Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our team as a Vision Screening Assistant. All necessary training will be provided. 16 hours per week term time only (plus 1 flexible week during school holidays)
The successful applicant will have excellent communication skills and be highly motivated in delivering vision screening assessments (testing vision) of children aged 4 to 5 years, within our well established and successful vision screening programme.
We currently screen c. 4000 children per annum, visiting just over 100 schools. Vision screening will be performed by screening assistants under the supervision of the Vision Screening Lead Orthoptist.
The candidate will be versatile in performing screening single-handedly as well as working as part of a team.
Vision screening is delivered within schools and the candidate must be able to visit one or more schools per day. Schools are predominantly located within Plymouth, but a proportion are also situated in rural settings, extending out to villages close to Tavistock, Ivybridge and Kingsbridge.
For further information or an informal discussion please contact Lizzy Padgett, Head Orthoptist on 01752 439319/ 439311 or e-mail lizzie.padgett@nhs.net
Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification
Main duties of the job
The post holder will use a LogMAR visual acuity test to assess all children aged 4 to 5 years to provide their vision screening check.
The post holder will carry out vision screening assessments in schools unsupervised.
The post holder will be responsible for their own diary. They will be expected to arrange visits to all infant and primary schools in UHP catchment area (c.100 schools), ensuring all eligible children are screened (c.4000), within each academic year.
The post holder will be responsible for all administration in relation to the vision screening programme.
About us
We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission.
We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To liaise with all infant and primary schools (c.100) within UHP catchment area and organise your own diary to ensure, along with the other vision screening assistant, that all infant and primary schools within UHP catchment area are attended within each academic year.
- To liaise and obtain from Plymouth City Council and Devon County Council admissions data. To cross reference this data to eliminate from screening any children already under the care of REI.
- To ensure letters are sent to all parents/ guardians notifying them of their childs forthcoming vision screening assessment.
- To collect data of any parents/ guardians who wish for their child to opt out from vision screening.
- To check all information carefully to ensure the correct child is tested.
- To use a LogMAR visual acuity test to assess the vision of all 4-5 year old children in the school.
- To refer children who fail the vision screening assessment directly to orthoptist, optometrist and ophthalmologist as appropriate (including location).
- To complete all paperwork and statistics for the schools screened and children referred.
- To accurately complete the Child Health database.
- To notify parents/ guardians of test results in a timely manner by telephone and letter.
- To liaise with Public Health to ensure up to date communication regarding the service is distributed to the schools.
- To participate in developing and reviewing the vision screening programme and pathways. To regularly review the vision screening patient information letters and leaflets.
COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
- To ensure the Vision Screening Lead Orthoptist is informed of any problems relating to the service delivery in a timely manner.
- To develop effective communication with staff, teachers and children to ensure delivery of clear and accurate information.
- To encourage and reassure children as they arrive for testing.
- To be able to explain the process/procedure of testing to the children and gain compliance by encouragement and negotiation.
- To be able to adapt the explanation using suitable language for different abilities of children and also those with special educational needs and disabilities.
- To be able to adapt the explanation when children have very limited or no understanding of English, to ensure the child fully understands the process/ procedure of testing, so that accurate results are gained.
- To have high quality communication skills when conveying test results to parents over the telephone. This regularly requires empathetic communication skills when informing parents their childs vision is significantly reduced (below normal) and a referral to REI for further investigation is required.
- To use interrupters when conveying test results to parents, when communication barriers are present, such as being hearing impaired or having a limited understanding of English.
- To deal empathetically with children who exhibit challenging behaviour during testing and/ or children who find the testing environment upsetting.
- Discuss with teacher or administrative staff to explain room specification requirements and suitability. These requests can sometimes require excellent negotiation and diplomacy skills in order to gain a suitable space for the needs for the testing environment.
- To arrange and agree with teachers on how the children will be released from class and escorted to the testing environment.
- Co-operate and communicate clearly and professionally with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and public/patient to facilitate effective provision of care and treatment.
Other:
- Participate in the education and training of other team members.
- To be able to work autonomously and at all times single handed.
- Ensure high standards of clinical practice.
- Contribute to the writing of new policies and procedures concerning vision screening.
- Be able to demonstrate the ability to work unsupervised within standard operating procedures.
- To monitor waiting lists and ensure all clinical sessions are fully utilised. To set up clinics as appropriate.
- Maintain up to date knowledge and skills and participate in the appraisal process.
- To participate in audit of the vision screening programme at local and national level.
- Patient examination regularly requires uncomfortable working positions, e.g. constantly leaning over and forwards, kneeling, crouching/ squatting, working whilst maintaining awkward posture.
- Working conditions may be unpleasant with exposure to lice, odours, bodily fluids and childhood illnesses etc.
- Manual handling is regularly required, e.g. moving furniture to set up rooms in schools for vision testing.
- All shifts require continual concentration and significant mental effort to ensure correct investigation is completed and accurate results gained, even when young children are reluctant to comply.
- It will be necessary to maintain concentration despite regular interruptions during clinical assessment, e.g. disruptive behaviour from other children in the room.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To liaise with all infant and primary schools (c.100) within UHP catchment area and organise your own diary to ensure, along with the other vision screening assistant, that all infant and primary schools within UHP catchment area are attended within each academic year.
- To liaise and obtain from Plymouth City Council and Devon County Council admissions data. To cross reference this data to eliminate from screening any children already under the care of REI.
- To ensure letters are sent to all parents/ guardians notifying them of their childs forthcoming vision screening assessment.
- To collect data of any parents/ guardians who wish for their child to opt out from vision screening.
- To check all information carefully to ensure the correct child is tested.
- To use a LogMAR visual acuity test to assess the vision of all 4-5 year old children in the school.
- To refer children who fail the vision screening assessment directly to orthoptist, optometrist and ophthalmologist as appropriate (including location).
- To complete all paperwork and statistics for the schools screened and children referred.
- To accurately complete the Child Health database.
- To notify parents/ guardians of test results in a timely manner by telephone and letter.
- To liaise with Public Health to ensure up to date communication regarding the service is distributed to the schools.
- To participate in developing and reviewing the vision screening programme and pathways. To regularly review the vision screening patient information letters and leaflets.
COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
- To ensure the Vision Screening Lead Orthoptist is informed of any problems relating to the service delivery in a timely manner.
- To develop effective communication with staff, teachers and children to ensure delivery of clear and accurate information.
- To encourage and reassure children as they arrive for testing.
- To be able to explain the process/procedure of testing to the children and gain compliance by encouragement and negotiation.
- To be able to adapt the explanation using suitable language for different abilities of children and also those with special educational needs and disabilities.
- To be able to adapt the explanation when children have very limited or no understanding of English, to ensure the child fully understands the process/ procedure of testing, so that accurate results are gained.
- To have high quality communication skills when conveying test results to parents over the telephone. This regularly requires empathetic communication skills when informing parents their childs vision is significantly reduced (below normal) and a referral to REI for further investigation is required.
- To use interrupters when conveying test results to parents, when communication barriers are present, such as being hearing impaired or having a limited understanding of English.
- To deal empathetically with children who exhibit challenging behaviour during testing and/ or children who find the testing environment upsetting.
- Discuss with teacher or administrative staff to explain room specification requirements and suitability. These requests can sometimes require excellent negotiation and diplomacy skills in order to gain a suitable space for the needs for the testing environment.
- To arrange and agree with teachers on how the children will be released from class and escorted to the testing environment.
- Co-operate and communicate clearly and professionally with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and public/patient to facilitate effective provision of care and treatment.
Other:
- Participate in the education and training of other team members.
- To be able to work autonomously and at all times single handed.
- Ensure high standards of clinical practice.
- Contribute to the writing of new policies and procedures concerning vision screening.
- Be able to demonstrate the ability to work unsupervised within standard operating procedures.
- To monitor waiting lists and ensure all clinical sessions are fully utilised. To set up clinics as appropriate.
- Maintain up to date knowledge and skills and participate in the appraisal process.
- To participate in audit of the vision screening programme at local and national level.
- Patient examination regularly requires uncomfortable working positions, e.g. constantly leaning over and forwards, kneeling, crouching/ squatting, working whilst maintaining awkward posture.
- Working conditions may be unpleasant with exposure to lice, odours, bodily fluids and childhood illnesses etc.
- Manual handling is regularly required, e.g. moving furniture to set up rooms in schools for vision testing.
- All shifts require continual concentration and significant mental effort to ensure correct investigation is completed and accurate results gained, even when young children are reluctant to comply.
- It will be necessary to maintain concentration despite regular interruptions during clinical assessment, e.g. disruptive behaviour from other children in the room.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working with children.
- Proven previous experience and knowledge of the vision screening (4- to 5-year-olds) programme.
Desirable
- Proven knowledge of ophthalmology/ orthoptics.
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ level 3 in Health & Social Care/ Paediatrics or Business Administration plus knowledge acquired through in-house, external courses and experience of specific patient conditions (such as amblyopia); comprehensive understanding of what visual acuity is, how to accurately test visual acuity in young children and causes of reduced vision, with understanding of what constitutes an urgent referral; this will have been acquired through training and experience.
- To have completed or working towards the British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS) Vision Screening Training Programme for Personnel who vision screen children at 4 to 5 years of age.
Aptitude & Attitude
Essential
- Computer literate, able to use word, excel and email.
- Demonstrable concentration skills required for testing high volumes of children and checking documentation.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working with children.
- Proven previous experience and knowledge of the vision screening (4- to 5-year-olds) programme.
Desirable
- Proven knowledge of ophthalmology/ orthoptics.
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ level 3 in Health & Social Care/ Paediatrics or Business Administration plus knowledge acquired through in-house, external courses and experience of specific patient conditions (such as amblyopia); comprehensive understanding of what visual acuity is, how to accurately test visual acuity in young children and causes of reduced vision, with understanding of what constitutes an urgent referral; this will have been acquired through training and experience.
- To have completed or working towards the British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS) Vision Screening Training Programme for Personnel who vision screen children at 4 to 5 years of age.
Aptitude & Attitude
Essential
- Computer literate, able to use word, excel and email.
- Demonstrable concentration skills required for testing high volumes of children and checking documentation.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
