Band 7 Highly Specialised Optometrist

Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.

Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.

Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

Click here to view our video Welcome to the Royal Free

Job overview

You will work closely with other Optometrists and Health Care Professionals in order to deliver a comprehensive range of core optometric services to the highest standards of quality and care. Work as an autonomous practitioner in providing optometric assessment, diagnosis and management of patients of all ages, and those who have varying communication skills.

Main duties of the job

Working in the Glaucoma service in Ophthalmology. Supporting the Consultant led service with a team of glaucoma specialists, comprising of Ophthalmologists, Orthoptists & Optometrists

Following the clinical pathways as set out by the Consultant Lead.

To offer a personalised and evidenced based treatment plans and select the appropriate ophthalmic tests for each patient.

To offer patients a level of counselling and informative advice regarding their diagnosis

To take responsibility for the assessment of patients of all ages and abilities, with wide ranging communication difficulties, referred for assessment.

To formulate management and treatment plans and make onward referral to other clinical members of the Ophthalmology Directorate as appropriate or discharging patients.

Communicate with patients, relatives and carers, including those with learning, communication and language difficulties.

To demonstrate considerable manual dexterity, accuracy and speed in a variety of clinical procedures to ensure accurate measurements necessary for patient management e.g. retinoscopy.

To liaise with other Optometrists, Orthoptists, or the Ophthalmologist with whom one is working, about any problems which may arise during daily clinical practice.

Working for our organisation

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s biggest and most innovative trusts. Across three main hospitals, our dedicated army of staff care for over 1.6million patients, treat more than 200,000 in A&E, deliver over 8,000 babies and carry out more than 17million tests.

Our size, scale and influence offer you unrivalled career opportunities and a forward-thinking approach to working that works around your lifestyle. From flexible hours and generous benefits, to next level training, we make it easier to take your career to the top.

For more information please follow link https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To discuss the diagnosis, prognosis and management plan with patient / parent / carer. To describe and record clinical data in the medical records and decide on any necessity for referral for medical opinion.

To provide a report for the patient’s GP and any other relevant parties to whom a patient agrees for information to be sent.

To comply with departmental quality procedures, participating in quality management monitoring. This will include audits for hospital ophthalmology services.

To keep and maintain appropriate records at all times ensuring that all data is updated onto the computerised systems in a timely manner.

Maintain and utilise department and Trust information systems currently in use and ensure the accuracy of information held on the Patient Administration System (EPR) & Notes System (Medisight).

To observe safe working practices and equipment procedures, complying with legislative requirements under H&S regulations.

Respect patient and staff confidentiality at all times.

Be involved with current departmental teaching/research in agreement with Clinical and professional lead.

Respect patient and staff confidentiality at all times.

Provide training and support to staff.

Keep work up-to-date within departmental set standards, notifying line manager immediately if this becomes problematic

Adhere to appropriate health and safety, fire and statutory regulations and all Trust policies relevant to the post.

See patients in a timely manner

Give written information to patients regarding entitlements for optical treatment

Attend appropriate training events, courses and lectures, as agreed with the Lead/ Head Orthoptist, thereby maintaining up-to-date knowledge and skills.

Ensure compliance with all Trust policies and follow Trust codes of practice regarding any absence, annual, sick and other leaves.

Undertake any duties as agreed and delegated by the Head Orthoptist or Consultant Lead in your designated subspecialty.

Report to the head of service regarding faults and replacement requests

Person specification

Values

• Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values

Education & professional Qualifications

• Possess a Degree / Diploma of Orthoptics
• HCPC registration
• BIOS Clinic Tutors Course/ equivalent

• To possess a MSc degree or equivalent
• Clinical Teaching qualification
• Management/ Leadership qualification

Work Experience

• Extensive experience in all aspects of clinical Optometrist involving specialist services.
• Experience of teaching student Optometrist /doctors /pre-registration optometrists /nurses etc
• Previous audit experience
• Evidence of CPD

• Demonstrate knowledge and clinical skills relevant to Optometrist in extended roles
• Have management/ leadership experience

Skills and Aptitudes

• To be able to show good working relationships at all levels and to work as part of a multidisciplinary team or independently.
• To be able to work under pressure in a busy environment, whilst maintaining high quality Orthoptic practise.
• To be able to consistently communicate effectively with patients and staff at all levels in a professional and respectful manner
• The ability to handle difficult situations calmly and effectively to deal with patients, tactfully, efficiently and with empathy.
• To have good presentation skills for formal and informal teaching of undergraduate and post graduates, and audit.

• To Assist with the implementation of wider Trust Objectives
• Have knowledge of strategic plans for development of Optometrist services in the community.
• To have knowledge of research methodology and willing to contribute to research within the department
• Computer skills: power point, Excel etc
• Covid-19 Vaccination

• AT* - Apprenticeship Training. Where AT* is entered next to the job title indicates that this vacancy is for an apprenticeship role.
• By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers. Therefore we require you to complete your stat and Man e-learning modules prior to joining our organisation.
• If you are an EU/EEA citizen who does not have EU Settlement or Pre-Settled status, you will require a visa to work in the UK.
• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• If you are offered a role with one of the NLPSS partner trusts, as part of pre-employment checks your identity and right to work documentation will be verified remotely (in most circumstances), using a certified identity verification service provider TrustID. You will be asked to capture an image of the relevant documents as well as a “selfie” using your smartphone/tablet (if available) for facial matching. TrustID will also perform a digital address check using Trunarrative and Equifax, which is a soft check and does not leave a footprint on your credit rating. For more information, visit www.trustid.co.uk
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• The Trust will request a DBS (CRB) if post involves regulated activities. The Trust is compliant with the Disclosure and Barring Service Codes of practice and the Rehabilitation of offenders act.
• By applying for this post you are agreeing to Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.