Job summary
We are delighted to be able to offer an opportunity for a highly motivated ambitious individual to join a well-integrated team within the Department of Ophthalmology, in an ST1-2 post to support some aspects of ophthalmology, in particular medical retina and minor lid operations.
There will be opportunities with emergency ophthalmology, other clinic types and medical student teaching. The post is available from August 2025 for 6 months in the first instance. This post will be of interest to those who are looking to gain further experience in ophthalmology.
We typically receive several hundred applications for ST1/2 locally employed doctor posts and we will therefore only shortlist candidates with paid NHS experience (this does not include Clinical Access or Clinical Observership placements) which is an essential criteria within the Person Specification. Please do not apply if you do not have paid NHS experience as this leads to significant clinician time reviewing applications from applicants who will not be shortlisted.
Please read attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Main duties of the job
The Royal Victoria Infirmary has a large Ophthalmology department covering all aspects of ophthalmology and is well equipped with the full range of diagnostic equipment especially for medical retina including wide field OCTA, colour, FFA&ICG and electrodiagnostic tests.
For an informal discussion and further information regarding the opportunity and Directorate, please contact Mr James Talks Clinical director via email at james.talks@nhs.net
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
About us
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest, largest and most successful teaching NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 16,000 staff and an annual income of £1 billion. We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We're also proud to be the second largest provider of specialised services in the country. This means we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 1.84 million patients 'contacts' each year, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical:
- To provide clinical expertise in line with agreed job plan.
- To work as part of an ophthalmology team
Administrative:
- To ensure communication with other healthcare professionals occurs in an effective and timely manner
Teaching:
- To attend appropriate teaching
- To contribute to the undergraduate and postgraduate ophthalmology teaching programmes
- To contribute to the training of non-medical practitioners and community optometrists
Research:
- Involvement in research encouraged.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical:
- To provide clinical expertise in line with agreed job plan.
- To work as part of an ophthalmology team
Administrative:
- To ensure communication with other healthcare professionals occurs in an effective and timely manner
Teaching:
- To attend appropriate teaching
- To contribute to the undergraduate and postgraduate ophthalmology teaching programmes
- To contribute to the training of non-medical practitioners and community optometrists
Research:
- Involvement in research encouraged.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Primary Medical Qualification
- Previous paid experience in NHS
- Full GMC registration at the time of application
- Some Ophthalmology experience
Clinical Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Clinical ophthalmology experience
- Good history & examination skills
- Able to formulate a working diagnosis
- Able to order appropriate investigations
- Image interpretation relevant to practice
- Knows when to appropriately seek assistance from a senior colleague
Desirable
- Ability to perform minor lid procedures
- Ability to perform intravitreal injections
- Ability to interpret retinal imaging
Management and Administration Experience
Essential
- Ability to run a service and participate in management process
- Committed to share in professional, managerial and teaching responsibilities necessary to fulfil the obligations of the Directorate to the Trust and its workforce
- Able to communicate well with patients and colleagues
- An understanding of Clinical Governance
Desirable
- Proven management and administration ability
- Understanding of management goals
- Experience with audit
- Evidence of leadership / project management
- Evidence of having implemented change
Teaching
Essential
- Experience of supervising junior staff
- Ability to teach clinical skills
Clinical Governance, Audit and Research
Essential
- Experience of audit projects
Communication, Relationships and Working with Colleagues
Essential
- Ability to communicate and liaise effectively with patients and other people within a team
- Ability to work as a team with professional colleagues in all disciplines
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Alignment with the Trust's Values
- Flexible approach to service delivery and committed approach to development
- A commitment to personal / unit CPD
- Time management skills
- Honesty, integrity, awareness of ethical dilemmas, respect for confidentiality
Desirable
- Evidence of leadership skills
- IT literate
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Primary Medical Qualification
- Previous paid experience in NHS
- Full GMC registration at the time of application
- Some Ophthalmology experience
Clinical Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Clinical ophthalmology experience
- Good history & examination skills
- Able to formulate a working diagnosis
- Able to order appropriate investigations
- Image interpretation relevant to practice
- Knows when to appropriately seek assistance from a senior colleague
Desirable
- Ability to perform minor lid procedures
- Ability to perform intravitreal injections
- Ability to interpret retinal imaging
Management and Administration Experience
Essential
- Ability to run a service and participate in management process
- Committed to share in professional, managerial and teaching responsibilities necessary to fulfil the obligations of the Directorate to the Trust and its workforce
- Able to communicate well with patients and colleagues
- An understanding of Clinical Governance
Desirable
- Proven management and administration ability
- Understanding of management goals
- Experience with audit
- Evidence of leadership / project management
- Evidence of having implemented change
Teaching
Essential
- Experience of supervising junior staff
- Ability to teach clinical skills
Clinical Governance, Audit and Research
Essential
- Experience of audit projects
Communication, Relationships and Working with Colleagues
Essential
- Ability to communicate and liaise effectively with patients and other people within a team
- Ability to work as a team with professional colleagues in all disciplines
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Alignment with the Trust's Values
- Flexible approach to service delivery and committed approach to development
- A commitment to personal / unit CPD
- Time management skills
- Honesty, integrity, awareness of ethical dilemmas, respect for confidentiality
Desirable
- Evidence of leadership skills
- IT literate
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
