We have an opportunity, for a Specialist Optometrist (Band 7) to work up to 22.5 hours per week. This vacancy arises due to a colleague taking an 18 month career break.

St Paul's Eye Unit is the largest eye care provider in Cheshire and Merseyside and is a long established centre of excellence for ophthalmic care serving the North West and beyond. We provide the full range of eye services with hospital optometrists involved in most of services.

We work with a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to deliver the full range of ophthalmology services.We support and encourage career development and the attainment of higher professional qualifications and IP qualifications. The successful applicants will be based in purposed designed facilities at the new Royal Liverpool University hospital, which opened in October 2022.

Main duties of the job

St Paul's Eye Unit is a Division within Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We are a tertiary referral centre with around 370 staff including 44 Consultant Ophthalmologists working atRoyal Liverpool University Hospital and Aintree University Hospital and satellite sites.We delivery eye emergency and general ophthalmology services along with all subspecialty services including ocular neurology, ocular plastics and ocular oncology.

In addition to traditional core optometry activities, which include refraction, biometry, medical contact lens practice and low vision services, hospital optometrists are involved in: eye emergency, cornea, cataract, glaucoma, diabetic, medical retinal and clinical research activities. The post holder will personally deliver direct patient care, and may undertake research activity, clinical audit and teaching / training as required.

These posts are particularly suitable for optometry colleagues wishing to expand and consolidate their knowledge and clinical skills. Previous hospital experience is an advantage but not essential.

If you are limited in you current role, looking to develop and fully use your wider optometry skill set this may well be the role for you.

About us

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was created on 1 October 2019 following the merger of two adult acute Trusts, Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The merger provides an opportunity to reconfigure services in a way that provides the best healthcare services to the city and improves the quality of care and health outcomes that patients experience.

The Trust runs Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool University Dental Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

It serves a core population of around 630,000 people across Merseyside as well as providing a range of highly specialist services to a catchment area of more than two million people in the North West region and beyond.

To hear more about our achievements click here https://www.liverpoolft.nhs.uk/media/13089/1606-annual-report-booklet_final.pdf

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Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the detailed Job Description document attached

1. To work closely with the Head of Department in order to deliver acomprehensive range of specialist optometric services to the highest standards of quality and patient care.2. To work as an autonomous practitioner in providing optometric assessment, diagnosis and management of patients of all ages, including the elderly, those who have various degrees of visual disability and those who have varying communication skills.3. To personally deliver complex specialist optometric services that meet the changing needs of the Directorate and other outside agencies.4. To undertake the role of lead clinician for at least one specific optometricservice such as: the contact lens service, low vision service, or ultrasoundbiometry service.5. To coordinate and ensure the appropriate deployment of staff and evaluate service delivery, liaising with the Head of Optometry Department regarding changes to the service. To work as an independent practitioner and be a source of clinical expertise for junior staff in the assessment / practice of these clinical specialties.6. To undertake specific administrative duties as agreed with the Head ofOptometry Department in particular tasks associated with lead role for aspecific optometric service and any other administrative task that may bedelegated.7. To undertake clinical audit and research as agreed with the Head of Optometry Department.8. To participate in an audit team, coordinating and advising within the service as necessary.9. To be a registered supervisor with the College of Optometrists for Preregistration Optometrists.10. To provide teaching and training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels for various disciplines within ophthalmology (ophthalmologists, medical students, ophthalmic nurses, orthoptists and other health professionals) visiting the Optometry Department.

11. To take a major role in the preparation, organisation and delivery of teaching programmes provided by the Optometry Department.

The role/duties of the post are outlined above. In undertaking this role, the employee will be expected to behave at all times in a way that is consistent with and actively supports the Trusts values, and observes all Trust Policies and Procedures.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered as an Optometrist with the General Optical Council.

Desirable

• Specialist knowledge across a range of optometric procedures and practices supported by theoretical knowledge and relevant practical experience

Experience

Essential

• To record and analyse own clinical data in a range of activities and to take responsibility at service level for the operation of information systems in relation to one service
• To regularly carry out a range of formal Research & Development activities as a significant job requirement
• Ability to act as an independent practitioner guided by broad occupational policies / regulations and to interpret policy, advise and guide others.
• Physical ability to move major clinical equipment, usually on wheels, in order to examine patients, to pump exam chairs, move wheelchairs etc - ongoing basis through out the working day,
• Ability to perform frequent concentration determining appropriate clinical decisions at regular intervals whilst managing parallel activities and with frequent interruptions
• Ability to work with patients, carers and colleagues in highly distressing or emotional circumstances including ocular injury, trauma, the irreversible loss of sight - affecting ability to work, educate, drive, carry out essential daily living skills etc
• Ability to work in an indoor confined environment largely in semi darkness for prolonged periods with some exposure to hazards.

Knowledge

Essential

• To take responsible for specialist equipment, and any physical stock held in the optometry department associated with the specialist service managed.
• To take responsibility for the day-to-day management of junior staff including specialist training in a range of optometry subjects

Skills

Essential

• Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information with professionals (across various disciplines), patients, carers and others both within & without the organisation where emphatic or reassurance skills are required
• Ability to manage and resolve routine, enquiries and complaints within Directorate and Trust operating procedures
• Ability to make judgements involving complex facts or situations requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options and determine appropriates outcomes.
• Organisational ability to plan and organise a number of complex activities / programmes which require formulation and adjustment of plans
• Ability to regularly perform highly developed physical skills with high precision & speed. Includes performing stereo bio-microscopy on the eye, positioning ultrasound probes / tonometers on the eye, making measurements to 0.01mm.
• Ability to personally deliver a range of specialist clinical technical services directly to patients and to be accountable for the management of one of the specialist provided by the Optometry Department.
• Able to implement policies for own work area and contribute to policy and service reviews which impact upon the Optometry Department and beyond.

Employer details

Employer name

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

St Paul's Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital

West Derby Street

Liverpool

L7 8YE

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

287-OPHT-53-24