for radionuclide therapies. The Nuclear Medicine service is supported by the complimentary skills and expertise of; radiopharmacists, radiopharmacy technicians, clinical technologists, clinical scientists, physics technicians, nurses, healthcare assistants, and a dedicated administration team.
Clinical scientists within the group sit on a number of different national bodies and contribute to guidance in several different areas of nuclear medicine, including diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, regulatory compliance, teaching and training.
Nuclear Medicine at The Christie also supports a number of Nuclear Medicine departments throughout the north-west of England and beyond, by supplying radioactive tracers and providing scientific advice on radiation safety and best practice.
The Nuclear Medicine team at The Christie pride ourselves on a friendly, inclusive and collaborative approach to delivering the very best service to our patients, and driving forward improvements that will lead to better diagnosis and treatment.
1. Physics for Nuclear Medicine
Provides, as duty physicist, day-to-day scientific support to the diagnostic and therapeutic work of the Nuclear Medicine Department at The Christie and at other sites as agreed. This includes:
1.1. Advising consultant radiologists, clinical technologists and radiographers on diagnostic image processing techniques and interpretation of results and images, including practical assistance where required in difficult or unusual cases. Processing data using nuclear medicine computer systems, and verifying previously-processed studies.
1.2 Advising consultant radiologists and physicians about the certification requirements for the administration of radioactive substances to patients (ARSAC and ethics submissions).
1.3. Proposing, developing and implementing new nuclear medicine diagnostic techniques, including training technologists and radiographers in those techniques
1.4. Writing software for nuclear medicine image acquisition, analysis and display of clinical studies
1.5. Performing advanced and complex mathematical calculations for both nuclear medicine imaging analysis techniques and clinical radiation dosimetry.
1.6. Participating in setting up and monitoring of the programme of QA on critical nuclear medicine diagnostic equipment, such as gamma cameras, PET-CT scanner and radionuclide calibrators.
1.7. Evaluating equipment specification and performance prior to purchase, in order to advise on equipment selection. Participating in organisation of installation of equipment.
1.8. Maintaining nuclear medicine clinical image data archives.
1.9. Co-ordinating the evaluation of new image processing techniques, including performing analysis of the results obtained by different operators (clinical scientists and clinical technologists) in order to determine best practice.
1.10. Working in cooperation with other scientific and technology staff, to ensure the maintenance of up-to-date working practices, and to keep protocols under review
2. Radionuclide Calibrators
2.1. Participates in the programme of quality assurance for radionuclide calibrators, covering all sites for which CMPE provides a service. This includes helping to make the arrangements, carrying out the intercomparisons with the National Physical Laboratory and preparing the final reports.
2.2. Performs acceptance testing and compiles reports for newly-purchased radionuclide calibrators on behalf of all customer sites. Keeps a watching brief on daily testing of the calibrators at The Christie.
3. Radiation Protection
Provides day-to-day support to radiation protection requirements for patients, staff and members of the public within the policies and procedures existing within CMPE, in order for the Christie Trust to comply with legislation on the use of radioactive materials in medicine. The work is generally undertaken in the Nuclear Medicine Department or within the in-patient radionuclide radiotherapy facilities. The support includes :
3.1. Liaising with ward and other staff regarding the discharge of patients treated with large quantities of radioactive materials and with monitoring for radioactive contamination. Supervising the use of patient-radioactivity monitoring equipment, to determine when patients may be discharged.
3.2. Writing procedures for domestic, nursing and departmental staff to ensure safety when dealing with radioactive waste and contaminated laundry.
3.3. Carrying out risk assessments for those patients whose clinical condition or other circumstances may require additional radiation protection measures. Advising patients on restrictions required within the hospital site, and subsequently at home.
3.4. Preparing of risk assessments, local rules for radiation protection and permits to work for Estates and other staff.
3.5. Preparing of patient information leaflets.
3.6. Preparing documentation to ensure compliance with all legislation concerning the use of radioactive materials, including IRR, IRMER and EPR.
3.7 Actively participates in the radiation protection policy-making meeting of the Nuclear Medicine Group.
3.8 Actively participates in practical aspects of radiation protection as set-out in local procedures.
4. Research
4.1 Participates in research as opportunities arise, as agreed with the Research Planning Team of the Nuclear Medicine group. This includes the initiation and planning of research projects, participating in carrying out the research work and data analysis.
4.2 Liaises and collaborates with colleagues, including clinical and research staff in order to maintain conformance with all aspects of research governance relating to the projects.
4.3 Communicates the results of research by publication in journals and/or presentation at scientific meetings.
5. Teaching, training and supervision
5.1 Teaches and trains in aspects of the work. This includes :
- Lecturing to and facilitating practical experiments for PGDip / MSc students from Higher Education Institutions.
- Training nursing staff on the wards where radionuclide radiotherapy is carried out.
- Lecturing on any aspect of the work to other staff groups, such as nurses and technologists
- Supervising clinical technologists and radiographers
- Day to day supervision of trainee Clinical Scientists undertaking projects in the department
6. Professional Development
Maintains registration as a Clinical Scientist for which successful participation in a CPD scheme is required, according to the rules laid down by the Health and Care Professions Council.
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