Job summary
The Eye Department at Luton and Dunstable Hospital is investing in the future of its Optometry team, offering an exciting opportunity to become part of our growing service. Our department has worked hard in recent years to address the challenges of increasing demand and reduce the waiting list backlog. As part of this ongoing transformation, we're committed to developing our substantive optometry workforce.
Becoming a registered optometrist is only the beginning of an enriching journey in NHS hospital optometry. It takes dedication, curiosity, and a passion for lifelong learning to thrive in this environment. Hospital optometrists work closely with medical colleagues, contributing their unique perspective to deliver outstanding, multidisciplinary care.
The NHS Agenda for Change pay structure supports clear, experience-based career progression. Recent reforms have made it easier to progress through pay bands more quickly, and staff benefit from generous annual leave, study support, and a robust pension scheme.
Starting salaries in the hospital setting are lower than those in high street practice, the professional rewards are substantial. The work is diverse, intellectually stimulating, and truly meaningful. You'll develop advanced clinical skills, manage complex cases, and take on extended roles within a supportive, team-based culture. Most importantly, working in hospital optometry gives you the chance to make a real impact serving your local community.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for delivering optometric services within the Ophthalmology Department, with a particular focus on supporting the clinical areas ofcornea, contact lenses, glaucoma and medical retina.
As part of the optometrist service development, we aim to run the acute triage service and all optometrists will be involved for at least one clinical session at week. Depending on experience and training, the post holder may also be required to support multiple sub-specialties within the department.
This role offers the opportunity to undertake extended responsibilities beyond traditional optometry. These responsibilities carry a high level ofautonomy, professional judgement, and accountability. Full training, including face-to-face clinics, virtual consultations, and diagnostic review sessions, will be provided.
The ideal candidate will hold, or be willing to work towards, relevant higher qualifications in accordance with the standards of the College of Optometrists, Royal College of Ophthalmologists, and relevant clinical guidelines such as NICE.
Reporting Structure:
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.
You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.
We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post.
Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To work as part of a multi-disciplinary medical team - Ophthalmologist, Orthoptist and Nurses, to provide shared care. To provide a wide range of optometric services as directed by the Clinical Director, General Manager, Lead Optometrist or other designated senior staff member. This may include short notice changes as cover for other members of staff.
- To work in an extended role capacity in a variety of ophthalmology clinics.
- To work in an extended role outside ophthalmology clinics i.e. without medical support in clinic.
- To undertake specialist clinical activity. These clinics involve responsibility for clinical decision-making with support from consultants and the provision of specialised diagnosis, management, care and education of patients.
- To provide a clinical opinion or obtain a clinical opinion from consultant colleagues to optometric and non-optometric colleagues on the management of patients.
- To be able to use complex medical equipment such as a slit lamp for accurate clinical assessment and the ability to accurately interpret visual field tests.
- To request specialised supplementary investigations and the ability to interpret the complex results without guidance.
- To make independent clinical decisions on disease status and treatment requirements based on comprehensive ocular examination and interpretation of tests performed by support staff and to inform the Consultant Ophthalmologist of any relevant clinical developments or treatment changes.
- To communicate with patients regarding the outcome of clinical assessments and results of diagnostics potentially providing highly, complex, sensitive condition related information with regards to potentially blinding conditions.
- To ensure that patients understand their medication requirements together with the importance of compliance.
- To help develop systems, clinical governance, processes, guidelines and training to establish and maintain extended role clinics & shared care services.
- To be able to use appropriate IT including electronic patient records for benchmarking, audit and clinical uses.
- Triage of referral letters both routine and urgent and management of shared care cataract referrals.
- To keep full and complete records of each patients treatment and to communicate with the patients General Practitioner.
- To practice with the agreed protocols as and when agreed with the Lead Consultants.
- To meet professional requirements regarding the safety and treatment of patients.
- To maintain appropriate knowledge and professional development.
- To assist in departmental administration as required- apart from general day to day optometric administration, the post holder will be assisting in the discharge of patients onto a level 2 community ocular hypertension/ glaucoma suspect monitoring scheme.
- To undertake theoretical and clinical supervision/ training/ teaching of students across range of subjects- preregistration optometrists, medical students, trainee doctors.
- To participate in clinical governance processes and audit.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To work as part of a multi-disciplinary medical team - Ophthalmologist, Orthoptist and Nurses, to provide shared care. To provide a wide range of optometric services as directed by the Clinical Director, General Manager, Lead Optometrist or other designated senior staff member. This may include short notice changes as cover for other members of staff.
- To work in an extended role capacity in a variety of ophthalmology clinics.
- To work in an extended role outside ophthalmology clinics i.e. without medical support in clinic.
- To undertake specialist clinical activity. These clinics involve responsibility for clinical decision-making with support from consultants and the provision of specialised diagnosis, management, care and education of patients.
- To provide a clinical opinion or obtain a clinical opinion from consultant colleagues to optometric and non-optometric colleagues on the management of patients.
- To be able to use complex medical equipment such as a slit lamp for accurate clinical assessment and the ability to accurately interpret visual field tests.
- To request specialised supplementary investigations and the ability to interpret the complex results without guidance.
- To make independent clinical decisions on disease status and treatment requirements based on comprehensive ocular examination and interpretation of tests performed by support staff and to inform the Consultant Ophthalmologist of any relevant clinical developments or treatment changes.
- To communicate with patients regarding the outcome of clinical assessments and results of diagnostics potentially providing highly, complex, sensitive condition related information with regards to potentially blinding conditions.
- To ensure that patients understand their medication requirements together with the importance of compliance.
- To help develop systems, clinical governance, processes, guidelines and training to establish and maintain extended role clinics & shared care services.
- To be able to use appropriate IT including electronic patient records for benchmarking, audit and clinical uses.
- Triage of referral letters both routine and urgent and management of shared care cataract referrals.
- To keep full and complete records of each patients treatment and to communicate with the patients General Practitioner.
- To practice with the agreed protocols as and when agreed with the Lead Consultants.
- To meet professional requirements regarding the safety and treatment of patients.
- To maintain appropriate knowledge and professional development.
- To assist in departmental administration as required- apart from general day to day optometric administration, the post holder will be assisting in the discharge of patients onto a level 2 community ocular hypertension/ glaucoma suspect monitoring scheme.
- To undertake theoretical and clinical supervision/ training/ teaching of students across range of subjects- preregistration optometrists, medical students, trainee doctors.
- To participate in clinical governance processes and audit.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registration with the General Optical Council
- BSc. (Hons) Optometry and MCOptom or equivalent
Desirable
- Professional Certificates in areas of optometry
- MSc or PhD in Optometry or equivalent
- Diploma therapeutic independent prescribing
Experience
Essential
- Post qualification experience >2 years
- Significant hospital experience
- Experience of shared care / extended role in one or more of: glaucoma, cataract and/or medical retina, complex refraction and Low vision, medical contact lenses and clinical trials
Desirable
- Post qualification experience > 5 years
- Experience of team management
Knowledge
Essential
- Slit lamp biomicroscopy of anterior and posterior eye with specialist lenses
- Ability to independently undertake specialist extended clinical roles (working to agreed protocols)
- The interpretation of anterior and posterior segment medical imaging for example: HRT, OCT, visual fields, and topography
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registration with the General Optical Council
- BSc. (Hons) Optometry and MCOptom or equivalent
Desirable
- Professional Certificates in areas of optometry
- MSc or PhD in Optometry or equivalent
- Diploma therapeutic independent prescribing
Experience
Essential
- Post qualification experience >2 years
- Significant hospital experience
- Experience of shared care / extended role in one or more of: glaucoma, cataract and/or medical retina, complex refraction and Low vision, medical contact lenses and clinical trials
Desirable
- Post qualification experience > 5 years
- Experience of team management
Knowledge
Essential
- Slit lamp biomicroscopy of anterior and posterior eye with specialist lenses
- Ability to independently undertake specialist extended clinical roles (working to agreed protocols)
- The interpretation of anterior and posterior segment medical imaging for example: HRT, OCT, visual fields, and topography
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).
