Job summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic Optical Assistant to work in the Contact Lens Service at Moorfields City road. The primary responsibilities are the provision of a patient education service in all aspects of contact lens handling and care and you will make a major contribution to the efficiency of the Contact Lens optical assistant team, ensuring that a high quality service is provided at all times.
The successful applicant will receive in-house training in all aspects of the post. This is an exciting opportunity for an applicant with a good basic standard of education including GCSE science or equivalent, or ideally a BTEC or equivalent in a relevant science subject. You will need to be computer literate, have manual dexterity, be empathic and have good attention to detail.
Ideally you will have experience of working for the NHS or optometric practice. The successful applicant must be keen to learn, be happy to work in a team and have good organisation and communication skills as there is a need to liaise with other departments and clinical staff in the hospital.
Main duties of the job
To instruct patients in the care, handling & hygiene of contact lenses and provide appropriate advice in response to patients' enquiries.
To carry out optical imaging for patients in the contact lens service, to include but not limited to corneal topography and visual fields.
Arrange appointments for patients requiring instruction in contact lens handling and maintenance.
To deal with enquiries from staff and be the first point of contact for queries relating to the contact lens service
To deal promptly with general patient enquiries, liaising or passing on to a clinician if and when necessary.
About us
The Optometry Department is the largest department of its type in the UK. The department provides a comprehensive optometric support service, low vision service, contact lens service, and optometric extended role. We play a major role in the training of various ophthalmic professional staff and we have laboratories for spectacle glazing, lens surfacing and contact lens manufacturing.
Moorfields Eye Hospital is a post-graduate teaching Hospital of international acclaim, dedicated to excellence in patient care, training and research. Our main site is at City Road, London but we have a large, and growing, number of interdisciplinary satellite clinics at which optometric services are provided. This particular role will involve working part of the week in our clinics in St George's Hospital, Tooting and Mayday Hospital, Croydon.
PROBATIONARY PERIOD
This post will be subject to a probationary period of 6 months.
During the probationary period, your suitability for continued employment will be assessed and provided a satisfactory standard is achieved and maintained, your employment will be confirmed. The probationary period may be extended or your employment terminated either during or at the end of probation, in line with the trust Probationary Policy. For the duration of the probation period, the notice period will be in line with contractual obligations on either side.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To instruct patients in the care, handling & hygiene of contact lenses and provide appropriate advice in response to patients' enquiries.
To carry out optical imaging for patients in the contact lens service, to include but not limited to corneal topography and visual fields.
Arrange appointments for patients requiring instruction in contact lens handling and maintenance.
Ensure that the clinical bays are tidy and sufficient stock (i.e. solution, forms, contact lenses) is available for use.
To liaise with the main quality control and orders department at City road relating to problems and/or issues with contact lens solutions, contact lens suppliers and returned lenses from patients.
To deal with enquiries from staff and be the first point of contact for queries relating to the contact lens service
To deal promptly with general patient enquiries, liaising or passing on to a clinician if and when necessary.
To liaise with external contact lens suppliers if and when necessary.
To maintain contact lens stocks, fitting sets, library lenses and trial sets.
Keeping an information source of lens type and materials up to date for reference.
To maintain computerised and manual records within the section ensuring that filing and data entry are kept up to date.
To contribute to the disinfection & decontamination of contact lens fitting sets, as required.
To aid the main quality control and orders department at the main City Road Site, when the outreach clinic is not running.
To assist with other optical imaging
To be flexible with your work to be able to meet the optometry departments needs including travelling to satellite sites if staffing levels require it.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To instruct patients in the care, handling & hygiene of contact lenses and provide appropriate advice in response to patients' enquiries.
To carry out optical imaging for patients in the contact lens service, to include but not limited to corneal topography and visual fields.
Arrange appointments for patients requiring instruction in contact lens handling and maintenance.
Ensure that the clinical bays are tidy and sufficient stock (i.e. solution, forms, contact lenses) is available for use.
To liaise with the main quality control and orders department at City road relating to problems and/or issues with contact lens solutions, contact lens suppliers and returned lenses from patients.
To deal with enquiries from staff and be the first point of contact for queries relating to the contact lens service
To deal promptly with general patient enquiries, liaising or passing on to a clinician if and when necessary.
To liaise with external contact lens suppliers if and when necessary.
To maintain contact lens stocks, fitting sets, library lenses and trial sets.
Keeping an information source of lens type and materials up to date for reference.
To maintain computerised and manual records within the section ensuring that filing and data entry are kept up to date.
To contribute to the disinfection & decontamination of contact lens fitting sets, as required.
To aid the main quality control and orders department at the main City Road Site, when the outreach clinic is not running.
To assist with other optical imaging
To be flexible with your work to be able to meet the optometry departments needs including travelling to satellite sites if staffing levels require it.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Computer literate & keyboard skills
- Numerate
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- GSCE level or equivalent in science.
Desirable
- BTEC/SCOTVEC or other technical qualification in a relevant discipline.
Experience
Essential
- Contact with public
- Busy environment
- Work unsupervised
Desirable
- Training as an Optical Assistant
- Training in Quality Control
- NHS/Optometry practice experience
- Experience teaching patients to handle contact lenses
- Experience with PAS/Openeyes/Acuitas
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Computer literate & keyboard skills
- Numerate
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- GSCE level or equivalent in science.
Desirable
- BTEC/SCOTVEC or other technical qualification in a relevant discipline.
Experience
Essential
- Contact with public
- Busy environment
- Work unsupervised
Desirable
- Training as an Optical Assistant
- Training in Quality Control
- NHS/Optometry practice experience
- Experience teaching patients to handle contact lenses
- Experience with PAS/Openeyes/Acuitas
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).
