Job Description

Participate fully in the provision of external beam treatment planning service providing specialist clinical technical services within the Radiotherapy department. Planning radiographers are required to assess and plan patients in accordance with local and national policies, using their expertise in dosimetry to produce optimal, individualised radiotherapy plans



Be able to plan a range of techniques including IMRT/VMAT, 3DCRT, 4DCT and palliative dosimetry by using expert judgement, knowledge and analytical skills to choose between a range of different options for optimal individualised plans. have an awareness of what constitutes an optimal radiotherapy plan to achieve the desired outcome of tumour control with minimal dose to normal tissues and ensure that the plan complies with good current practice and doses to sensitive critical structures are below limits at which damage may occur.



The centre is run over two sites with the primary site located in the Oncology Centre of Cheltenham General Hospital and a Satellite site at the County Hospital, Hereford. The department consists of 5

Varian Linear accelerators, a Brachytherapy unit and a Superficial unit.

The post holder will be based at the Cheltenham site.



We work closely with Clinical and Medical Oncologists, Radiographers, Medical Physicists, Nurses and other support staff to provide curative and palliative care to patients in a compassionate and professional environment



Enhanced Practitioners in radiotherapy planning will participate fully in the provision of external beam treatment planning service providing specialist clinical technical services within the Radiotherapy department



All planning radiographers are required to assess and plan patients in accordance with occupational policies and work with autonomy for practice while working as part of a team who deliver dosimetry to a caseload of patients every day



Use computers and their advanced knowledge of anatomy, physiology and radiobiology, together with their understanding of radiation beams to make individualised plans for how to treat cancer patients



Using their expertise in dosimetry and having an enhanced understanding of what constitutes an optimal Radiotherapy plan to achieve the desired outcome of tumour control with minimal damage to healthy organs. Any error may result in overdose or underdose to the patient.



Adherence to ICRU guidelines is critical to ensure no harm to the patient



The post holder has responsibility to ensure that the treatment has been planned correctly, the plan is accurate, complies with good current practice and doses to sensitive critical structures are below limits at which damage may occur.



Work autonomously using expert judgement and analytical skills to choose between a range of different options for an optimal radiotherapy plan. In producing a complex plan the post holder must decide which of several competing approaches to choose when setting out to

produce a plan for a cancer patient. This will include beam placement, beam energies, the use of areas to avoid and areas to treat. The Oncologist will inspect the selected plan, not always seeing all of the alternative possibilities that the postholder considered along the way.



The post holder's judgement must be sufficiently sound that the Oncologist can rely on them to have selected the optimum path.



The plans produced inform the treatment radiographers how to set up the patient and the linear accelerator to treat each individual patient. All set up information and instructions need to be accurately recorded as any errors will result in inconsistencies and errors on treatment

floor.



To be an expert and maintain up to date planning skills and competencies for all sites to an advanced level undertaking IMRT/VMAT in addition to 3DCRT, 4DCT planning and palliative dosimetry. Undertake both simple and complex planning



Evaluate CT scans ensuring they are suitable to use for radiotherapy planning and refer the patient for a rescan if appropriate



Use their knowledge to correctly interpret the consultant's prescription and intent and challenge them if it is incorrect, not achievable or not in the best interest of the patient



Use their knowledge to provide Consultants and Registrars with expert advice on treatment plan options and effect on dose distributions to create optimum individualised treatment plans



Advise Consultants on the use of bolus to gain optimal dosimetric coverage of clinical target volumes