Job summary
Are you a passionate and patient-focused Optometrist looking to develop your career within a supportive NHS hospital environment?
Harrogate District Hospital is delighted to offer a rare and exciting opportunity for a band 6 Optometrist to join our friendly and well established Optical services team, on a part-time basis. This role provides an excellent balance of clinical variety, professional development and work-life flexibility.
In this rewarding post, you will deliver high-quality optometric care to both paediatric and adult patients, playing a vital role in improving vision and quality of life. You will be actively involved in our Low vision service, helping patients adapt and thrive. You will also contribute to the contact lens service, providing initial assessments and aftercare.
Working alongside a skilled multidisciplinary team, you will have the opportunity to grow your clinical expertise within the hospital setting that values collaboration, learning and compassionate care.
Main duties of the job
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Providing paediatric and adult refractions in the hospital optometry clinic
Supporting the delivery of the Low Vision Service
Participating in the contact lens service, including assessment and aftercare
Perform and interpret diagnostic investigations such as visual fields, OCT, fundus photography, and pachymetry as appropriate
Explain diagnoses, management plans, and treatment options clearly and sensitively
Working closely with Ophthalmologists, Orthoptists, Ophthalmic technicians, Nurses, support staff and administrative staff to deliver integrated care
Delivering safe, effective, and patient cantered care in line with Trust policies
Supervision and teaching of junior staff and students as required
Maintaining accurate clinical records and contributing to service improvement
About us
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) cares for the population in Harrogate and the local area, as well as across North Yorkshire, Leeds and parts of the North East.
At HDFT we provide outstanding care to both our patients and our staff and we value Kindness, Integrity, Teamwork and Equality. If you're looking for an interesting and rewarding career in the NHS, where you can make a real difference to patients' lives, HDFT could be the place for you!
We offer colleagues:
- A supportive culture so colleagues can bring their whole selves to work.
- Staff Recognition - as well as regular appraisals, we recognise achievements with our Making a Difference & Team of the Month Awards, along with annual Colleague Recognition Awards.
- Employee Support and wellbeing - we offer a wide range of staff benefits including an Employee Assistance Programme, counselling service and a fast-track Physiotherapy service.
Please note:
- Due to high levels of interest, posts may close early if we reach a sufficient number of applications
- Visa sponsorship is only available for certain roles. Please ensure the role you are interested in meets the criteria for a visa before submitting your application.
- Please also be aware that the Trust does not offer relocation packages for Agenda for Change roles.
- All job offers are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The main duties are summarised below.Please view the Job Description and Person Specification for full details.
- To provide a high quality, evidence based, comprehensive range of core optometry services to children and adults attending the hospital eye service.
- To work autonomously and as a source of expertise to assess, diagnose, plan, implement and monitor treatment as appropriate, providing advice and guidance concerning optometry to patients, carers, consultants and other health care professionals.
- To carry a full caseload of all types of Optometry patients including paediatrics, patients with learning difficulties and adults with neurological and medical conditions.
- To be responsible as lead optometrist for refraction, including administration, development and continuous monitoring and governance of the optometry refraction clinics.
- To undertake assessment and management of patients with low vision, providing optical aids as required, under the guidance and training of the Lead Optometrist.
- To undertake assessment and aftercare of patients attending the Specialist Contact Lens Service, under the guidance and training of the Lead Optometrist.
- To be responsible for assessing and managing patients referred to the paediatric shared care clinic in collaboration with the Orthoptist.
- To undertake visual field assessment and diagnostic imaging when required.
- To work collaboratively within optical services and ophthalmology to contribute to service development and to ensure a high quality of care is delivered.
- To provide clinical demonstration, supervision and teaching in Optometry to post graduate pre-registration optometry students, junior doctors, orthoptists, nurses, other healthcare professionals and medical personnel, and orthoptic students.
- To participate in clinical audit.
- To ensure compliance with policies and procedures of the Trust.
- To provide training and supervision of ophthalmic technicians when required.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The main duties are summarised below.Please view the Job Description and Person Specification for full details.
- To provide a high quality, evidence based, comprehensive range of core optometry services to children and adults attending the hospital eye service.
- To work autonomously and as a source of expertise to assess, diagnose, plan, implement and monitor treatment as appropriate, providing advice and guidance concerning optometry to patients, carers, consultants and other health care professionals.
- To carry a full caseload of all types of Optometry patients including paediatrics, patients with learning difficulties and adults with neurological and medical conditions.
- To be responsible as lead optometrist for refraction, including administration, development and continuous monitoring and governance of the optometry refraction clinics.
- To undertake assessment and management of patients with low vision, providing optical aids as required, under the guidance and training of the Lead Optometrist.
- To undertake assessment and aftercare of patients attending the Specialist Contact Lens Service, under the guidance and training of the Lead Optometrist.
- To be responsible for assessing and managing patients referred to the paediatric shared care clinic in collaboration with the Orthoptist.
- To undertake visual field assessment and diagnostic imaging when required.
- To work collaboratively within optical services and ophthalmology to contribute to service development and to ensure a high quality of care is delivered.
- To provide clinical demonstration, supervision and teaching in Optometry to post graduate pre-registration optometry students, junior doctors, orthoptists, nurses, other healthcare professionals and medical personnel, and orthoptic students.
- To participate in clinical audit.
- To ensure compliance with policies and procedures of the Trust.
- To provide training and supervision of ophthalmic technicians when required.
Person Specification
essential
Essential
- Degree in Optometry
- Registration with the General Optical Council
- Evidence of working as an autonomous practitioner
Desirable
- Evidence of postgraduate study in specialist courses, self-study and continued professional development.
- Post graduate qualifications e.g. College of Optometrist Diploma in Glaucoma
- Previous work in the Hospital Eye Service
- Low Visual Aid assessment and prescribing low vision appliances
Person Specification
essential
Essential
- Degree in Optometry
- Registration with the General Optical Council
- Evidence of working as an autonomous practitioner
Desirable
- Evidence of postgraduate study in specialist courses, self-study and continued professional development.
- Post graduate qualifications e.g. College of Optometrist Diploma in Glaucoma
- Previous work in the Hospital Eye Service
- Low Visual Aid assessment and prescribing low vision appliances
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).
