Job summary
This is a great time to join The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as a Highly Specialist Orthoptist.
We have over 3,500 members of staff that are proud to care for nearly half a million people across the Borough of Hillingdon, with a vision to be an outstanding provider of healthcare - our mission is to provide high quality, safe and compassionate care, improving the health and wellbeing of the people we serve.
We are seeking an experienced, highly motivated and proactive individual to work with the current team of 3 Orthoptists to work at Hillingdon and Mount Vernon Hospitals together with community clinics and the post holder will be expected to develop extended role in AMD clinics.
The successful applicant will work as part of the team with a mixed workload including orthoptic/optometry clinics, joint consultant paediatric and adult motility clinics, stroke assessments for in-patients and out-patients, acute referrals from GPs, Neurology, Maxillo-facial, Paediatrics, Stroke Service, Endocrinology and A &E.
An Orthoptic/ optometry led fast track clinic receives school nurse, optician, child development centre and health visitor referrals.
A comprehensive ophthalmology service is provided by 12 Ophthalmologists with general and speciality clinics including Paediatrics, Ocular-motility, Botulinum Toxin, AMD, Diabetic, Glaucoma, Medical Retinal, Oculoplastic and Corneal.
Main duties of the job
To provide highly specialist orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner.
To assess, diagnose and manage children referred to Orthoptics, many with complex needs and challenging behaviour.
To assess, diagnose and manage adult patients referred to orthoptics -often as emergency appointments.
To provide and develop paediatric and adult orthoptic services within the Trust and the Community
To develop extended role in AMD clinics.
To educate and train undergraduate orthoptic students, pre-registration optometrists, junior doctors, school nurses and other health professionals.
To deputise for the Head Orthoptist in their absence
About us
This is a great time to join The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, we are currently in the process of redeveloping the hospital to provide a state-of-the-art hospital for the residents of Hillingdon, and beyond, which supports the very best in delivery of healthcare and will be fit for our future.
We are the only acute hospital in the London Borough of Hillingdon and offer a wide range of services including accident and emergency, inpatient care, day surgery, outpatient clinics and maternity services. The Trust's services at Mount Vernon Hospital include routine day surgery, delivered at a modern treatment centre, a minor injuries unit and outpatient clinics.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Orthoptic Clinical Duties
To work as an autonomous practitioner, prioritising workload and legally and professionally responsible for all aspects of own work.
To provide the assessment and management of patients referred to orthoptics by various departments including paediatrics, A&E, maxillo-facial, CDC, neurology, endocrinology, Stroke Unit etc.
Carry out accurate orthoptic assessment on all patients attending a specialist paediatric ophthalmology clinic, requiring advanced clinical skills in the visual assessment of premature babies and infants with multiple disabilities, complex congenital and genetic disorders and challenging behaviour.
To be responsible for the instillation of dilating eye drops prior to retinoscopy and fundus examination, according to departmental protocols / PGDs.
To use clinical judgement and department protocols for the orthoptic management of patients, taking responsibility for commencing treatment, follow up appointments, appropriate onward referral or discharge from the orthoptic service.
Formulate individual treatment plans for patients to suit their needs using advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice.
Take sole responsibility to select patients requiring surgical intervention for squint correction, discuss the pros and cons of surgery and explain the techniques involved to the parents.
Undertake pre and post operative assessments requiring significant manual dexterity, speed and accuracy in infants.
Discuss the selection of surgical management with the surgeon and give advice regarding the type and amount of surgery based on the orthoptic assessment.
Examine post operative cases on the day of surgery for adjustable sutures or 2 weeks post op.
Perform urgent diagnostic tests for patients attending eye casualty with symptoms, formulate a diagnosis and have sole responsibility for suggesting further diagnostic tests to the medical staff for patients with possible signs of systemic disease/orbital fracture/space occupying lesions. This requires a high level of anatomical and neurological knowledge.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Orthoptic Clinical Duties
To work as an autonomous practitioner, prioritising workload and legally and professionally responsible for all aspects of own work.
To provide the assessment and management of patients referred to orthoptics by various departments including paediatrics, A&E, maxillo-facial, CDC, neurology, endocrinology, Stroke Unit etc.
Carry out accurate orthoptic assessment on all patients attending a specialist paediatric ophthalmology clinic, requiring advanced clinical skills in the visual assessment of premature babies and infants with multiple disabilities, complex congenital and genetic disorders and challenging behaviour.
To be responsible for the instillation of dilating eye drops prior to retinoscopy and fundus examination, according to departmental protocols / PGDs.
To use clinical judgement and department protocols for the orthoptic management of patients, taking responsibility for commencing treatment, follow up appointments, appropriate onward referral or discharge from the orthoptic service.
Formulate individual treatment plans for patients to suit their needs using advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice.
Take sole responsibility to select patients requiring surgical intervention for squint correction, discuss the pros and cons of surgery and explain the techniques involved to the parents.
Undertake pre and post operative assessments requiring significant manual dexterity, speed and accuracy in infants.
Discuss the selection of surgical management with the surgeon and give advice regarding the type and amount of surgery based on the orthoptic assessment.
Examine post operative cases on the day of surgery for adjustable sutures or 2 weeks post op.
Perform urgent diagnostic tests for patients attending eye casualty with symptoms, formulate a diagnosis and have sole responsibility for suggesting further diagnostic tests to the medical staff for patients with possible signs of systemic disease/orbital fracture/space occupying lesions. This requires a high level of anatomical and neurological knowledge.
Person Specification
Shorlist
Essential
- Shortlist
- Shortlist Reserve
- Decline
Person Specification
Shorlist
Essential
- Shortlist
- Shortlist Reserve
- Decline
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.
