Advanced Clinical Optometrist – Head of Specialist Optometry

NHS; Brighton; On-site; GBP 76,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in Brighton seeks a Head of Specialist Optometry. Responsibilities include providing clinical leadership, delivering expert optometric care, and overseeing training for optometrists. The ideal candidate will have strong managerial experience and a commitment to clinical excellence in a dynamic environment. A permanent position with competitive salary ranging from £76,965 to £88,682 per annum, with options for full-time or part-time work.

Qualifications

• Experience of teaching or supervising others.
• Awareness of national guidelines in optometric practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership across optometry services.
• Deliver expert optometric care to patients.
• Manage clinical, managerial, and financial aspects of optometry.

Skills

Expert optometric care

Clinical leadership

Teaching and training

Budget management

Education

BSc(Hons). Optom. MSc Optom or equivalent experience

Job description

Overview

The Head of Specialist Optometry is expected to provide clinical leadership for all optometry services, while personally delivering expert optometric and clinical care. They will be responsible for clinical, managerial and financial aspects of specialist optometry, acting as line manager for all optometrists in the department. The postholder will provide teaching and training on optometric and clinical subjects and will be responsible for teaching within specialist optometry. They will have a senior role in coordinating research and development activity within the department.

The Head of Specialist Optometry will provide expert optometric and ophthalmic care to patients at Sussex Eye Hospital, through face-to-face clinical encounters and virtual review of ophthalmic imaging. They are expected to develop a comprehensive range of clinical skills relevant to their practice (e.g. intravitreal injections, laser treatment) and to practice independently with the support of consultants within the relevant subspecialty. As head of department, they will provide clinical, managerial and financial leadership and act as line manager for all optometrists with regular participation in appraisals. They will be responsible for providing teaching and training directly as well as facilitating attendance at external teaching/courses and encouraging acquisition of advanced skills and qualifications. They will arrange and deliver teaching/training as per the needs of specialist optometrists under their supervision and, where appropriate, other members of the healthcare team including nurses and imaging technicians. They will attend departmental teaching and participate in the teaching rota for resident doctors in training, and will organise and provide training for community optometrists requiring hospital placements (e.g. for independent prescribing qualification) and liaise with practices regarding governance and financial aspects.

Responsibilities

• Provide and receive highly complex, highly sensitive information; communicate complex condition-related information to patients and others; deliver specialist training and present scientific papers to large groups.
• Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge with professional knowledge from degree, advanced clinical training, management knowledge and further specialist training.
• Plan, organise broad range of complex activities and formulate/adjust service plans and strategies for orthoptics/optometry.
• Use of specialist ophthalmic instrumentation for measurement and diagnostic purposes.
• Develop specialised programmes of care and account for direct delivery of a subdivision of clinical/technical care; provide specialist Orthoptic/Optometry service and advise patients on needs and treatments.
• Policy development and implementation for orthoptic/optometry service.
• Budget holder for department/service with oversight of financial resources.
• Day-to-day management; teaching/delivery of specialist training; line management of staff; develop and deliver training in clinical and academic settings.
• Record management including updating patient records and compiling audit data.
• Co-ordinate, implement R&D activity and secure funding for research projects.
• Adherence to policies guided by NHS and organisational policies for orthoptic/optometry services.
• Work demands including sustained concentration for complex ophthalmic procedures and dealing with service issues; occasional distressing or emotionally demanding contacts with patients and families; occasional unpleasant working conditions.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• BSc(Hons). Optom. MSc Optom or equivalent experience
• Experience of teaching or supervising others
• Awareness of national guidelines in optometric practice

Desirable

• Higher qualification in medical retina or OPT L3 medical retina
• Evidence of organising and/or delivering teaching/training with GOC accreditation (CPD points)
• Extensive NHS experience (> 5 years)

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Essential

• Evidence of ongoing development to improve understanding of equalities issues
• Evidence of championing diversity in previous roles

Details

• Pay scheme: Agenda for Change
• Band: 8c
• Salary: £76,965 to £88,682 per annum, pro rata
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
• Location: Sussex Eye Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BF
• Reference: 279-7422342-OCT25

Candidate Information

Candidate Information Pack: Please refer to the candidate information pack for more details. The pack provides information about the post and has relevant wellbeing and flexible-working considerations.

Additional information

UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. See NHS Careers website for details.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975; a DBS disclosure will be required.

Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside other applications.

Employer

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279), Sussex Eye Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BF

Employer website: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/