Job summary
Be part of something that truly matters. Join one of the UK's largest and most forward-thinking NHS Trusts in a role where your attention to detail directly protects patients and saves sight.
Based at the renowned St James's University Hospital, the Ophthalmology Failsafe Officer is a pivotal position within our Ophthalmology Service one that sits at the heart of patient safety.
This isn't just an administrative role. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with clinicians, operational managers and multidisciplinary teams to monitor critical care pathways, identify gaps before they become risks, and take decisive action that makes a real difference to real people. Your contributions will directly shape quality improvement, service efficiency, and compliance with national standards.
You'll thrive here if you are:
- Highly organised, methodical and detail-driven
- Confident analysing data and navigating patient tracking systems
- Proactive, solutions-focused and calm under pressure
- A skilled communicator who builds trust across diverse teams
- Genuinely passionate about patient safety and continuous improvement
If precision is your strength and purpose is your motivator, we'd love to hear from you. Help us ensure every ophthalmology patient receives the timely, safe care they deserve.
Please note: this position has been re-advertised and we respectfully ask that previous applicants do not reapply.
Main duties of the job
As an Ophthalmology Failsafe Officer, you'll be embedded within the Ophthalmology administrative and operational team, collaborating daily with consultants, clinical nurse specialists, service managers, booking teams and data analysts. Far from working in isolation, you'll be a central connector across the service bridging clinical and operational functions to keep pathways moving safely and efficiently.
What You'll Be Doing
- Proactively monitoring Patient Tracking Lists (PTLs) and failsafe reports across key services including medical retina and glaucoma
- Identifying patients who are overdue or at risk of delay and taking swift, decisive action to resolve concerns before they escalate
- Liaising with clinical and booking teams to secure appropriate follow-up appointments or escalate issues through the right channels
- Maintaining meticulous records and upholding data quality across multiple systems
- Supporting audits, performance reporting and service improvement initiatives
- Playing an active role in developing and refining failsafe processes to strengthen the service over time
This is a fast-paced, high-volume role that demands focus, resilience and strong organisational skills. You'll regularly review large patient cohorts, manage complex caseloads and work to clear backlogs within agreed timeframes. Meeting turnaround targets is essential but so is the knowledge that every patient you track and rebook is one step closer to receiving the care they need.
About us
Our
Ophthalmology Service is part of one of the largest and most respected acute
Trusts in the UK, delivering specialist eye care to a diverse and growing
population across Leeds and the wider region. Based primarily at St Jamess
University Hospital, our department supports high-volume, high-impact
services including medical retina, glaucoma, and urgent eye care.
We
are a close-knit, supportive team made up of consultants, specialist nurses,
optometrists, technicians, administrative colleagues and operational
managers. While our workload is fast-paced and clinically significant, our
culture is collaborative, respectful and improvement-focused. We take pride
in working together to solve problems, protect patient safety and
continuously strengthen our pathways.
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'
members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts
are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove
adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the
shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this
process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any
questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This
is more than an administrative post it is a patient safetycritical
position where your work has a direct impact on protecting patients sight.
Make
a Measurable Difference
You
will play a central role in ensuring no patient is lost to follow-up across
high-risk ophthalmology pathways, particularly within medical retina and
glaucoma services. By proactively identifying delays and resolving pathway
gaps, you will directly contribute to safer care and improved outcomes.
Be
at the Heart of Service Improvement
This
role is embedded within our failsafe and patient tracking workflows,
contributing to ongoing pathway redesign, backlog reduction and quality
improvement projects. You will work alongside senior operational managers,
consultants and service leads, giving you real visibility and influence
within the department.
Work
Within a Leading Teaching Trust
As
part of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, one of the largest in the UK, you
will engage with:
Consultants
and Clinical Leads in specialist ophthalmology services
Operational
Service Managers and CSU leadership teams
Booking,
data and performance teams
Regional
referral pathways and external providers where required
This
exposure provides excellent insight into large-scale NHS service delivery and
governance.
Develop
Specialist Knowledge
You
will gain in-depth understanding of:
High-risk
ophthalmology pathways
Patient
tracking list (PTL) management
National
access and waiting time standards
Data
validation, reporting and governance processes
This
role is ideal for someone looking to strengthen their expertise in
operational management, data quality or pathway coordination within a
clinical specialty.
A
Role That Values Your Skills
We
are particularly keen to attract applicants who demonstrate:
Strong
alignment with NHS core values
Analytical
thinking and confidence working with complex data
High
levels of accuracy and attention to detail
Professional
curiosity and a proactive approach to problem-solving
Resilience
and focus in a high-volume, safety-critical environment
Challenge
With Purpose
The
role requires sustained concentration, management of large patient cohorts,
and sensitive communication when resolving delays. While the workload can be
demanding, it is purposeful every action you take supports timely care and
protects patients from avoidable harm.
If
you are motivated by responsibility, precision and meaningful impact, this is
a unique opportunity to build specialist experience while contributing to one
of the Trusts most vital clinical services.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This
is more than an administrative post it is a patient safetycritical
position where your work has a direct impact on protecting patients sight.
Make
a Measurable Difference
You
will play a central role in ensuring no patient is lost to follow-up across
high-risk ophthalmology pathways, particularly within medical retina and
glaucoma services. By proactively identifying delays and resolving pathway
gaps, you will directly contribute to safer care and improved outcomes.
Be
at the Heart of Service Improvement
This
role is embedded within our failsafe and patient tracking workflows,
contributing to ongoing pathway redesign, backlog reduction and quality
improvement projects. You will work alongside senior operational managers,
consultants and service leads, giving you real visibility and influence
within the department.
Work
Within a Leading Teaching Trust
As
part of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, one of the largest in the UK, you
will engage with:
Consultants
and Clinical Leads in specialist ophthalmology services
Operational
Service Managers and CSU leadership teams
Booking,
data and performance teams
Regional
referral pathways and external providers where required
This
exposure provides excellent insight into large-scale NHS service delivery and
governance.
Develop
Specialist Knowledge
You
will gain in-depth understanding of:
High-risk
ophthalmology pathways
Patient
tracking list (PTL) management
National
access and waiting time standards
Data
validation, reporting and governance processes
This
role is ideal for someone looking to strengthen their expertise in
operational management, data quality or pathway coordination within a
clinical specialty.
A
Role That Values Your Skills
We
are particularly keen to attract applicants who demonstrate:
Strong
alignment with NHS core values
Analytical
thinking and confidence working with complex data
High
levels of accuracy and attention to detail
Professional
curiosity and a proactive approach to problem-solving
Resilience
and focus in a high-volume, safety-critical environment
Challenge
With Purpose
The
role requires sustained concentration, management of large patient cohorts,
and sensitive communication when resolving delays. While the workload can be
demanding, it is purposeful every action you take supports timely care and
protects patients from avoidable harm.
If
you are motivated by responsibility, precision and meaningful impact, this is
a unique opportunity to build specialist experience while contributing to one
of the Trusts most vital clinical services.
Person Specification
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Flexible working attitude.
- Attention to detail.
- Clear and effective communication.
- Ability to self-reflect, carry out tasks of own job and identify what s/he needs to learn to able to do current job better.
- Evidence of ability to manage stressful situations including distressed patients and relatives
- Flexible approach to the planning and co-ordination of patient pathways to ensure maximum use of clinical time.
- Can work under pressure.
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of working in a customer/patient focussed environment, ideally within the NHS in a similar setting
- Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with experience of dealing with patient queries, concerns and anxiety in a reassuring manner.
- Experience of managing / co-ordinating patient pathways.
- Understand and practices the principles of confidentiality at all times
Desirable
- Knowledge of national targets with respect to Ophthalmology patient pathways.
- Have a sound understanding of NHS wide initiatives and experience of responding positively to ensure local implementation.
- Previous experience of working within the NHS
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Flexible working attitude.
- Attention to detail.
- Clear and effective communication.
- Ability to self-reflect, carry out tasks of own job and identify what s/he needs to learn to able to do current job better.
- Evidence of ability to manage stressful situations including distressed patients and relatives
- Flexible approach to the planning and co-ordination of patient pathways to ensure maximum use of clinical time.
- Can work under pressure.
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ level 3 within healthcare or experience equivalent
Desirable
- Excellent word processing skills / qualifications (ECDL or equivalent)
- Demonstrable evidence of further (relevant) academic qualifications
- GCSE or equivalent which demonstrates competency in literacy
Other Criteria
Essential
- Data analysis and production on reports against performance targets
- IT literate, working knowledge of Microsoft Office including excel.
Person Specification
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Flexible working attitude.
- Attention to detail.
- Clear and effective communication.
- Ability to self-reflect, carry out tasks of own job and identify what s/he needs to learn to able to do current job better.
- Evidence of ability to manage stressful situations including distressed patients and relatives
- Flexible approach to the planning and co-ordination of patient pathways to ensure maximum use of clinical time.
- Can work under pressure.
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of working in a customer/patient focussed environment, ideally within the NHS in a similar setting
- Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with experience of dealing with patient queries, concerns and anxiety in a reassuring manner.
- Experience of managing / co-ordinating patient pathways.
- Understand and practices the principles of confidentiality at all times
Desirable
- Knowledge of national targets with respect to Ophthalmology patient pathways.
- Have a sound understanding of NHS wide initiatives and experience of responding positively to ensure local implementation.
- Previous experience of working within the NHS
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Flexible working attitude.
- Attention to detail.
- Clear and effective communication.
- Ability to self-reflect, carry out tasks of own job and identify what s/he needs to learn to able to do current job better.
- Evidence of ability to manage stressful situations including distressed patients and relatives
- Flexible approach to the planning and co-ordination of patient pathways to ensure maximum use of clinical time.
- Can work under pressure.
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ level 3 within healthcare or experience equivalent
Desirable
- Excellent word processing skills / qualifications (ECDL or equivalent)
- Demonstrable evidence of further (relevant) academic qualifications
- GCSE or equivalent which demonstrates competency in literacy
Other Criteria
Essential
- Data analysis and production on reports against performance targets
- IT literate, working knowledge of Microsoft Office including excel.
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.
