Who's Who - Oncology Staff
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- Liverpool Ocular Oncology Team
- Anaesthetist
- The anaesthetist is a medically qualified doctor specializing in the prevention of pain.
- Basic Scientist
- Basic scientists perform laboratory research, in fields such as molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, and pathology.
- Business Administrators
- A team of administrators run the unit, performing the following tasks:
- Communicating with the Department of Health regarding all administrative aspects of the centre;
- Liaising with the ocular oncologist on all financial matters related to the development of the oncology centre;
- Organizing the purchase of equipment;
- Organizing systems for accommodating patients and relatives, providing interpreters, and handling private fees.
- Running inpatient and outpatient services at St Paul's Eye Unit.
- Clerical Officer
- The ocular oncology clerk has the following duties:
- Reception duties in outpatient clinics;
- Preparing casenotes;
- Obtaining the fax numbers of referring ophthalmologists and general practitioners;
- Retrieiving and archiving casenotes and photographs for outpatient clinics, audits and research projects;
- Booking and cancelling clinic appointments; and
- Digitising casenotes on computer when patients are discharged from our service.
- Clinical director
- The clinical director is responsible for the running of St Paul's Eye Unit. He or she is normally appointed from the consultant team for a period of three years.
- Compliance Officer
- The complicance officer ensures that we in the oncology service all comply with:
- the patients' wishes and preferences, particularly with regards to consent for the use of data, images and tissues for research, teaching and audit. Permission is also obtained for quality of life quality of life questionnaires and newsletters.
- All conditions imposed by organizations such as the Liverpool Research Ethics Committee, the Trusts Research and Development department, the Medical Healthcare Regulatory Authority. We also follow the research guidelines issued by the International Conference of Harmonisation for Good Clinical Practice.
- Consultant ocular oncologist
- The consultant ocular oncologist is an ophthalmologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular tumours.
- Data manager
- The data manager ensures that our ocular oncology database is complete, correct and up-to-date. The duties of the data manager include:
- Checking the notes every time a patient is seen, to ensure that there are no errors in the database;
- Computerizing data returned by referring ophthalmologists and in questionnaires;
- Computerizing information received from the National Cancer Registry;
- Retrieving the NHS number of each new patient from the general practitioner or the referring health authority;
- Performing various studies, such as the quarterly review of activity; and
- Providing assistance when our usual oncology secretary is absent.
- Cytogeneticist
- The cytogeneticist examines tumour tissue to identify genetic abnormalities arising in the tumour. These studies indicate whether or not a melanoma is likely to behave aggressively.
- Health Psychologist
- The health psychologist:
- Identifies any psychological problems in patients and accompanying persons;
- Organizes any psychological support, if requested by the patient, liaising with the family doctor or with other practitioners, as required;
- Conduct quality of life studies and research into patients' psychological needs;
- Provide psychological support by means of printed leaflets and the ocular oncology website;
- Advise the ocular oncology staff on psychological aspects of patient care.
In the UK, chartered health psychologists obtain an undergraduate psychology degree followed by a postgraduate qualification in health psychology. They then practice health psychology under supervision for at least two years.
- Medical Ethicist
- The medical ethicist has qualifications in Health Care Ethics and helps to resolve any dilemmas relating to treatment or research. For example, he provides advice on new treatments and investigations to ensure that any novel care provided is always in the best interest of the patient.
- Medical oncologist
- The medical oncologist is a doctor specializing in the treatment of cancer by chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
- Nurse
- The primary route to obtaining a nursing qualification in England is the Diploma of Higher Education in Nursing. This is of three years duration. Graduates holding a health-related degree can follow an accelerated diploma programme. Nurses wishing to work in ophthalmology need to complete a course in ophthalmic nursing, which is a part-time, modular course lasting 42 weeks. Ophthalmic nurses can also obtain a specialist ophthalmic practitioner qualification, leading to a BA (Hons) in health care practice.
- Ocular Oncology Fellow
- The ocular oncology fellow is an ophthalmologist who is already trained in general oncology and who is obtaining specialized experience in ocular oncology.
- Ocular oncology secretary
- The ocular oncology secretary is responsible for all administrative matters related to our centre. The duties involve:
- Handling all correspondence;
- Typing and filing all letters;
- Organizing clinics and admissions;
- Arranging accommodation for patients and relatives;
- Organizing an interpreter, if required for an overseas patient;
- Preparing operating theatre lists;
- Organizing fax and telephone communications between our centre and radiotherapists at the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology;
- Preparing and circulating questionnaires.
- PALS Volunteer
- PALS volunteers are 'troubleshooters', who are available to help patients with any problems and needs that might arise during their stay in hospital. For example, they run various errands such as getting things from the hospital shop, cashing pensions, and posting letters.
- Photographer
- Ophthalmic photographers specialize in taking colour photographs and angiograms of the eye, using special equipment. The LOOC is fortunate in having a full time photographer working exclusively in ocular oncology.
- Pathologist
- The pathologist is a doctor specializing in pathology, which is the study of disease. This involves:
- Measuring and describing all specimens, both macroscopically (i.e., using the naked eye) and with a microscope;
- Providing a diagnosis;
- Reporting any tumour characteristics of prognostic value;
- Preparing a dictated report, for filing in the case notes, a copy of which is routinely sent to the referring ophthalmologist;
- Archiving tumours and any tissues that have been removed, in case any analysis is required and for research. This is done in accordance with Ethical Committee guidelines.
- Completing a proforma, for computerization of relevant data;
- Organizing a clinico-pathological conference each Monday afternoon, so that all tumour specimens can be discussed in detail with the surgeons;
- Participating in teaching and research.
- Radiologist
- The radiologist is a doctor specializing in body imaging, that is, x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging, and computerized tomography.
- Radiotherapist
- The radiotherapist is a doctor specializing in radiotherapy, which is the treatment of tumours with radiation.
- Senior house officer
- The senior house officer (SHO) is a doctor, usually of two or three years standing, who has recently entered ophthalmology. Senior house officers in ophthalmology work in the ocular oncology centre for about six or eight weeks. Their duties involve:
- Examining patients on admission to hospital and preparing patients for surgery;
- Organizing any relevant tests and retrieving the results;
- Assisting at theatre and in the clinics; and
- Contributing to patient care in the ward.
- Specialist ocular oncology nurse
- The specialist ocular oncology nurse is an ophthalmic nurse who dedicates the whole of her time to the care of patients with ocular tumours. The duties involve:
- Counselling patients in the clinic and the ward;
- Providing a telephone help-line service;
- Assisting with patient satisfaction studies and other projects; and
- Assisting the consultant at clinics and in the operating theatre.
The specialist ocular oncology nurse is designated as your 'Key Worker', which means that she is responsible for dealing with any problems that you might have.
- Specialist ophthalmic registrar
- The specialist ophthalmic registrar (SpR) is a medical doctor in the process of being trained as an ophthalmologist. This period of training lasts about four and a half years. At the end of this training, an SpR needs to pass an exit examination to be able to compete for a post as consultant ophthalmologist. Specialist registrars rotate through all sub-specialties in ophthalmology, including ocular oncology, spending between three and six months in each firm.
- Vitreoretinal surgeon
- The vitreoretinal surgeon is a consultant ophthalmologist who specializes in the surgical treatment of retinal disorders.
