Advanced MRI Superintendent Research Radiographer

Job description

 The School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, part of the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, is seeking a highly experienced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) radiographer to take on a senior post within our Advanced MRI Centre, located at St Thomas’ Hospital. The Centre includes the London Collaborative Ultra-High field System (LoCUS) facility (Siemens Magnetom Terra 7T), a Siemens Vida 3T, and the UK’s first Siemens Free.Max 0.55T. All 3 systems are supported by fully equipped clinical infrastructure, an RF engineering lab, and a core team of expert physicists and clinicians to support research. It is one key element of the School’s wider imaging infrastructure that also includes 4 high-specification 1.5T and 3T MRIs and an ultra-low-field 0.064T MRI. The Advanced MRI Centre supports a diverse range of clinical and research projects, including neurological, cardiovascular, musculo-skeletal and oncological imaging work for patients and research participants from across London, as well as national referrals from other UK centres.

The post-holder will be responsible for leading the Advanced MRI radiographer team in delivering high quality MRI expertise for clinical and research work undertaken by internal and external users. The post-holder will be responsible to the School Director of Clinical & Research Imaging Operations, and will help to ensure that Advanced MRI activities are aligned with clinical and research governance standards. The post-holder will also support the School’s clinical and academic leads in driving innovation and co-ordinating a multi-disciplinary team of clinical scientists, physicists, clinicians, nursing and midwifery staff, researchers and external stakeholders, ensuring safe practice at all times. The post-holder will be expected to promote excellence in Advanced MRI clinical and research imaging, contribute to the academic output of the School, and raise the profile of work done to internal and external audiences.

Key requirements for this post are experience of supporting imaging research studies utilising a variety of advanced MR imaging techniques, and in managing a team. Applicants who also have experience of, or who can demonstrate their own academic contributions will be strongly preferred. An important criterion for selecting the successful post holder will be their commitment to upholding excellence in MR safety culture and all aspects of adult and paediatric imaging, and to lead by example in driving radiographer-led research activity. In doing so, they will be supported by very strong scientific and academic teams at the University and the Hospital. Whilst based in the Advanced MRI Centre, the successful candidate will be part of the School’s wider imaging groups ( Cardiac MRI,  Perinatal MRI and the  PET Centre), which deliver services to approximately 13,000 patients a year, and are accredited in accordance with the  Quality Standard for Imaging (QSI) 2019 and 2021.

The post will require on-site attendance at St Thomas’ Hospital and the post holder will be required to work flexibly between 8:00am and 8:00pm, as requested, to meet the needs of the service. Some weekend working may be required.

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract.

This will be a full time post - full time equivalent.

Key responsibilities

• To lead the Advanced MRI radiographer team, and be responsible for developing and implementing standards, practice and guidelines.
• To be responsible for the clinical and research imaging performed in the Advanced MRI Centre, ensuring local and National guidelines and statutory requirements are adhered to, in keeping with the School’s accreditation to the UK Accreditation Service’s Quality Standard for Imaging.
• To support a multi-disciplinary team in developing, implementing and translating MRI techniques within protocols that will be used in imaging studies across field strengths as part of a cutting-edge clinical and research program.
• To ensure that self and team members work with consistency and careful attention to detail when following protocols to carry out clinical and research scans.
• To ensure that research elements of the imaging service are facilitated to time and target without compromising patient care.
• To be responsible for MR Safety across the Advanced MRI facility, including full awareness of the potential hazards of working at field strengths ranging from 0.55T to 7T, and ensuring that scanners are operated within safe limits at all times.
• To act as the MR responsible person for Advanced MRI scanners, as required, and be responsible for assessing queries relating to patient safety before an MRI scan is undertaken (including checking and documenting the safety of implants).
• To be familiar with the safety guidelines issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the potential bio-effects of MRI at different field strengths, and with safety procedures (quench, fire, cardiac arrest) that are specific to the MR environment.
• To have excellent knowledge of data protection and clinical governance requirements pertinent to the duties of the post, and ensure compliance with them across the team, in conjunction with Governance leads.
• To work with the School management team to ensure that accurate and transparent data are available on Advanced MRI clinical and research imaging activity, to include knowledge of financial flows around scan and staff costs.
• To be responsible for the line management of the Advanced MRI radiographers, ensuring that all staff maintain training and competencies, and provide a professional service in accordance with criteria laid down by the School, Trust and relevant professional body, and to report any deviations to the management team.
• To provide educational and academic leadership to Advanced MRI imaging teams, promoting Continuous Professional Development and radiographer involvement and leadership in research.
• To be an effective clinical and academic role model within the department, and act as an advocate for excellence in Advanced MRI imaging to a wider audience.
• To prepare and present research papers, abstracts, talks and other forms of scientific communication, in conjunction with the wider team, and encouraging all to participate.
• To support the academic leads and School management team in appropriate staff recruitment for posts across the School.
• To maintain, disseminate and promote up-to-date knowledge of clinical, technical and radiographic developments, and apply them to Advanced MRI studies.
• To work with the School Management team on updating local induction procedures as required.
• To ensure professional regulatory and accreditation requirements are maintained for self and the wider radiographic team.
• To link with imaging leads elsewhere in the School, and be responsible for further School management activities as agreed with the management team.
• To perform MR scans required as part of clinical or research programmes based in KCL or GSTT. This will include physically positioning the patient for the full range of MR examinations, to ensure that image quality, patient comfort and patient safety are maintained at all times, whilst taking into account patient limitations and adapting standard techniques where necessary.
• To assist clinicians and researchers in the collection of MR data from patients and volunteers for clinical and research purposes. To undertake analysis and review of data using appropriate software packages and to provide data in suitable formats (e.g. hard copy, storage media, electronic) to academics and researchers in-house, and to external collaborators.
• To ensure the whole team understands the importance of consistency of technique and of following protocols in carrying out scans, particularly for cohort studies.
• To ensure the whole team understands the importance of accurate data recording, promoting a culture that ensures comprehensive accurate data reporting is maintained at all times.
• To lead in developing radiographic aspects of imaging methods to strengthen and enhance the research programme. This includes assisting in the implementation and testing of imaging protocols and QA procedures either developed in-house or provided by external collaborators or funders.
• To take part in discussions with external organisations regarding the planning of research projects and the suitability of protocols, reporting and data transfer arrangements.
• To review and comment on continuing appropriateness of imaging protocols.
• To communicate effectively and empathetically with patients, participants and carers prior to, during and after an examination. This will require an ability to assess specific communication needs of individual subject to ensure that safety is maintained. To act as a point of advice for patient enquiries regarding their referral.
• To participate in the delivery of an out of hour’s service as required.
• Together with the Imaging Facility Manager, to be responsible for the service, maintenance and fault reporting of the Advanced MRI imaging equipment and documentation, in line with School procedures, appropriately delegating tasks as required.
• To have overall responsibility for ensuring safety systems are properly maintained, that valid test regimes are in place and that suitable records are kept. These tasks can be appropriately delegated as required.
• To participate in the Quality Assurance Program by overseeing MR scanner checks, to trouble-shoot where possible and report any equipment faults.
• To ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for booking subjects for clinical and research scans. This will include liaison with patients, clinicians and administrative staff, and helping to coordinate bookings with availability of other members of staff as required.
• To ensure that all persons entering the scanner examination room have completed an MRI safety checklist and have removed all personal belongings, which might either be hazardous in the area of strong magnetic field or might be damaged by it.
• To ensure that research subjects have completed an appropriate Ethics Committee-approved consent form and that this is filed appropriately.
• To ensure that all persons working within the Advanced MRI Centre have had appropriate training to work safely and within the needs of their role. To document this training and to inform the Imaging Facility Manager when staff have not undergone the required training.
• To supervise non-authorised persons when they are in the MRI suites.
• To ensure appropriate infection control measures are utilised where necessary, paying particular attention to personal protection as well as the management of equipment and linen.
• To ensure correct documentation of patient/ volunteer attendance including scanner input, data systems and log book. To ensure accurate documentation of patient demographics, and recording and recall of images and procedures in accordance with departmental standards.
• To supervise and act as trainer for rotating radiographic staff including providing safety training for staff from other departments e.g. anaesthetics.
• To demonstrate leadership and innovation in the implementation of environmentally sustainable practices, recording progress through the King’s sustainability audit process and sharing good practice. To nurture and encourage sustainable practices and leadership within your team and networks.
• To facilitate an inclusive culture and ethos working with academic, research and other professional services staff and colleagues external to King’s.
• To undertake other duties as and when required by the demands of the clinical or research programme. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1. BSc Radiography or Diploma of the College of Radiographers (DCR)
2. HCPC Registration and NHS experience
3. Post-graduate qualification in MRI
4. Experience of leading a radiographic team and supervising multi-disciplinary staff in an MR environment
5. Experience of advanced MRI techniques (e.g. fMRI, MRS)
6. Expert MR safety knowledge
7. Knowledge and experience of Good Clinical Practice
8. Demonstrable commitment to Clinical Governance and quality standards
9. Effective communicator in a wide range of situations in writing, person or by telephone
10. Knowledge of environmental impacts of work and an interest in reducing the negative impacts

Desirable criteria

1. Experience of ultra-high and/or low-field MRI
2. Evidence of research contribution and academic output
3. Excellent IT skills

Further information

Candidates with an existing NHS Pension may choose to remain in that scheme if they wish to do so. Further information will be available via HR.

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service and Occupational Health clearance.