Consultant Ophthalmologist s/i in Eye Urgent Care and Cataract Surgery
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Job overview
This post is for a Consultant Ophthalmologist with special interest in Eye Urgent care and Cataract surgery. This is a permanent full-time post offering an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Medic to join a dynamic, rapidly expanding team delivering multidisciplinary acute care in Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.
The holder of this post will provide Consultant Services in Ophthalmology at the Southport District General Hospital and Ormskirk and District General Hospital.
Applicants are required to hold Membership of the Royal College of Ophthalmologist (UK or equivalent qualifications), to be fully registered with the General Medical Council, and to be on the Specialist Register or due to obtain their CCT within six months of the date of interview.
Interviews will take place on Wednesday 23rd April 2025.
Main duties of the job
The post is for a Full-time Consultant Ophthalmologist with special interest in Eye Urgent care and Cataract surgery within the Directorate of Planned Care. The successful candidate will be joining a progressive department and would be supportive of proposals to extend the scope of facilities currently available.Workload and clinic template is in line with Royal College guidance. Consideration will be given for time off in lieu due to bank holidays. As our week weekends on calls end at 9pm, Time off in lieu is not usually required.
The job plan would be 10 programmed activities per week:
- 8 DCC (Direct clinical care; Theatre/Clinic/Laser)
- 2x theatre
- 5 x Clinics (4 if job plan includes managerial duties)
- 2x patient admin (1 for patient admin and 1 for additional managerial duties)
- 2 SPA (0.5 teaching and 1.5 CPD)
Working for our organisation
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients.We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
- Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For more information regarding the main responsibilities and requirements essential for this role please refer to the ‘supporting documents’ heading and review the job description and person specification which will outline the duties of the role including a proposed job plan.
Main duties & responsibilities
The successful candidate will participate in an on-call rota with consultant colleagues in the provision of Ophthalmology services and clinical co-operation with colleagues in other specialities and hospitals in the Trust. This is presently a commitment 9.00am to 9.00pm and is based on full week on call rota.
- The post holder would participate in Post Graduate teaching.
- The post holder would actively participate in both departmental and Trust matters concerning Clinical Governance, audit, and CME.
- The post holder will take part in Regional Postgraduate Teaching
- The post holder would be encouraged to actively engage in research.
- The post holder will share in the management and administration of the clinical directorate for Ophthalmology.
- The post is for a Consultant in Consultant Ophthalmologist with special interest in Eye Urgent care and Cataract surgery.
- The post is subject to enhanced DBS.
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
£338 million (PFI) investment has re-built and modernised both Whiston and St Helens Hospitals, resulting in modern state of the art health care facilities for the treatment and care of patients. St Helens Hospital was completed in 2008 and Whiston Hospital in 2010.The hospitals include 887 inpatient beds with state-of-the-art CT and MRI facilities existing on both hospital sites. CT and MRI scanners at St Helens have also recently been upgraded including installation of a high field 3 Tesla MRI scanner.
The DEXA scanner is also located at St Helens Hospital.
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.
As a Trust, our aim is to provide a high-quality service to all patients. We strive to meet the best standards for professional care whilst being sensitive and responsive to the needs of individual patients. Our valued workforce is recognised for their unique skills and talents with our teams of experts winning national awards on a regular basis.
Whiston Hospital
Whiston Hospital a busy teaching hospital which provides a comprehensive range of acute Medical and Surgical Services, Emergency Services, Maternity Services, Paediatrics and Medicine for Older People. The Regional Burns and Plastic Surgery Units are also based on this site.There is a Critical Care Unit consisting of ICU, HDU, CCU and an onsite Cardiac Catheter Laboratory. The stroke consultants deliver 24/7 thrombolysis to eligible patients presenting with acute stroke. There is a 30-bed Stroke Unit which accommodates both acute stroke patients and those with rehabilitation needs.
St Helens Hospital
St Helens Hospital is an Ambulatory Care Centre providing Intermediate Care and Day Surgery. Rheumatology, Dermatology and Diabetes services are based on this site and within easy reach of other acute specialties at Whiston Hospital.
Southport Hospital
Southport Hospital is a General Hospital that includes adults’ accident and emergency services, intensive care, and a range of medical and surgical specialities. There is also an outpatients’ service. The North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre at Southport hospital provides specialist care for spinal patients from across the North West, North Wales, and the Isle of Man.
The hospital, which replaced the Southport General Infirmary and the Southport Promenade Hospital, opened in September 1988.
Ormskirk Hospital
Ormskirk Hospital is a General Hospital and provides women’s and children’s services, including accident and emergency services, surgery, and maternity care.
The hospital provides these services for patients living across West Lancashire, Southport, and Formby.
Life in Merseyside and West Lancashire
Merseyside, which includes the great city of Liverpool, is within easy reach of North Wales, the Lake District and the Peak District and provides an interesting mix of rural and urban life.
Liverpool is a vibrant, music city which has undergone a renaissance in recent years and has recently been named European City of Culture.
High quality schools are available in and around Merseyside and West Lancashire. The area has many sports facilities including championship golf courses, several sailing clubs and one of the finest windsurfing venues in Britain.
People from Merseyside and West Lancashire are renowned for their friendliness and quick-witted humour and the region sports two of the finest football teams in the Premier League.
The town of St Helens is renowned for its glassworks and rugby. The district has a population of around 340,000 and is of mixed residential, industrial, and rural character. It is situated on the edge of Merseyside, between the open countryside of Cheshire to the south and Lancashire to the north.
Southport is a seaside town and has a population of around 90,000. Southport lies on the Irish Sea Coast and is fringed to the north by the Ribble estuary. Town attractions include Southport Pier, the second longest seaside pleasure pier in the British Isles and Lord Street, an elegant tree-lined shopping street.Southport today is still one of the most popular seaside resorts in the UK and hosts various events including an annual air show on and over the beach, the largest independent flower show in the UK and the British Musical Fireworks Championship.
Ormskirk is an historic Market town surrounded by beautiful countryside, reserves, and wildlife. Ormskirk has quaint village streets, winning restaurants and farm shops and is also home to the award-winning Edgehill University.
Distance to Liverpool City Centre:
From Whiston Hospital – 13.3 miles
From St Helens Hospital – 15 miles
From Southport Hospital – 19.9 miles
From Ormskirk Hospital – 18.1 miles
Distance to Manchester City Centre:
From Whiston Hospital - 26.6 miles
From St Helens Hospital – 27.7 miles
From Southport Hospital – 42.4 miles
From Ormskirk Hospital – 35.4 miles
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- MB ChB or evidence of equivalent qualification
- Full and specialist registration with the General Medical Council (GMC), and licenced to practice
- CCT /CESR in Ophthalmology
- Entry on the General Medical Council (GMC) Specialist Register via one of the following: 1. Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) (the proposed CCT date must be within 6 months of the interview) 2. Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR)
- FRCOphth or equivalent
- Evidence of thorough and broad training and experience in all aspects of general Ophthalmology
- Competence in the management of eye trauma
- Able to take responsibility for delivering service (surgical and clinical) without supervision
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria- Knowledge and experience of Ophthalmology
- Understanding of clinical governance and the individual responsibilities it implies
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical audit and evidence of participation
- Participation in continuing professional development (CPD) scheme and, where relevant, evidence of participation
- Interest in teaching medical, nursing and other groups of staff
- Experience of supervising trainee doctors, clinically and surgically
- Broad range of IT skills
- Experience of teaching clinical skills to undergraduate medical students
- Experience of clinical or lab based research with publications in peer reviewed journals
- Knowledge of evidence-based practice
- Able to perform cataract surgery independently including complex cases.
- Extensive Experience in the management of Urgent eye care
- Publication of audit results
- Ability to supervise research
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria- Ability to communicate effectively with clinical colleagues, colleagues in Ophthalmology, other specialties and support staff
- Ability to present effectively to an audience, using a variety of methods and to respond to questions
- Ability to develop effective working relationships on an individual and multi-disciplinary basis with all levels of staff
- Good knowledge of, and ability to use, spoken and written English
- Have a commitment to CME / CPD
Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.
Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.
The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce.We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
As a Disability Confident Leader, we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.
If you are having difficulty completing an online application, or require any disability reasonable adjustments, to the application process, please contact [email protected]
We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.
The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details are shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision-making process.
The equality monitoring information you provide is used in the following situations: to review our recruitment practices; where a job is limited to a specific person to verify their eligibility to apply; and to offer disability reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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).
Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click here to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorship.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 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.
Please note if applicable, applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment.
If you have not already done so, you are therefore encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service to which a small annual fee of £13 per year applies.
Flexible Working
We actively support flexible working patterns throughout MWL. Changes made to the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook mean that:
- All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
- There is no limit on the number of requests they can make.
- Employees have the right to make requests, have them considered, regardless of the reason.
At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we will consider requests for flexible working. We would also encourage you to also discuss flexible working options at interview stage.
Working for Team MWL
Staff recognition is especially important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Employee of the month. Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts.Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.
The Trust is a non-smoking across all our sites. Failure to follow this rule could lead to disciplinary action. For more information, see the Smoke Free NHS website
You must ensure that your application, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated.
Additional Information
Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trusts Values and Behaviours which are We are KIND, We are OPEN, We are INCLUSIVE, which can be found here.
An applicant guide to help and support you with your application and what to expect during your recruitment journey can be accessed in the supporting documents.
Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team MWL very soon.