Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an ambitious and enthusiastic Optometrist to join our expanding Optometry department at Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust.
This successful post holder will be required to take part in AMD follow-up clinics, carry out Paediatric refraction clinics, be involved in the delivery of our Post-op cataract pathway and provide core optometry services such as refraction and contact lens practice.
In house training may be provided depending upon experience.
The successful candidate will be required to work closely with the Ophthalmology and Orthoptic teams to deliver and develop a high quality and diverse optometric services to our patients.
If you have any questions or wish to arrange an informal visit please contact Mr Huzaifah Khonat, Principal Optometrist or Victoria Devlin, Head Orthoptist
An Enhanced DBS with barred lists for both Adults & Children is required for this post.
Main duties of the job
- To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team providing Optometric services including specialist techniques to children and adults within St Helens Hospital, Community Outreach Clinics and Special Schools.
- To assess, diagnose and manage patients in both the community and hospital-based Ophthalmology Service, under the guidance of the relevant Consultant lead.
- To initiate follow up care by the relevant team where appropriate and onward referral where required.
- To assist the department in providing timely, effective, safe and appropriate care to its patients.
- To contribute to the development of Optometrist delivered secondary care services within St Helens Ophthalmology Service.
- To take part in audit, review and teaching.
About us
The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.
From 1stJuly we have come together as a single organisation under the name Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.
The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.
Our Vision is to deliver 5 Star Patient Care:
- CAREthat is evidence based, high quality and compassionate
- SAFETY that is of the highest standards
- COMMUNICATION that is open, inclusive and respectful
- SYSTEMS that are efficient, patient centred and reliable
- PATHWAYS that are best practice and embedded, but also respect the individual needs of patients
Our achievements include:
- Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Please see our Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our staff benefits. Accessible version available upon request.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To be responsible for the optometric management of patients referred to the St Helens Ophthalmology Service, including but not restricted to:
- Assessment and specialist ophthalmic measurement
- Prescription of appropriate optical appliances.
- Follow up assessment.
- Analysis and interpretation of specialist optometric/ophthalmological clinical test results.
- Providing advice to patients on needs, treatment and corrective aids.
- To be solely responsible for the optometric assessment of patients using clinical observation relevant optometric equipment and techniques to examine, measure, accurately record and interpret findings.
- The interpretation of findings for each individual patient is based on extensive clinical experience, specialised knowledge and by using advanced clinical reasoning.
- Assessment requires considerable manual dexterity and hand/eye co-ordination and speed, particularly when assessing infants
- To be responsible for the decision to instil drops for refraction tests, diagnostic and treatment purposes. To decide the appropriate strength of drops required and to advise patients/parents of the side effects.
- To be responsible for independently formulating accurate diagnoses and prognoses for new patients presenting with optical deficiencies which may have numerous causes.
- A significantly high level of clinical knowledge of anatomy, physiology and neurology is required as well as the use of advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice.
- To take sole responsibility for the retinoscopic and ophthalmoscopic examination of patients and for instigating subsequent follow up care by the Orthoptist.
- To take responsibility for initiating onward referral to an Ophthalmologist of patients with ocular pathology.
- To be responsible for communicating complex diagnoses and treatment plans to patients, parents, carers and family, often requiring a considerable degree of empathy, tact and persuasion in order to:
- Convey bad news regarding sight loss or the significance of a sight defect to parents/carers.
- Gain informed consent and understanding by combating barriers to effective communication such as:
- Anxiety
- Learning disabled parents
- English not being the familys first language
- The patient/parent/carer with no previous knowledge of the ocular defect.
- Deafness
- Gain the confidence of and co-operation from children and parents.
- Involve the patient/parent/carer in choices regarding their treatment.
- Provide family support
- Provide a holistic interpretation of often highly complex medical conditions
- To update patient records and compile data for audit and reports.
- To be the lead specialist for optometric practice within the Trust
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- The Optometrist will implement and contribute to the formulation of optometry policies, proposing changes to practice using evidence-based methods.
- Planning, Organisation and Management Skills
- The Optometrist is responsible across a range of sites for managing, planning and organising his/her own:
- Workload
- Caseload
- Accurate patient records
- CPD
- Attendance at clinical training and mandatory training days
- Liaison with Educational Support Services, Social Services and Independent Optometrists
- Training sessions
- Specialist Services
- The Optometrist must be competent in the use of all specialist ophthalmic instrumentation for measurement purposes.
- Clinical sessions often include continual testing of infants and young children and the optometrist requires considerable powers of persuasion and patience to obtain accurate visual assessments, measurements, correct clinical diagnoses and to accurately record clinical finding
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Follow up assessment
- The Optometrist is responsible for ordering their own clinical and other supplies, maintaining stock control and ensuring equipment maintenance.
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES
- The optometrist is responsible for developing optometrist delivered and led services within the department, including the development of Community Outreach Clinics.
- To support the Clinical Director and Directorate Manager in developing and advancing the Ophthalmic Services.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Follow up assessment.
- The Optometrist is responsible for ordering their own clinical and other supplies, maintaining stock control and ensuring equipment maintenance.
RESEARCH & AUDIT
- The optometrist is responsible for assisting in audits an surveys, data collection and presentation within his/her own work area.
- The optometrist is responsible for participation in audits, presentations and for assisting in research and development programmes which are required.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To be responsible for the optometric management of patients referred to the St Helens Ophthalmology Service, including but not restricted to:
- Assessment and specialist ophthalmic measurement
- Prescription of appropriate optical appliances.
- Follow up assessment.
- Analysis and interpretation of specialist optometric/ophthalmological clinical test results.
- Providing advice to patients on needs, treatment and corrective aids.
- To be solely responsible for the optometric assessment of patients using clinical observation relevant optometric equipment and techniques to examine, measure, accurately record and interpret findings.
- The interpretation of findings for each individual patient is based on extensive clinical experience, specialised knowledge and by using advanced clinical reasoning.
- Assessment requires considerable manual dexterity and hand/eye co-ordination and speed, particularly when assessing infants
- To be responsible for the decision to instil drops for refraction tests, diagnostic and treatment purposes. To decide the appropriate strength of drops required and to advise patients/parents of the side effects.
- To be responsible for independently formulating accurate diagnoses and prognoses for new patients presenting with optical deficiencies which may have numerous causes.
- A significantly high level of clinical knowledge of anatomy, physiology and neurology is required as well as the use of advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice.
- To take sole responsibility for the retinoscopic and ophthalmoscopic examination of patients and for instigating subsequent follow up care by the Orthoptist.
- To take responsibility for initiating onward referral to an Ophthalmologist of patients with ocular pathology.
- To be responsible for communicating complex diagnoses and treatment plans to patients, parents, carers and family, often requiring a considerable degree of empathy, tact and persuasion in order to:
- Convey bad news regarding sight loss or the significance of a sight defect to parents/carers.
- Gain informed consent and understanding by combating barriers to effective communication such as:
- Anxiety
- Learning disabled parents
- English not being the familys first language
- The patient/parent/carer with no previous knowledge of the ocular defect.
- Deafness
- Gain the confidence of and co-operation from children and parents.
- Involve the patient/parent/carer in choices regarding their treatment.
- Provide family support
- Provide a holistic interpretation of often highly complex medical conditions
- To update patient records and compile data for audit and reports.
- To be the lead specialist for optometric practice within the Trust
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- The Optometrist will implement and contribute to the formulation of optometry policies, proposing changes to practice using evidence-based methods.
- Planning, Organisation and Management Skills
- The Optometrist is responsible across a range of sites for managing, planning and organising his/her own:
- Workload
- Caseload
- Accurate patient records
- CPD
- Attendance at clinical training and mandatory training days
- Liaison with Educational Support Services, Social Services and Independent Optometrists
- Training sessions
- Specialist Services
- The Optometrist must be competent in the use of all specialist ophthalmic instrumentation for measurement purposes.
- Clinical sessions often include continual testing of infants and young children and the optometrist requires considerable powers of persuasion and patience to obtain accurate visual assessments, measurements, correct clinical diagnoses and to accurately record clinical finding
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Follow up assessment
- The Optometrist is responsible for ordering their own clinical and other supplies, maintaining stock control and ensuring equipment maintenance.
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES
- The optometrist is responsible for developing optometrist delivered and led services within the department, including the development of Community Outreach Clinics.
- To support the Clinical Director and Directorate Manager in developing and advancing the Ophthalmic Services.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Follow up assessment.
- The Optometrist is responsible for ordering their own clinical and other supplies, maintaining stock control and ensuring equipment maintenance.
RESEARCH & AUDIT
- The optometrist is responsible for assisting in audits an surveys, data collection and presentation within his/her own work area.
- The optometrist is responsible for participation in audits, presentations and for assisting in research and development programmes which are required.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BSc (Hons) Optometry
- Registration with the General Optical Council (GOC)
- Evidence of CPD
Desirable
- College of Optometrists higher qualifications in glaucoma
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Excellent communication skills
- IT literate
- Accurate record keeping
- Flexible approach to working patterns
- Ability to work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Ability to deal with vulnerable adults and children
Desirable
- Postgraduate clinical experience
- Previous experience in Paediatric Refraction
- Previous work in Hospital Eye Service
- Previous involvement in clinical/medical audit
Other
Desirable
- Ability to travel to various locations via own car or assisted driver
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel to various locations via own car or assisted driver
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BSc (Hons) Optometry
- Registration with the General Optical Council (GOC)
- Evidence of CPD
Desirable
- College of Optometrists higher qualifications in glaucoma
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Excellent communication skills
- IT literate
- Accurate record keeping
- Flexible approach to working patterns
- Ability to work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Ability to deal with vulnerable adults and children
Desirable
- Postgraduate clinical experience
- Previous experience in Paediatric Refraction
- Previous work in Hospital Eye Service
- Previous involvement in clinical/medical audit
Other
Desirable
- Ability to travel to various locations via own car or assisted driver
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel to various locations via own car or assisted driver
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).
