Consultant Ophthalmologist

NHS; Torquay; On-site; GBP 76,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in South Devon is seeking a Consultant Ophthalmologist to join their team. The ideal candidate will provide high-quality care and teaching in both general and specialist clinics, including cataract surgery. Successful applicants must be registered with the GMC and have the necessary qualifications, including FRCOphth. This position requires effective teamwork and communication skills, and offers full- or part-time hours with an on-call commitment.

Qualifications

• Full GMC Registration (with license to practice) by interview.
• Experience in audit and management.
• Ability to lead clinical teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide high quality consultant care to patients.
• Ensure rapid assessment and treatment.
• Participate in clinical governance and team training.

Skills

Expert clinical opinion on ophthalmic problems

Independent running of operating lists

Teaching cataract surgery

Ability to communicate effectively

Teamwork

Education

FRCOphth or equivalent

Full GMC Registration

English Level 2 (GCSE grade C or equivalent)

Name on Specialist Register

Job description

Go back Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Consultant Ophthalmologist

The closing date is 02 November 2025

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is an expanding and innovative Trust set in the heart of South Devon.

We are seeking to recruit an innovative, dynamic consultant to join our team. This would be an excellent opportunity for Higher Trainees who have completed their training or an established consultant seeking a career change.

You will be joining a friendly and welcoming team working full time or part time hours, and your role may include general as well as specialist clinics, and cataract surgery.

Please note there would be a 1 in 8 general on-call commitment, and there is a separate sub regional vitreoretinal on-call. Shared office space and secretarial support will be provided.

Main duties of the job

• Ability to offer expert clinical opinions on a range of ophthalmic problems, both emergency and elective.
• Independent running of operating lists and teaching cataract surgery.
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for the clinical care of patients.
• Ability to prioritize clinical needs.
• Ability to supervise multi-disciplinary teams.
• Willingness to work according to guidelines and group decisions.
• Ability to demonstrate familiarity with and understanding of NHS structures, management, and current political issues, including awareness of national strategic plans and constraints.
• Ability to demonstrate a willingness to lead clinical teams.
• Effective specialist clinical service.

About us

We are a forward thinking, very well equipped and well supported department. We provide a very wide range of ophthalmic services.

Our surgical service is run from the purpose-built Eye Surgery Unit (ESU) just upstairs from the Eye Clinic. From here we offer a one stop cataract assessment service, surgical booking service and admissions area. Our very few inpatients are admitted here and go to a ward postoperatively. Operating lists are conducted at Torbay Hospital, as well as the potential for use of the Centre of Excellence for Eyes at Nightingale Hospital in Exeter. Our second ophthalmic theatre on the Torbay Hospital site was opened in February 2024 and has dedicated HVLC lists.

Currently the majority of minor lid operations (entropion, ectropion, lesion excision etc) takes place in our minor operations suite in the outpatients' department.

We have integrated image viewing software and use Medisoft EPR for our medical retinal, macula, eye casualty, VR and cataract surgery services. The hospital plans to start using EPIC in 2025.

We hold clinics at Newton Abbot community hospital and there is potential that we will be expanding our service into further community sites.

The Trust has a good working relationship with our commissioners and the Department has regular meetings with the commissioning bodies.

Job responsibilities

A provisional job plan is shown below, although please note this job plan is representative only. The final timetable will depend on current service redesign within the unit and the interests of the appointed candidate.

Morning

PA

Afternoon

PA

Monday

SPA

0.5

CLINIC

1

Tuesday

ADMIN

1

THEATRE/LASER

1

SPA

1

CLINIC

1

Thursday

Theatre

1.25

CLINIC

1

Friday

CLINIC

1

SPA

1

On call 0.25 PA

Initial split of 7.5 DCC, 2.5 SPA. Following 6 to 12 months in post (depending on previous experience), there is a baseline 1.5 SPA with a further 1 PA to be used either as SPA performing additional roles (e.g College Tutor, clinical governance, medical student supervision, etc) or DCC, according to Consultant preference.

To provide high quality consultant delivered care to patients including clinical leadership and supervision of junior medical staff, ensuring the highest standards of clinical care are provided to all patients attending the hospital.

• To be proactive in ensuring that all patients receive rapid assessment, treatment and clinical decision making, whilst ensuring our standard to deliver safe quality and performance are delivered and sustained.
• To provide teaching and training at undergraduate and postgraduate level and supervised and train the juniors and specialty doctors. To be proactive in the departments clinical governance agenda and take on leadership roles to support continuous learning and improvement, thereby abiding by the clinical and corporate governance policies of the Trust.
• To liaise with clinicians and managers within and outside the department to address any issues arising that may affect the services.
• To participate in relevant audit and quality assurance processes.
• To communicate with local GPs

Other responsibilities include:

• Junior Staff:Recruitment, appointment and educational supervision including educational contracts, regular appraisal, organisation of study leave, annual leave and rotas.
• Budget:Co-operate with the Deputy Medical Director and Divisional General Manager on budget issues.
• Communication:This will include the responsibility for and arrangement of communication and liaison with all other medical and service departments within the Trust as well as other Trusts.
• Teaching:To have an active role in the junior doctor training programme.

Eligible candidates will need to have Full GMC Registration (with licence to practice) and be on the Specialist Register by date of interview or within 6 months of CCT (Certificate of Completion of Training).We provide a very wide range of ophthalmic services including intravitreal treatments for macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, vitreo-retinal surgery, services for medical retina including uveitis, lacrimal surgery please see job description for more services.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• FRCOphth or equivalent
• Full GMC Registration with licence to practice
• Minimum of English Level 2 (GCSE grade C or equivalent)
• IELTS or graduate of a UK Medical School
• Name on Specialist Register by date of interview or within 6 months of CCT

Knowledge

• Ability to offer expert clinical opinion on a range of ophthalmic problems, both emergency and elective.
• Independent running of operating lists and teaching cataract surgery.
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients.
• Ability to prioritise clinical need.
• Ability to supervise multi-disciplinary teams.
• Willing to work to guidelines and group decisions.
• Ability to demonstrate familiarity with and understanding of NHS structures,management and current political issues, including awareness of national strategic plans and constraints
• Ability to demonstrate willingness to lead clinical teams.
• Experience of Audit and Management.
• Proven ability to teach clinical skills within multi-disciplinary teams and applying evidence based knowledge.
• Willingness and ability to contribute to departmental and Trust teaching Programmes.

Skills

• Good spoken and written English language skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, relatives and staff
• Honesty and reliability.
• Ability to work in a team

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.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust