Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for two Corneal & External Eye Disease Fellow in The Department of Ophthalmology based at the Royal Victoria Infirmary.
The 2 posts are available from February 2026 for a period of 12 months.
The appointment is suitable for ophthalmologists who are at, or near, the end of their periods of Higher Surgical Training and who wish to secure further training and experience in cornea and external eye diseases with a view to practising at consultant level in these subspecialties.
Main duties of the job
The training supervisors would be Professor Francisco Figueiredo, Mr Jaswant Sandhu, Mrs Ashwini Ranganath and Mr Ahmed Ragab to whom the appointee would be directly responsible in all clinical matters.
Fellows work under the supervision of the subspecialty-trained Consultants. Fellows have clinical and surgical duties as directed by the Consultants. The fellowship introduces the trainees to all aspects of diseases of the anterior segment of the eye, with the objective to further develop their skills in examination, diagnosis, treatment, and surgical procedures. With increasing experience through the year, the post holder can expect to perform corneal surgery procedures (i.e., DSAEK, DMEK, PKP, DALK, complex cataract surgery, pterygium excision combined with conjunctival autograft, amniotic membrane transplantation, collagen crosslinking among others) as first surgeon, and directly assisted by the Consultant.
Applicants will be considered whether or not they have already done a Corneal Fellowship/ASTO elsewhere, but full competence & proficiency in phacoemulsification cataract surgery is essential. Job holder surgical progress will be highly dependent on their surgical ability and previous surgical experience.
Fellows also work closely with other ophthalmology trainees and medical students rotating through our department. Fellows are responsible for case/research presentations at weekly teaching, and participation in didactic lectures & ward rounds with the Consultant.
About us
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.
Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
o Freeman Hospitalo Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)o Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)o Newcastle Dental Hospitalo Newcastle Fertility Centreo Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbriao Northern Genetics Serviceo Cramlington Manor Walks
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. Corneal surgery including penetrating keratoplasty alone or in combination with other anterior segment procedures such as cataract surgery, endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK, DMEK), deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK), autologous keratoepithelioplasty, ex vivo limbal and oral mucosa stem cell transplantation, amniotic membrane transplantation, pterygium excision, corneal glue (including Tisseel & Histoacryl), temporary keratoprosthesis and collagen crosslinking;
2. External diseases including the diagnosis and management of dry eye/blepharitis, all types of infections, immune, inherited dystrophies, traumatic and protozoan diseases;
3.Contact lens, corneal topography/tomography, keratoconus, and management of lens-related complications;
4.Non Laser refractive surgery including relaxing keratotomy and management of surgically induced astigmatism;
5.Eye station (methods and administration of ocular tissue for research and transplantation);
6.Small-incision, clear-corneal phacoemulsification cataract surgery and
7.Diagnostic specular, in vivo confocal microscopy, LipiView Meibography and anterior segment OCT.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. Corneal surgery including penetrating keratoplasty alone or in combination with other anterior segment procedures such as cataract surgery, endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK, DMEK), deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK), autologous keratoepithelioplasty, ex vivo limbal and oral mucosa stem cell transplantation, amniotic membrane transplantation, pterygium excision, corneal glue (including Tisseel & Histoacryl), temporary keratoprosthesis and collagen crosslinking;
2. External diseases including the diagnosis and management of dry eye/blepharitis, all types of infections, immune, inherited dystrophies, traumatic and protozoan diseases;
3.Contact lens, corneal topography/tomography, keratoconus, and management of lens-related complications;
4.Non Laser refractive surgery including relaxing keratotomy and management of surgically induced astigmatism;
5.Eye station (methods and administration of ocular tissue for research and transplantation);
6.Small-incision, clear-corneal phacoemulsification cataract surgery and
7.Diagnostic specular, in vivo confocal microscopy, LipiView Meibography and anterior segment OCT.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Primary Medical Qualification.
- Full GMC registration
- FRCOphth, FRCS(Ed) (Ophth) or equivalent
Desirable
- Higher degrees including MSc, PhD or MD (where research thesis not part of first medical degree)
Clinical Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Evidence of skills and knowledge at least to the level expected of a senior UK ophthalmology trainee
- Wide experience in surgical ophthalmology to the level of a senior UK ophthalmology trainee who has completed core training, in particular with documented competence in phacoemulsification cataract surgery.
Desirable
- Wide ophthalmology experience. Previous experience in cornea and external eye diseases (clinical and surgical).
- Evidence of some higher-level skills in corneal and external diseases disease assessment and treatment.
- Evidence of special interest in medical and surgical corneal diseases and their management.
Maintaining Clinical Competence
Essential
- Evidence of appropriate documented progression through training
- Evidence of attendance at formal CPD activities.
Desirable
- Evidence of active role in CPD activities
Teaching
Essential
- Experience of supervising junior staff.
- Ability to teach clinical skills.
Desirable
- Evidence of active effective role as a teacher of medical trainees and/or paramedical staff.
Clinical Governance, Audit and Research
Essential
- Demonstrates understanding of research including awareness of ethical issues.
- Demonstrates understanding of the basic principles of audit, clinical risk management, evidence based practice, patient safety and clinical quality improvement initiatives.
- Evidence of active participation in personal and departmental audit to at least the level expected of a senior UK ophthalmology trainee
- Evidence of understanding of the principles of research to at least the level expected of a senior UK ophthalmology trainee
Desirable
- Evidence of active participation in ophthalmic research, ideally in the field of cornea and external eye diseases.
- Evidence of relevant academic publications.
- Demonstrates an understanding of clinical governance.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Primary Medical Qualification.
- Full GMC registration
- FRCOphth, FRCS(Ed) (Ophth) or equivalent
Desirable
- Higher degrees including MSc, PhD or MD (where research thesis not part of first medical degree)
Clinical Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Evidence of skills and knowledge at least to the level expected of a senior UK ophthalmology trainee
- Wide experience in surgical ophthalmology to the level of a senior UK ophthalmology trainee who has completed core training, in particular with documented competence in phacoemulsification cataract surgery.
Desirable
- Wide ophthalmology experience. Previous experience in cornea and external eye diseases (clinical and surgical).
- Evidence of some higher-level skills in corneal and external diseases disease assessment and treatment.
- Evidence of special interest in medical and surgical corneal diseases and their management.
Maintaining Clinical Competence
Essential
- Evidence of appropriate documented progression through training
- Evidence of attendance at formal CPD activities.
Desirable
- Evidence of active role in CPD activities
Teaching
Essential
- Experience of supervising junior staff.
- Ability to teach clinical skills.
Desirable
- Evidence of active effective role as a teacher of medical trainees and/or paramedical staff.
Clinical Governance, Audit and Research
Essential
- Demonstrates understanding of research including awareness of ethical issues.
- Demonstrates understanding of the basic principles of audit, clinical risk management, evidence based practice, patient safety and clinical quality improvement initiatives.
- Evidence of active participation in personal and departmental audit to at least the level expected of a senior UK ophthalmology trainee
- Evidence of understanding of the principles of research to at least the level expected of a senior UK ophthalmology trainee
Desirable
- Evidence of active participation in ophthalmic research, ideally in the field of cornea and external eye diseases.
- Evidence of relevant academic publications.
- Demonstrates an understanding of clinical governance.
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).
