Consultant in Ophthalmology - Medical Retina / Vitreoretinal Surgery
Job overview
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals would like to invite applications for the post of Consultant Ophthalmologist with a special interest in Medical Retina / Vitreoretinal Surgery.
This post is 10 PA's which includes 1 PA for admin and 1.5 SPA time. There is an on-call commitment (currently 1 in 11) which is non-resident.
The post holder will join a team of 13 consultants and gives an opportunity for a dynamic and forward-thinking individual to join the medical and surgical retina service in a supportive environment.
All consultants are expected to work productively for 42 weeks a year and will be required to undertake annual appraisal, revalidation and job planning.
Our department is committed to providing an excellent standard of care to our local and regional population and is looking for an exceptionally motivated and dynamic individual to contribute to the team.
In addition to all types of modern technology and diagnostics equipment, the individual will have access to a team of optometrists, junior doctors and specialist nurses as well as consultant peers.
The Position applied for is a substantive Consultant Ophthalmologist with a sub-specialist interest in Medical Retina with scope for some support for the Vitreoretinal service. The role requirements are to develop and support the existing medical retina service.However, depending on the skill set of the successful candidate, there are opportunities to support the VR service as well.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will:
- Develop and support the Subspecialty Service, ensuring robust pathways are in place for a high quality, modern patient experience.
- Supervise, train and mentor optometrists and orthoptists within the service.
- Specifically adopt, in conjunction with colleagues, an active role in the planning, development and delivery of the Ophthalmology service for the directorate.
- Provide direct input to patients; contribute to multidisciplinary teams and lead the co-ordination of care for patients within Preston and Chorley hospitals.
- Promote high professional standards of clinical care for patients, both through direct patient care and by the maintenance of continuing professional development.
- Assume a continuous commitment for the care of patients, even if employed less than full-time and ensure that adequate arrangements are made for leave and off duty periods.
- Develop close links with General Practitioners and Optometrists operating in the area.
- Exercise the freedom to develop specialist elements of the services to reflect priorities within available resources.
Working for our organisation
This is an exciting time to be an ophthalmologist at our trust. The service has undergone an £18 million investment and transformation which has led to the opening of our flagship site – The Lancashire Eye Centre, based at Chorley District Hospital in December 2021.Services are also provided at Royal Preston Hospital.
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals is set in a lovely part of the country with many good places to live. While Preston is a modern and vibrant city, the hospitals also sit very close to the beautiful Ribble Valley. For a longer commute it is possible to live in Manchester or on the edge of the Lake District, depending on your preference.There are excellent schools and educational opportunities for those with families. The Lancashire Eye Centre is located in the Market town of Chorley which is surrounded by picturesque countryside and approximately 20 miles away from Manchester.
Benefits available to the successful candidate including:
The opportunity to join a Specialty that provides Ophthalmic care to a local population of approx. 400,000 and a regional population of 1.5 million, as well as an opportunity to be able to lead and develop your subspecialty with good managerial support, and flexibility to grow.
A brand-new designated Eye Unit facility with access to modern ophthalmic technologies.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached Job description, Person specification and Specialty/ Trust Brochure for further details on:
- What we can offer
- Job Plan/On-call Requirements
- The Team
Person specification
Health
Essential criteria- Meets professional health requirements in line with GMC Standards/ Good Medical Practice
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Full GMC Registration and Licence to Practice
- MBBS or equivalent
- FRCOPhth or equivalent
- Must be entered on the Specialist Register (or entry within 6 months)
- Higher Medical Degree (MD or MSc) or ChM
- Management course/ certification
Experience and Skills
Essential criteria- Sub-speciality training and experience
- Trained Clinical Supervisor
- Computer skills
- Trained Educational Supervisor
- Subspecialty fellowship
Management
Essential criteria- Evidence of Clinical Leadership
- Evidence of commitment to audit and improving clinical practice/service developmen
- Experience of leadership and management
Research and Development
Essential criteria- Evidence of interest in personal development e.g. through research and/or publications
- Evidence of peer reviewed publications
Personal
Essential criteria- Proven effective communication skills (with examples)
- Good organisational skills (with examples)
- Works well within a multidisciplinary environment.
- Reside approximately 30 minutes travel to Chorley/Preston.
- Ability to travel across sites
- Car owner / Driver
We’ll contact you by e-mail to update you on the progress of your application so please check the e-mail account that you applied from (including spam/junk) regularly.
We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, neurodiversity or veteran status are encouraged to apply for this post.Our Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders is available Here
To support you in your application process we’ve created a What we can offer you guide that shows what you can expect when you join our hospitals. The guide includes links to our strategic aims and objectives as well as our values, development support and rewards and benefits.To help you get the best from your application we’ve also put together two guides to help you make your application the best it can be. Just click here and here to go through them, or have them open as you complete your application.
We recognise that the recruitment process may present barriers for some and you may need personal adjustments to enable you to participate in our recruitment process. Please make contact with the recruitment team at the earliest opportunity to ensure that measures can be put in place to enable your application for this post.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications
If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for.There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information.
AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice.Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.
We have added a disclaimer to our application process advising that the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.
Supporting Information
The supporting information section is an opportunity for you to showcase how your qualifications, knowledge, skill and experiences align with the requirements and criteria outlined in the job description and person.
Our recruiting managers score applications based on the criteria listed in the person specification. They will be looking for evidence of how you meet these criteria. To increase your chances of securing an interview, provide examples of how you have applied your skills and knowledge in real-life situations.Share work-related successes and challenges you’ve navigated that align with the criteria. These could be from various aspects of your life, including work, education, and personal experiences.
Consider structuring your supporting information section with clear headings or bullet points. This approach will help both you and the recruiting manager navigate through your application more effectively.
Working Smarter pledge
We are reminded everyday of how important life is, so as part of our Working Smarter pledge we offer a variety of flexible working options and wellbeing support to enable our people to find and maintain the right work-life balance.
Secondments
If you are applying for a secondment role please ensure you have agreement from your current line manager prior to attending an interview. Also please ensure you have read the LTHTR Secondment Policy. A copy of this can be found on the intranet or by contacting [email protected]
Young People
Please note a young person must be in part-time education or training until they’re 18. therefore if you are under 18 we are unable to employ you on a full time basis, unless it is in an apprenticeship role.
Disclosure and Barring Service checks
If the role you’ve applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this on your behalf and the cost will be recovered from your salary, either as a one-off payment, or over 3 months. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered.Currently the charges are - Basic DBS check £26.40 Standard DBS check £26.40 and Enhanced DBS check £54.40. You should be aware that if you are successful in obtaining a position that requires a DBS check but later withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check.
DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions. The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here.
In line with guidance from United Kingdom Health Security Agency, all staff and volunteers are required to comply with Trust Infection Prevention and Control processes in relation to safe working. This includes mask wearing and adherence to social distancing at all Trust sites.
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We look forward to hearing from you soon!