The radiotherapy department works as a multi-disciplinary team which means that different health professionals work together to share specialist knowledge and expertise to make sure that all patients have the best possible treatment and care available. The radiotherapy team includes:
- Clinical oncologist
- Therapy radiographers
- Student radiographers
- Oncology nurses
- Radiotherapy assistants
- Treatment coordinators & booking clerks
- Mould room clinical technologists
- Clinical technologists, physicists, engineers and scientists
You won’t meet all of the team as many work behind the scenes with planning and preparing the radiotherapy treatment.
We have male and female members of staff working within the radiotherapy department. We try to accommodate patients’ wishes if they do not want to be treated by a specific sex of staff, but this may delay your treatment on the day whilst we find an alternative member of staff.
Identifying our staff
Radiotherapy is a very busy department and there lots of different staff working within out unit. Some of our staff wear uniforms and others don’t.
Staff that wear uniforms include:
- Therapy radiographers
- Clerical staff
- Nurses
- Clinical nurse specialists
- Clinical assistants
- Cleaners
- Porters
Staff that don’t wear uniforms include:
- Doctors
- Managers
- Research staff
- Engineers
- Physicists
- Dosimetrists
Every member of our staff will introduce themselves and have a Leeds Teaching Hospitals ID card and wear a name badge.
Clinical oncologists
This is a doctor who is a specialist in radiotherapy who is responsible for prescribing and overseeing radiotherapy treatments. Clinical oncologists may not always be present in the department when you are having your treatment
Patients may see their consultant, or a member of their team, when their treatment is being planned and during their treatment. There is a clinic area in the radiotherapy department called the Princess Royal Clinic (Review Clinic) where doctors and nurses see patients having radiotherapy treatment.
Therapy radiographers
Therapy radiographers are specialists in radiotherapy planning, pre-treatment, treatment delivery and all aspects of patient care related to radiotherapy. They are Allied Health Professionals who have undergone specific training to be qualified to deliver radiotherapy treatments and provide expert patient care.
At Leeds Cancer Centre, therapy radiographers are able to specialise in all parts of the patient’s radiotherapy journey. Within our department we have therapy radiographers in the following roles:
- Pre-treatment planning specialist radiographers
- Imaging specialist radiographers
- MacMillan funded patient support radiographers
- Consultant breast radiographer
- Research radiographers
- Clinical trials radiographers
Student radiographers
The Leeds Cancer Centre radiotherapy department is a training centre for radiographers. We have student radiographers at all stages of their training in our department. Students may be be present on the treatment machines however, they are supervised at all times by our qualified members of staff. If you do not wish students to be present during your treatment please speak to a member of our staff. This will not affect your treatment or care.
Oncology nurses
Based in the Princess Royal Suite within the radiotherapy department, is our nursing team, who are highly skilled in assessing and managing treatment related side effects.
The oncology nurses provide personalised care depending on individual patient needs. They offer a wide range of support which covers anything from skin care advice and pain relief to a listening ear if required. The nursing team also provides care after radiotherapy has finished.
Radiotherapy assistants
Radiotherapy assistants work alongside the therapy radiographers to provide your treatment. They work in the radiotherapy planning department. They cannulate (put a needle in your arm) for the CT injection (if needed), provide information to patients and help with positioning patients on the CT scanner.
Clerical support
The clinical and clerical support teams help to make sure your appointments run smoothly. They coordinate planning, clinic and treatment appointments, arrange transport for those who cannot bring themselves and book interpreters.
The Leeds Cancer Information Support Co-ordinator is based in the radiotherapy information lounge in main reception of the radiotherapy department.
Mould room clinical technologists
Careful positioning is very important for radiotherapy. Patients who are having treatment to their head or neck may need a mask to be made to help stay still. Sometimes shields are made to protect areas close to the treated region.
If a patient needs a mask or shield made for their treatment they will meet the mould room team. The mould room technologists are specially trained in the production of masks, shields and other devices used for radiotherapy treatment. More information about the mould room is below.
Clinical technologists, physicists, engineers and scientists
Physicists and dosimetrists work together to plan radiotherapy treatments. They design each patients individual treatment plan.
Scientists, engineers and technicians and are responsible for the safety, accuracy and reliability of the treatment machines. They perform quality assurance checking and regular servicing of all the radiotherapy equipment.
The mould room
Some patients need a mould or mask to be made in order to make sure that they do not move and that they are in the same place when having their radiotherapy treatment.
If you are having radiotherapy to your head, neck, arm or leg, you may need to have a mask or mould made before you start treatment. This will happen during your radiotherapy planning appointment.
The mould room clinical technologists will explain everything about making a mask to you when you attend the mould room. If you have any questions please ask one of our staff.
The masks are made of a material which becomes pliable when it has been warmed up. The mould room staff place a sheet of this special material into a warm water bath and when the plastic is at the correct temperature it is placed carefully on your face. The mould room team use their hands to gently shape the plastic on your face so that it forms a close fitting mask.
When the plastic has cooled down, it becomes stiff. Holes are cut out for your mouth or tracheostomy (if you have one) in the mask. You can see and breathe normally with the mask on. Making and wearing the mask is painless.
The mask has plastic anchor points which allow it to be connected to the Linac table. This will make sure that you do not move when you are having your radiotherapy treatment.
Making a mask can take up to 30 minutes as we need it to exactly fit you.
Some patients do not like having the mask put on their face. If you would like some extra help when you are having your mask made, please tell a member of our staff. We have specially trained members of staff who can provide relaxation techniques that will make this process easier for you.
The mould room staff don’t just make masks
Our mould room team make other equipment needed for radiotherapy as well as masks.
In some people, their tumour is very close to the skin surface. If this is the case, you may need some wax to be shaped for you to allow for the radiotherapy treatment to be given evenly over your tumour. This is called ‘Bolus’ and is individually made for each patient that needs it.
Not every patient needs Bolus for their treatment. If you need a Bolus to be made for you, the radiotherapy staff will let you know.
Radiotherapy technology services
The Leeds Cancer Centre Radiotherapy Service has 12 treatment machines. Each machine is capable of treating 50 to 60 patients per day.
Your course of radiotherapy is likely to be delivered on the same treatment machine daily. You may be treated on a different machine if an equipment breakdown occurs or when routine equipment maintenance is needed. When this happens, Clinical Technologists and Scientists jointly provide the engineering and physics skills to confidently make sure that the treatment machine is safe to return to clinical use.
The treatment room is split into a clinical area and an engineering area by a dividing screen. The whole treatment machine is large and weighs several tons.
Most of the machine is behind the screen. The gantry is held in position by the base platform and rotates upon it. The arm and head are connected to the gantry and rotate with it. Together with the couch, the machine can be positioned to suit all treatments.
From an engineering point of view, treatment accuracy is dependent on radiation strength and shape, machine position, couch position and patient imaging systems. The machines computer based control system, reads data from many two channel sensors on these critical systems.
Permanent faults can be traced and quickly repaired. Intermittent faults are difficult to reproduce and time consuming to find. Parts prone to wear and tear are replaced during routine maintenance to reduce the chance of failure during clinical use. All major and surprisingly some minor machine changes can require lengthy testing. We need to prove that the machine can position itself accurately, deliver radiation correctly and produce clear images.
Treatment machines need routine upgrades to allow delivery of more complex treatments. Radiographers carry out extra clinical testing to prove these treatments can be delivered safely.