Specialist Orthoptist
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Job overview
Are you looking to begin or continue your Orthoptic career in a friendly and hardworking team?
We are looking for a full time, permanent Orthoptist to join our developing and supportive team but part time hours would be considered.
The successful applicant will be primarily based at Prince Philip Hospital but may occasionally be required to work at Glangwili General Hospital.
The successful candidate will be providing all Orthoptic services to a varied caseload of patients with an active involvement in clinical audit and teaching supported.
We are accredited by BIOS as an Orthoptic placement site and have recently started taking Orthoptic students on placement therefore previous experience or an interest in teaching would be desirable.
Main duties of the job
This post involves the assessment, diagnosis and management of a varied caseload of Orthoptic patients providing an interesting mix of adult and paediatric patients including patients from the Emergency Eye clinic, Maxillofacial team, Neurology, Stroke team and Paediatrics.Clinics are regularly run alongside a Paediatric Ophthalmologist, Oculoplastic Consultant, Paediatric Optometrist, Emergency Eye clinic and Ophthalmic technicians.
As well as consolidating general Orthoptic practise there is an opportunity to develop skills in extended roles within the medical retina team dependant on departmental needs by undertaking training for intravitreal injections after having substantial Orthoptic experience.
CPD is actively promoted with participation expected in departmental audits, teaching sessions and monthly Orthoptic team meetings. Involvement would also be expected in providing clinical teaching to a wide range of healthcare professionals including Health visitors, student nurses, Optometrists and GP’s.
Travel across the Health Board may be required to other acute and community based hospitals therefore the ability to travel between sites in a timely manner is essential.
A degree/diploma in Orthoptics and registration with the HCPC is essential.
Working for our organisation
Hywel Dda University Health Board is the planner and provider of NHS healthcare services for people in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and its bordering counties. Our 12,000 members of staff provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services to almost 400,000 people across a quarter of the landmass of Wales. We do this in partnership with our three local authorities and public, private and third sector colleagues, including our volunteers, through:
Four main hospitals: Bronglais General in Aberystwyth, Glangwili General in Carmarthen, Prince Philip in Llanelli and Withybush General in Haverfordwest.
Five community hospitals: Amman Valley Hospital and Llandovery Hospital in Carmarthenshire, Tregaron Hospital in Ceredigion and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Pembrokeshire.
Two integrated care centres (Aberaeron and Cardigan, Ceredigion).
Community facilities, including:
48 General Practices (GP surgeries), 49 Dental Practices, 98 Community Pharmacies (chemists), 44 General Ophthalmic Practices (including eye health and low vision services), 38 sites providing mental health and learning disability services, care within your own homes.
Highly specialised and tertiary services commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, a joint committee representing seven health boards across Wales.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.
You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.
Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.
The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Interviews will be held on 08/05/2025.
Person specification
Qualifications and Knowledge
Essential criteria- Registered with the HCPC
- Degree or equivalent in Orthoptics
- Specialist knowledge gained through post graduate level of knowledge and/or qualification
- Evidence of continued academic and clinical development.
Language Requirements
Desirable criteria- Welsh Speaker (Level 1)
Experience
Essential criteria- Evidence of continued academic and clinical development
- Post graduate clinical experience
- Experience of working successfully within a multi disciplinary team
Aptitude and Abilities
Essential criteria- IT skills
- Ability to assess, plan and evaluate patient care
- Effective communication skills to be able to assess vision in patients with poor or no verbal communication skills
- To be able to assess vision and binocular vision in the learning disabled, the cognitively impaired.
- To be able to assess patients both pre and post operatively for adjustable suture technique and to discuss the pre and post-operative complications.
Hywel Dda University Health Board operates a bilingual policy. All applicants are invited to apply in Welsh, any application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR APPLICANTS: Applications for our roles are carefully reviewed and shortlisted based on specific criteria, which varies from job to job. Using a generic application to apply for multiple roles or relying on automated AI application services, such as Lazy Apply or AI Apply, may not provide the necessary information, leading to your application being overlooked.To ensure your application is given full consideration, we recommend submitting a tailored application that directly addresses the criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the advert.
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If you are successfully appointed, by completing the application form you authorise the UHB to obtain any previous NHS service details including all electronically held sickness information, via the Inter Authority Transfer process on the national Electronic Staff Record (ESR).
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