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The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
About
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Head of Radiation Protection/Lead Clinical Scientist
Accepting applications until: 30-Mar-2026 00:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 30-Mar-2026 00:59
Key details
Location
- Site
- Trustwide
- Town
- 317 Trustwide
- Postcode
- DH1 5TW
- Major / Minor Region
- Tyne and Wear
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Salary
- Salary
- £64,455 - £74,896 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (Band 8b/8a)
Specialty
- Main area
- 317 Durham Nuclear Medicine
- Interview date
- 09/04/2026
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS hospital trusts in the country. We have around 16,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.7 billion.
With strong history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation regionally, nationally and internationally, we’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country.
As well as providing a wide range of hospital and community services, we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated Clinical Scientist to take on a key leadership role in delivering and developing Nuclear Medicine and Bone Densitometry services within the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT).
The successful applicant will lead on compliance with radiation protection legislation and associated training, governance and assurance processes to maintain and demonstrate ongoing regulatory compliance. The role combines clinical practice, leadership, radiation protection expertise and service development within a highly collaborative team.
The post holder will also be the appointed Radiation Protection Advisor for the nuclear medicine services at both CDDFT and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, covering 4 sites. These form the Durham, Darlington and Hartlepool Unit, part of the Northern Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering Directorate of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The successful applicant will have the opportunity to influence the future direction of the service, take a leading role in radiation protection across the unit, and support innovation in a modern clinical environment.
- Interview Date Thursday 09 April 2026
- 37 Hours 30 Minutes/Week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Advert
This role includes senior scientific responsibility with a lead role in radiation protection and oversight of nuclear medicine and bone densitometry equipment to support safe, compliant and reliable clinical operation. The post holder will also act as a Medical Physics Expert to the service and undertake clinical reporting and duty physicist activities.
The working base will be either the University Hospital of North Durham or Darlington Memorial Hospital (to be confirmed upon appointment), however the successful applicant will be required to travel unit-wide to meet the exigencies of the service.
Working for our organisation
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
With around 2 million contacts with patients every year, we deliver care from:
- Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
- Freeman Hospital
- Newcastle Dental Hospital
- Cramlington Manor Walks
- Urgent treatment centres
- Newcastle Fertility Centre
- Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
- Northern Genetics Service
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Nuclear Medicine Service at CDDFT comprises approximately 20 staff, including clinical scientists, clinical technologists and assistant practitioners. There is a gamma camera and DXA scanner at each of the two sites where the service is provided, at University Hospital North Durham (UHND) and at Darlington Memorial Hospital (DMH). A new state-of-the-art radiopharmacy at UHND is due to open in 2026 and will support services at both sites.
Around 9000 diagnostic and therapy procedures are performed each year for the specialties within CDDFT including paediatrics, oncology, cardiology and neurology. The Unit works closely with the nuclear medicine service at University Hospitals Hartlepool.
The team also plays a role in the teaching and assessment for the National School of Healthcare Science Scientific Training Programme associated MSc course in Medical Physics at Newcastle University, as one of only three accredited teaching centres in England.
For appointment at Band 8b the successful applicant will hold certification as a Radiation Protection Advisor (RPA) and Medical Physics Expert (MPE).
Applicants who have MPE certification but are working towards RPA certification will be considered and would be initially appointed at Band 8a, with progression to Band 8b once all essential criteria are met (including certification as an RPA). We will provide professional development opportunities to enable career development.
Contract clause after appointment:
7. Special Conditions of Employment
If you do not meet all the essential requirements of the post, including certification as an RPA, we will consider appointment at Band 8a, with progression to Band 8b once all essential criteria are met.
It is expected that you will meet all essential criteria within 3 years of your start date. Failure to achieve your objectives within the set timeframe may result in a review of your employment.
Band 8b
- Provides professional leadership within the Nuclear Medicine, Radiopharmacy and Bone Densitometry Services at the University Hospital of North Durham and Darlington Memorial Hospital sites, working Unit wide as required to meet the exigencies of the service.
- Acts as the Durham, Darlington and Hartlepool (DDH) Unit Radiation Protection Advisor (RPA) for nuclear medicine services.
- Leads on compliance with radiation protection legislation, including training and assurance processes to maintain and demonstrate ongoing compliance.
- Provides oversight of equipment quality assurance to ensure safe, compliant, and reliable clinical operation.
- Maintains and develops high standards of service provision throughout their area of responsibility.
- Develops implements and monitors clinical and organisational strategies within areas of expertise.
- Initiates, develops and delivers research and development activities for healthcare advancement.
- Contributes to service and staff development throughout Northern Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering and the Northern Training Consortium.
Band 8a
- Performs a range of advanced healthcare science activities.
- Participates in the teaching and training commitments of the Service.
- Maintains and develops high standards of service provision throughout their area of responsibility.
- Contributes to the development, implementation and monitoring of clinical and organisational strategies within area of expertise.
- Initiates, in collaboration with the line manager, the development and delivery of research and development activities for healthcare advancement.
Applicant requirements
Person specification
Meets All Band 8b Criteria
Essential criteria
- 1st or 2nd class honours degree in physics or related subject
- MSc in Medical Physics or equivalent
- Corporate (or higher) membership of IPEM
- HCPC Registered Clinical Scientist (Medical Physicist)
- RPA2000 certificate of competence as a Radiation Protection Adviser
- RPA2000 certificate of competence as a Medical Physics Expert
- Driving licence
- Considerable post-registration experience in the application of physics to clinical nuclear medicine, including quality assurance and calibration procedures relating to a wide range of nuclear medicine equipment; sufficient to fulfil the role of a Medical Physics Expert
- Experience in training and supervision of trainees
- Experience in audit, research and development
- Formal presentations at national and local meetings
- Experience of investigating incidents involving ionising radiation
- Experience of helping to develop services
- Specialist in-depth knowledge of a wide range of nuclear medicine procedures, including clinical assessment
- Understanding of legislation, standards and protocols relating to clinical nuclear medicine work
- Understanding of commissioning and acceptance testing, quality assurance and calibration requirements, functioning and safe use of the full range of nuclear medicine equipment
- Experience as a Medical Physics Expert
- Experience as a Radiation Protection Advisor
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- Ability to successfully manage & motivate staff
- Ability to interpret data, analyse problems and evaluate solutions
- Good report writing & presentation skills
- Training, teaching & mentoring skills
- IT skills including databases, spreadsheets, nuclear medicine software applications development
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Good leadership skills
- Ability to liaise effectively with staff at all levels
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
Desirable criteria
- Higher degree in Medical Physics or related subject
- RPA2000 certificate of competence as a Radioactive Waste Adviser
- Understanding of clinical audit and governance and its application to the services provided by the Section
- Knowledge of national clinical standards (e.g. NICE guidance)
- Standards for radiopharmaceutical production
- Knowledge of national arrangements for radiation emergency planning and response
- Wider knowledge in radiation protection
- Experience of leading a team and successfully managing and motivating staff
- Involvement in the procurement, commissioning and acceptance testing of a wide range of nuclear medicine equipment
- Contribution to implementation of strategic plans and development of new techniques
- Responsible role in Radiation Protection
- Manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals
- Management of Clinical Scientists or Technologists
- Lecturing/teaching experience at postgraduate level
- Experience as a Radioactive Waste Adviser
- Experience as an emergency responder to radiation incidents/exercises
- Patient handling skills
- Planning a complex range of activities
- Clinical reporting of a wide range of nuclear medicine studies
- Able to move heavy objects e.g. lead shielding, patients (within moving and handling guidelines)
- Able to work in an aseptic cleanroom environment
Meets All Band 8a Criteria
Essential criteria
- In depth knowledge of a wide range of nuclear medicine procedures, including clinical assessment
- Knowledge of legislation, standards and protocols relating to clinical nuclear medicine work
- Understanding of the functioning and safe use of an extensive range of nuclear medicine equipment
- IT skills including database, spreadsheet, nuclear medicine software applications development
- Ability to communicate effectively with other health professionals and patients
- Good writing skills
- Good time management and organisational skills
- Considerable post-registration experience in the application of physics to clinical nuclear medicine, including quality assurance and calibration procedures relating to a range of nuclear medicine equipment
- Experience in training and supervision of trainees
- First or second class honours degree in physics or related physical science
- Eligible for corporate membership of IPEM
- HCPC Registered Clinical Scientist (in an appropriate specialism)
Desirable criteria
- Standards for radiopharmaceutical production
- Knowledge of bone densitometry
- Wider knowledge in radiation protection
- Patient handling skills including IV administration of radiopharmaceuticals
- Clinical reporting of a wide range of nuclear medicine studies
- Experience in the procurement, commissioning and acceptance testing of a range of nuclear medicine equipment
- Introduction of new investigation techniques
- Responsible role in Radiation Protection
- Manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals
- Audit, research and development
- Formal presentations at national and local meetings
- Higher degree in Medical Physics or related subject
- Driving licence
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Robyn Cooke
- Job title
- Head of Nuclear Medicine Section
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0191 3332218
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