Job summary
BRISTOL EYE HOSPITAL
Two Fellowships in Vitreo-Retinal Surgery
The Bristol Eye Hospital (BEH) at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston Foundation Trust (UHBW) is looking to drive an ambitious future vision of care across Bristol and Weston.
Applications are welcomed two fixed-term full-time post of Vitreo-Retina (VR) Surgery Fellows (specialty doctor band).
The successful candidates is required to start as soon as possible in February/March with the second candidate must be available to start no later than April 2026.
This post provides advanced sub-specialty experience in posterior segment surgery with an emphasis on surgical skills development.
The BEH is a highly regarded regional centre for ophthalmology and sits within the Division of Surgery at UHBW (recently rated Outstanding by the CQC). The BEH provides a tertiary referral retina surgery service and is integrated with a medical retina service. There are close links to the clinical research unit. VR surgery is carried out in two of the four ophthalmic theatres in BEH seven days per week. The posts will support the team of 5 vitreo-retinal surgery consultants. The successful candidate is expected to play an active role in the running of the VR firms, including the management of emergencies.
There is an on-call commitment associated with these posts.
Main duties of the job
This full-time post is initially for a 12 month period. It is designed to provide advanced sub-specialty experience in posterior segment surgery and medicine.
The posts will support the team of five vitreo-retinal surgery consultants. The successful candidate will complement existing Specialist Registrars and will be expected to play an active role in the running of the firm. The successful candidate will obtain experience in surgical retinal disorders with an emphasis on the surgical skills development. He or she will also be expected to participate in the workload of the department.
The appointee is expected to undergo ICH-GCP training and contribute to the research activity of the department including involvement in the recruitment and running of clinical trials during their time.
About us
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for further details of this position.
For further details please contact:
Sidath Liyanage, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Tel 0117 342 1401, email Sidath.liyanage@uhbw.nhs.uk
Johannes Keller, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Tel 0117 324 1400, email Johannes.keller@uhbw.nhs.uk
or via the department secretaries:-
Deborah Traynor Deborah.traynor@uhbw.nhs.ukLesley Webster Lesley-Anne.Webster@uhbw.nhs.uk
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for further details of this position.
For further details please contact:
Sidath Liyanage, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Tel 0117 342 1401, email Sidath.liyanage@uhbw.nhs.uk
Johannes Keller, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Tel 0117 324 1400, email Johannes.keller@uhbw.nhs.uk
or via the department secretaries:-
Deborah Traynor Deborah.traynor@uhbw.nhs.ukLesley Webster Lesley-Anne.Webster@uhbw.nhs.uk
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Completion of higher specialist training in Ophthalmology (or appointment in the final year of training), with demonstrable interest in Vitreoretinal disease and surgery.
- Clinical experience appropriate to entry into advanced Vitreoretinal subspecialty training, with evidence of progression and reflective learning.
- Clear motivation to develop further surgical, clinical and academic skills within a structured fellowship environment.
Desirable
- Prior exposure to vitreoretinal services or fellowship-level training environments
- Evidence of sustained engagement in departmental activity beyond routine clinical delivery (e.g. teaching, audit, service development).
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work constructively and respectfully with patients, consultants, trainees, nurses, optometrists and allied health professionals.
- Demonstrated ability to work reliably within a team-based service, including engagement with rota commitments, handover processes and shared responsibility for service delivery
- Willingness to participate fully in departmental educational activity, including teaching, audit, quality improvement and clinical governance meetings.
- Evidence of insight into personal strengths and limitations, with a commitment to supervision, feedback and progressive development.
Desirable
- Demonstrated enthusiasm for learning complex surgical techniques within a supervised framework.
- Ability to balance surgical training with wider professional responsibilities, including research, audit and multidisciplinary collaboration
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Applicants should already have CCT or equivalent by the time of the start date.
- Full registration with the General Medical Council, with a licence to practise.
- Eligibility to work in the UK.
Desirable
- Authorship or contribution to peer-reviewed publications, presentations or ongoing research projects.
- Interest in developing an academic or research portfolio alongside clinical training.
Additional and Aptitudes
Essential
- Demonstrates professionalism, reliability and integrity in clinical practice
- Resilient, adaptable and able to work productively in a high-volume tertiary referral service.
- Alignment with Trust values, including respect, collaboration, openness to change and shared responsibility for patient care and service delivery
Desirable
- Demonstrated curiosity, enthusiasm and reflective practice consistent with a clinician at an advanced training stage.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Completion of higher specialist training in Ophthalmology (or appointment in the final year of training), with demonstrable interest in Vitreoretinal disease and surgery.
- Clinical experience appropriate to entry into advanced Vitreoretinal subspecialty training, with evidence of progression and reflective learning.
- Clear motivation to develop further surgical, clinical and academic skills within a structured fellowship environment.
Desirable
- Prior exposure to vitreoretinal services or fellowship-level training environments
- Evidence of sustained engagement in departmental activity beyond routine clinical delivery (e.g. teaching, audit, service development).
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work constructively and respectfully with patients, consultants, trainees, nurses, optometrists and allied health professionals.
- Demonstrated ability to work reliably within a team-based service, including engagement with rota commitments, handover processes and shared responsibility for service delivery
- Willingness to participate fully in departmental educational activity, including teaching, audit, quality improvement and clinical governance meetings.
- Evidence of insight into personal strengths and limitations, with a commitment to supervision, feedback and progressive development.
Desirable
- Demonstrated enthusiasm for learning complex surgical techniques within a supervised framework.
- Ability to balance surgical training with wider professional responsibilities, including research, audit and multidisciplinary collaboration
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Applicants should already have CCT or equivalent by the time of the start date.
- Full registration with the General Medical Council, with a licence to practise.
- Eligibility to work in the UK.
Desirable
- Authorship or contribution to peer-reviewed publications, presentations or ongoing research projects.
- Interest in developing an academic or research portfolio alongside clinical training.
Additional and Aptitudes
Essential
- Demonstrates professionalism, reliability and integrity in clinical practice
- Resilient, adaptable and able to work productively in a high-volume tertiary referral service.
- Alignment with Trust values, including respect, collaboration, openness to change and shared responsibility for patient care and service delivery
Desirable
- Demonstrated curiosity, enthusiasm and reflective practice consistent with a clinician at an advanced training stage.
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).
