Health Care Support Worker - Ophthalmology Outpatient

NHS Scotland; Paisley; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension Scheme

Learning & development opportunities

Cycle to Work Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is seeking a Healthcare Support Worker to join the Ophthalmology team at The Royal Alexandra Hospital, based in Glasgow. This full-time, permanent role supports patients across outpatient and inpatient settings, working Monday to Friday under supervision of nursing and clinical staff.

You will perform ophthalmology assessments (visual acuity, visual fields, OCT, tonometry), assist with clinics, maintain records, manage stock, and help ensure safe, compassionate

Qualifications

• Caring and compassionate approach with experience in a caring role or environment desirable
• Experience in hospital or community ophthalmology
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team while providing excellent patient support
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to follow procedures, protocols and safe working practices within a clinical environment
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritise workload

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality patient care under the supervision of registered nursing and clinical staff
• Carry out ophthalmology assessments including visual acuity testing, visual fields, OCT scans and tonometry
• Support patients throughout their appointments, investigations and treatment pathways
• Report any changes in a patient’s condition or wellbeing to the appropriate clinical professional
• Assist with patient transfers, observations, personal care and other delegated clinical duties
• Communicate effectively with patients, carers and members of the multidisciplinary team
• Maintain accurate records, manage stock levels and support the smooth day-to-day running of the department

Skills

Caring & compassionate

Multi-disciplinary teamwork

Excellent communication

Patient support

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is one of the largest healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, employing approximately 40,000 staff across a wide range of clinical and non-clinical professions and roles. We deliver acute hospital, primary, community and mental health services to a population of over 1.15 million people, and to a wider population of 2.2 million when regional and national services are included.

The role:

Are you a caring, motivated individual who is passionate about delivering excellent patient care? NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is looking for a Healthcare Support Worker to join our Ophthalmology team, supporting patients across outpatient departments and inpatient services. This rewarding role offers the opportunity to work closely with nurses, optometrists and the wider multidisciplinary team, helping to deliver safe, compassionate and person‑centred care. You will play an important part in supporting patients throughout their treatment journey while developing valuable clinical skills within a specialist service. As part of NHSGGC, you will join a supportive organisation that values teamwork, learning and making a positive difference to the lives of the people we serve.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) may be able to provide visa sponsorship for certain roles, subject to the post meeting the relevant eligibility criteria. Sponsorship is not guaranteed and will be determined on a case‑by‑case basis following interview and during the pre‑employment verification process. Applicants must state their current right to work in their application.

Please see below for more details:

Duration, Location, and Working Pattern:

• Full‑time, Permanent
• You will be based at The Royal Alexandra Hospital
• Working Pattern: Monday - Friday

Key responsibilities:

• Provide high‑quality patient care under the supervision of registered nursing and clinical staff
• Carry out a range of ophthalmology assessments including visual acuity testing, visual fields, OCT scans and tonometry
• Support patients throughout their appointments, investigations and treatment pathways
• Report any changes in a patient’s condition or wellbeing to the appropriate clinical professional
• Assist with patient transfers, observations, personal care and other delegated clinical duties
• Communicate effectively with patients, carers and members of the multidisciplinary team
• Maintain accurate records, manage stock levels and support the smooth day‑to‑day running of the department

Knowledge, training, qualifications and/or experience required to do the job:

• A caring and compassionate approach with experience in a caring role or environment desirable
• Experience working within a hospital or community ophthalmology
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team while providing excellent patient support
• Good verbal and written communication skills with the ability to build positive relationships
• Ability to follow procedures, protocols and safe working practices within a clinical environment
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload and work independently when required
• Good keyboard and IT skills including experience of Microsoft Office applications
• Flexible approach to working across different clinical locations and supporting service needs as required

What we offer:

We offer a wide range of supportive policies designed to enhance your employee journey, including a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme, Cycle to Work Scheme, bursary scheme and extensive learning and development opportunities.

As an NHS Scotland employee, you will be entitled to:

• A minimum of 27 days' annual leave, increasing with length of service, plus public holidays
• Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme, including life insurance benefits
• Salary Sacrifice Car Benefit Scheme
• Development opportunities including study bursaries, e-learning and classroom‑based courses
• Enhanced pay for working public holidays
• NHS discounts on a wide range of goods and services
• Confidential employee support and assistance, including counselling and psychological therapies

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, we would love to hear from you.

Please contact Vicki Shaw, Senior Charge Nurse on 0141 314 6988 for an informal discussion.

Details on how to contact the Recruitment Service and the Recruitment Process: Information for candidates.

AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application, but your answers must be your own.

• Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
• Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.
• Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.

Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you, not an AI tool.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) recognises the importance of work‑life balance and is committed to offering a range of flexible working options where service needs allow. For roles where less than full‑time hours can be accommodated, and where the tenure is listed as various, we encourage applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements. Flexible working will be included as a topic for discussion during the recruitment process.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde encourages applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and are proud of the diverse workforce we employ.

By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, NHSGGC has pledged its commitment to being a Forces Friendly Employer. We welcome applications from across the Armed Forces Community and recognise military skills, experience and qualifications throughout the recruitment and selection process.

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