Specialist Optometrist
Welcome to Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and thank you for your interest.
In addition to receiving tertiary referrals from across the South East of England, we have a network of ‘spoke’ sites at district general hospitals enabling our consultants to offer their expertise with routine treatments and consultations as close to patients’ homes as is possible.With the recent addition of video led ‘virtual’ consultations we also enable patients who have some distance to travel to avoid the additional stress and worry of a long journey.
Working at QVH combines the excitement, challenge and career opportunities of many larger organisations with the satisfaction of delivering excellent patient care that really does re-build our patients’ lives.
We also offer attractive benefits such as- tailored personal development to support career aspirations, including accredited clinical and management development programmes
- flexible working arrangements for a work-life balance that suits you and your needs
- a dedicated reward programme, offering a range of national and local discounts, cashback and tax relief schemes
_________________________________________________________________________________
Sustainability
At Queen Victoria Hospital we want to be the first Net Zero Hospital in England, and to achieve that wants every member of staff to be a green champion. The way in which the Trust works has a significant impact on the organisation’s carbon footprint and that of our patients.From the heat, light and power supplies within the hospital to avoiding unnecessary patient journeys, the Trust is empowering all staff to create a sustainable health and care environment for future generations. The Trust expects all staff to reuse and recycle more, to use energy and water efficiently, to walk or cycle to work if you can, and to have a focus on sustainability in the workplace.
You can view our Green Plan here: Green Plan - Queen Victoria Hospital (qvh.nhs.uk)
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for two Optometrists keen to enhance their knowledge and extend their skills by joining our team of Consultant Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Imaging and Nursing staff working in the Ophthalmology team at QVH.The post holder will work independently and with consultants where required in making clinical decisions. There will be opportunities to develop your experience and to work with our specialist teams and also be part of the innovative work done here at QVH.
Main duties of the job
The successful applicant will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team alongside Consultant Ophthalmologists, using advanced clinical techniques and skills to undertake assessment of new patients and follow up patients in one or more of the sub-specialised Glaucoma, Cornea, Oculoplasty, Cataract, Research and Paediatric ophthalmology clinics, undertaking optometry and refractive work reporting directly to the clinical lead for the service.Please see the Job Description.
Working for our organisation
Rated GOOD overall with outstanding care by the CQC. A specialist NHS hospital providing life-changing reconstructive surgery, burns care and rehabilitation services across the South of England and beyond.
We specialise in conditions of the eyes (corneoplastics), hands, head and neck cancer and skin cancer, reconstructive breast surgery, maxillofacial surgery and prosthetics, providing regional and national services in these areas of clinical expertise.Our world-leading clinical teams also treat more common conditions of the eyes, hands, skin, and teeth for the people of East Grinstead and the surrounding areas. In addition, QVH provides a minor injuries unit, expert therapies, a sleep service, and a growing portfolio of community-based services.
Patients consistently rate QVH amongst the top hospitals in the country for quality of care.
Our success is underpinned by the skills and enthusiasm of our staff and a strong culture of partnership. We are fully committed to training and development of the workforce with support for continuing education and learning.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder will work independently and with consultants where required to make clinical decisions to direct patients appropriately through their clinical pathway. For example:
o Cataract New clinic - assessing, counselling, discussing risks and benefits of surgery, discussing target refractions, listing for surgery
o Cataract follow up - assessing that eye has settled and there are no post-operative complications like CMO. Listing for second eye if necessary. Counselling and appropriate management of distressed patients in cases of refractive surprises.
o Undertake Refractive outpatient clinics
o Corneal crosslinking follow up.
o Supporting corneal clinics seeing stable graft patients etc.
o Paediatric clinics – Cycloplegic refractions with profundus checks. Supporting Orthoptic patients.
o Glaucoma patients
o Virtual Ophthalmology Clinics
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- MCOptom specialist optometry degree or BSc (Hons) in Ophthalmic Optics or Optometry
- Current Registration with the General Optical Council (GOC)
- Postgraduate specialist training or equivalent experience to Masters level
- Management / leadership training
- Member of the College of Optometry (MCOptom) or equivalent
Experience
Essential criteria- Post-qualification experience in Hospital Optometry
- Experience of glaucoma evaluation and management
- Experience and ability to evaluate post-operative cataract patients
- Experience in ophthalmic imaging and management and storage of medical images
- Experience of Confocal Microscope in an outpatient Clinic