Advanced Clinical Practitioner

NHS; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust seeks an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Ophthalmology. This role involves providing high-quality urgent eye care, managing clinical assessments, and leading service improvements. The position requires advanced practice expertise, effective communication, and a commitment to quality enhancement within a growing health service.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Leading benefits package

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Practitioner must be registered with NMC, GOC, or HCPC.
• Must have a master's degree or equivalent experience in advanced clinical practice.
• Clinical leadership experience and communication skills are crucial.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of patients and perform clinical assessments.
• Lead service improvements and promote best practices.
• Participate in research and clinical education for others.

Skills

Clinical assessment

Leadership skills

Communication

Quality improvement

Research skills

Teamwork

Education

Master's degree in ophthalmology advanced clinical practice

Registered Practitioner with NMC, GOC or HCPC

Ophthalmic nursing course/ Degree in Optometry/ Degree in Orthoptics

Postgraduate education in Ophthalmology subspecialty

Job description

Go back Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Advanced Clinical Practitioner

The closing date is 10 July 2025

Advanced Clinical Practitioner Ophthalmology - Urgent Eye Care

Department Surgical Division

Band 7-8a

Hours 37.5 hrs per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working

An exciting opportunity for an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) to join our Ophthalmology service has arisen. Based in our new unit in Central Milton Keynes, we are looking to recruit an expert in Urgent Eye Care to support and provide advanced care within our new unit. Our ambition is to transform the delivery of Ophthalmology care for the patients of Milton Keynes to match the national best practice guidance around the delivery of high-flow Ophthalmology. As an ACP you will be instrumental in shaping the urgent services we offer.

We welcome applications from those who are already working as an ACP in Urgent Eye Care or those with the relevant experience to take on a trainee ACP role.

We are looking for someone who can make a difference to patients and staff, modelling outstanding care every time and the ability to promote a positive team working ethic. You will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, be highly motivated and flexible in your approach to care delivery and committed to quality improvement.

Main duties of the job

Join #TeamSurgery at Milton Keynes University Hospital

The surgery division at MKUH, which covers specialties including theatres and the Intensive Care Unit, offers a variety of roles and opportunities, both clinical and non-clinical. The division are looking for passionate, enthusiastic and forward-thinking professionals to join the team.

MKUH is one of the leading hospitals in Europe for implementing robotics to assist in surgery, becoming the first in the continent to use the CMR Versius robot for gynaecological surgery. Since its introduction in 2019, the theatres team have completed over 500 surgical cases, the first hospital in the UK to reach this milestone, achieving this in March 2023.

As well as being an innovator in robotics, the Trust is proud to be part of the New Hospital Programme, with plans to expand and increase our surgical capacity to meet the health needs of our communities now and in the future.

With a leading benefits package, and a growing hospital estate to meet one of the fastest growing populations in the country, it is a great time to join MKUH.

Find out more about working in #TeamSurgery at MKUH from the people who work across the division in the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mYel-Y9nrU

About us

'Nursing and Midwifery are always learning in their job roles, rated 6.31 out of 10. '(NHS Staff Survey 2024).

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.

Job responsibilities

Clinical

Perform comprehensive clinical assessment and manage their own caseload of patients. Requests, performs, interprets, and follows up on diagnostics tests to support clinical decision making. Interpret and analyse virtual diagnostic test results and complete reports for community services, patients, and their GPs.

Leadership and management

Acts as a proactive clinical leader, demonstrating effective leadership skills. Promotes best practice for the patients, using standards, clinical guidelines, and research/audit findings. Develops and leads service improvement, utilising the transformation and quality improvement agenda. Acts as a resource in providing clinical leadership and advice to other teams and individuals and or other organisations, sharing knowledge and expertise. Leads on the risk management agenda for the caseload, reporting and or investigating incidents and complaints.

Education

Undertakes statutory and mandatory training as required by the Trust. Participates in the theoretical and clinical education and training of others. To develop and maintain a positive learning environment for the team by providing support, ensuring developmental requirements are addressed Ensures that own skills and competence are regularly and actively updated in the light of research, audit, and knowledge.

Research

Assists in data collection for local, national, and multi-centre research projects. Identifies areas for research and audit, liaising with the research and audit teams. Analyses audit and research findings and interprets them for practice changes. Prepares and presents reports on audit and research to the multi-disciplinary team and or corporate team

Strategic Planning

Contributes to the delivery of the Trusts AHP or Nursing & Midwifery Strategy.

Acts a member of the senior nurse or AHP team to promote the effective and efficient delivery of AHP, nursing and midwifery care at the Trust.

Attends strategic planning meetings to support the ACP role at the Trust.

Contributes to the further development of future expert roles such as the Nurse or AHP Consultants.

Operational Planning and Service Delivery

Ensures the quality, standard, and range of care provided are optimised within the available resources and in line with contract requirements.

Develops an effective and responsive organisational infrastructure capable of achieving planned objectives and incorporating control and audit systems for monitoring service performance against corporate objectives and the business plan.

Exercises duties within the corporate policies and guidelines of Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Ensures the production of Speciality Business Plans, Service Specifications, and Annual Report for the Division.

People Management and Development

Provides ongoing support to the Divisional Chief Nurse, Heads of Service and Lead ACP, deputising at meetings, internal and external to the Trust, as and when required. With the Divisional Chief Nurse, Heads of Service, Lead ACP, and Consultants develop a flexible workforce plan to include competencies required and availability of experienced staff, which anticipates changes in the service.

Please refer to the job description for further details.

We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouraging diversity and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.

MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.

We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.

By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. 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.

Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.

Person Specification

Qualifications and knowledge

• Registered Practitioner with NMC, GOC or HCPC.
• Master's degree in ophthalmology advanced clinical practice or equivalent evidence of the 4 pillars of advanced clinical practice.
• Ophthalmic nursing course/ Degree in Optometry/ Degree in Orthoptics.
• Postgraduate education in Ophthalmology subspeciality
• Clinical History Taking and Physical Examination training/experience.
• Evidence of autonomous practice with high level of decision making.
• Highly developed communication skills (written and verbal)
• Specialist knowledge in the service
• Non-medical prescriber if relevant to ophthalmic subspeciality (a future requirement for Orthoptists aligned to their professional body guidelines)

Experience

• Experience in investigating serious untoward incident with follow up actions
• Experience in providing expert clinical care and advice
• Evidence of producing and presenting clinical papers/posters
• Evidence of critical thinking with regards to effective patient management.
• Experience in clinical governance (risk management and complaints management)
• Experience of leading quality improvement initiatives and contribution to audits
• Evidence of research skills

Experience -Ophthalmology

• Extensive relevant experience at Band 7 within an extended Ophthalmology role
• Knowledge of relevant NICE Guidance, appropriate national guidance and research in ophthalmology sub-specialty
• Highly Skilled in the use of a slit lamp to carry out accurate assessment related to the sub-speciality
• Ability to interpret and analyse investigations such as optic nerve & general imaging, OCT and visual field test results
• Highly skilled in the treatment of patients with, laser, injection or those appropriate to the sub-speciality
• Experience of consenting patients for a procedure
• Experience of supervising and training junior staff

Skills

• Ability to seek and provide peer reviews and support
• Ability to participate on an on-call rota
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to provide advice to other staff/teams
• Up-to-date knowledge of adult and child safeguarding
• Up-to-date knowledge of infection prevention and control issues
• Able to support personal resilience by seeking feedback and advice
• Able to engage patients and families in decision making
• Able to translate national guidance and guidelines into practice
• Budgetary management experience
• Previous experience as an ACP
• Updated national initiatives on ACP

Personal Development

• Ability to be flexible, to have flair and initiative and be able to work in a team
• Motivated / positive - self-directed and committed.
• Professional image
• Have an ongoing personal development plan
• Ability to organize, priorities and coordinate work

Personal Development - Ophthalmology

• Contribute to wider education in the community and subspeciality patient support group meetings

Communication

• Excellent communication skills with colleagues and people at all levels
• Flexible approach to work
• Good listener
• Team player
• Ability to manage stressful situations, raise clinical issues and work independently to ensure the patients' needs are being met
• Ability to manage and motivate self and others

Specific requirements

• Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust