Consultant Ophthalmologist with interest in Uveitis

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An NHS Healthcare Trust is seeking a Consultant Ophthalmologist focused on uveitis to support their tertiary referral service in Newcastle upon Tyne. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in ophthalmology, particularly in managing uveitis cases, and will lead specialist clinics and clinical trials as well. This role demands high professional standards and a commitment to patient care, alongside administrative and teaching responsibilities. The position includes a 1:21 on-call commitment and the opportunity to influence the department's development.

Qualifications

• Experience supervising junior medical staff.
• Evidence of leadership/project management.
• Ability to cope with and effectively organise consultant workload.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical expertise in uveitis service.
• Manage complex uveitis cases and referrals.
• Participate in clinical trials and department activities.

Skills

Extensive experience in general ophthalmology

Sub-specialty experience in uveitis

Ability to perform retinal laser and intravitreal injections

Expert clinical opinion within the specialty

Management and project leadership

Education

Primary Medical Qualification

Full GMC Registration

FRCOphth or equivalent

Higher Degree

Uveitis fellowship

Job description

Consultant Ophthalmologist with interest in Uveitis

The closing date is 09 January 2026

We are delighted to be able to offer an opportunity for a highly motivated, ambitious individual to join our well-integrated team.

The post is to support the uveitis service, which is the tertiary referral centre in the Northeast. It is a proleptic appointment as our main uveitis specialist is due to retire.

Being involved in and leading clinical trials would be encouraged. The post is suitable for a doctor with a certificate of training in either surgical ophthalmology with an interest in uveitis and another subspecialty or those who have completed medical ophthalmology training.

Management of complex uveitis cases would be expected. We have a close working relationship with other medical specialties, including rheumatology, to provide support with management of systemic conditions associated with uveitis.

Main duties of the job

The post is to work in and develop the uveitis service. There is a 1:21 on‑call commitment.

This post will be based at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, but may involve clinics and operating at outreach sites. All routine cataract surgery takes place at the Newcastle Westgate Cataract Centre, which is a mile from the RVI. The department provides all specialities.

About us

As a flexible‑working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:

• Freeman Hospital
• Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
• Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)
• Newcastle Dental Hospital
• Newcastle Fertility Centre
• Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
• Northern Genetics Service
• Cramlington Manor Walks

These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting‑edge care (supported by state‑of‑the‑art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.

We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.

Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under “Documents to download” or “Supporting documents”.

For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Job responsibilities

To provide clinical expertise in line with an agreed job plan. This will include specialist uveitis clinics and, depending on the interest of the candidate, another sub‑specialist interest. You will be responsible for the patients under your care, which includes those being seen by your team. The post will include working with the whole team and the wider department and being available for internal as well as external referrals. There might be a need to cover other sessions on an ad‑hoc basis depending on the needs of the department. The post may include being involved in the ophthalmology consultant on‑call rota for emergencies, again depending on the job plan, this includes being overall responsible for the patients coming through the eye emergency department on that day. You would also triage general referrals on that day. There is a requirement to keep up to date with ophthalmic practice.

The post holder will be expected to abide by the GMC good medical practice guidelines.

Person Specification

Education, Qualifications and Specialist Skills

• Primary Medical Qualification.
• Full GMC Registration.
• FRCOphth or equivalent.
• Entry onto the GMC Specialist Register (within 6 months from the date of the AAC).
• Higher Degree.
• Uveitis fellowship or another specialist training fellowship.
• NHS experience.
• Medical ophthalmology training.

Clinical Experience

• Evidence of extensive experience in general ophthalmology and sub‑specialty experience in uveitis.
• Able to do retinal laser and intravitreal injections and steroid implants.
• Evidence of experience in the management of uveitis.
• Evidence of a substantial commitment to the specialty.
• Ability to offer an expert clinical opinion within the specialty.
• Ability to take independent responsibility for the clinical care of patients referred to a tertiary centre.
• Able to take responsibility for delivering the service without direct supervision.
• Know how to use an electronic medical record.

Management and Administration Experience

• Involvement with management and project leadership within the specialty.
• Ability to take on responsibility and show evidence of leadership.
• Ability to work under pressure and cope with setbacks.
• Ability to cope with and effectively organise the workload of a consultant.
• An understanding of Clinical Governance.
• Proven management and administrative experience and understanding of management goals.
• Evidence of leadership / project management.
• Evidence of having implemented change.
• Experience in developing and implementing new technologies.
• Ability to undertake additional professional responsibilities at local, regional or national levels.

Teaching

• Experience of supervising junior medical staff.
• Experience of participation in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
• Ability to teach clinical / technical / practical skills.
• Knowledge of teaching to a multidisciplinary team.
• Attendance at courses to develop teaching skills.
• Postgraduate qualification in medical education.
• Evidence of experience in training of non‑medical practitioners.

Research

• Evidence of involvement in and understanding of research methodology and publication of findings.
• Research/critical review of literature.
• Publications in the last five years.

Audit

• Evidence of participation in audit.
• Evidence of having changed practice as a result of audit.
• Evidence of having revisited the audit to assess improvement.

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.

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust