Locum Vitreoretinal Consultant

NHS; Southampton; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider is seeking a motivated Locum Consultant Ophthalmologist to join its Vitreoretinal and Medical Retina teams. This position is vital for covering a consultant sabbatical and involves providing outpatient, surgical, and on-call duties. The successful candidate will work in a highly specialised environment, supporting a range of complex conditions. A minimum of GMC registration and experience in both Vitreoretinal and Medical Retina pathways are essential. This role also offers opportunities for teaching and professional development.

Benefits

Minimum of 35 days paid holiday

Generous pension scheme

NHS discounts

Qualifications

• Evidence of ability to communicate and liaise effectively with patients and colleagues.
• Experience in Medical Retina pathways.
• Evidence of participation in teaching.

Responsibilities

• Provide 5 PAs of Vitreoretinal activity including outpatient clinics and theatre lists.
• Deliver 2 PAs of Medical Retina activity supporting clinics.
• Participate in teaching and supervision of trainees.

Skills

Competence in VR emergency and elective care

Strong teamwork

Adaptability

Effective communication

Education

MBBS or equivalent medical qualification

GMC registration with a licence to practise

CT in Ophthalmology with subspecialty fellowship training in Vitreoretinal surgery

Job description

Locum Vitreoretinal Consultant

The closing date is 04 January 2026

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Please see below for detailed job description of the role.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking a motivated Locum Consultant Ophthalmologist to join our Vitreoretinal and Medical Retina teams on a fixed-term contract. This role provides essential cover for a VR consultant sabbatical. with additional MR clinic capacity to support service demand.

About the Team

You will join a large, supportive and highly specialised Ophthalmology service at University Hospital Southampton, home to one of the region's busiest Vitreoretinal units and a major Medical Retina hub. Our VR service provides 24/7 emergency cover for a wide geographical region, performing high-volume retinal detachment and macular surgery, supported by skilled nursing, theatre, and imaging teams. The MR service treats a wide spectrum of macular and diabetic eye disease and is nationally recognised for high patient volumes, strong multidisciplinary pathways, and excellent clinical outcomes.

About us

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated 'Good' by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.

We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 20% lower than London and 14 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

Job responsibilities

What Youll Do

Provide 5 PAs of Vitreoretinal activity, including outpatient clinics, VR theatre lists, and participation in the VR oncall rota (1 in 3 weekends / Friday rota pattern alongside 1 in 12 general oncall).

Deliver 2 PAs of Medical Retina activity, supporting diabetic, AMD and macular clinics to enhance capacity and maintain timely patient pathways.

Undertake clinical administration, MDT decisionmaking, and effective communication with patients and colleagues across VR and MR services.

Participate in teaching and supervision of trainees and fellows, clinical governance, audit and service improvement.

WHAT WERE LOOKING FOR

Essential: Competence in VR emergency and elective care, including retinal detachment and macular surgery

Desirable: Previous experience as Vitreoretinal Consultant (Locum or Substantive)

Experience in Medical Retina pathways (diabetic eye disease, AMD, macular pathology).

Strong teamwork, adaptability and commitment to training, audit and safe clinical practice.

Additional Information

This post provides ninemonth cover for sabbatical leave cover.

7PA structure: 5PA VR + 2PA MR.

Oncall commitments: VR rota (1 in 3 weekends) and general ophthalmology rota (1 in 12).

For an overview of the position, please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification document. This includes a detailed breakdown of the key responsibilities, role expectations, and the qualifications we are looking for. It outlines the essential criteria for the role and is designed to support you in preparing your application by helping you evaluate how your skills, experience, and professional background align with the requirements of the role.

The successful candidate will be employed under the terms and conditions of service for Consultants (England) 2003. Proposed interview date: 14th January 2026

This vacancy closes on or before 29th December 2025

Person Specification

Aptitudes and skills

• Evidence and ability to work effectively in multi-professional teams
• Understanding of equality and diversity and how this affects patients, visitors and staff
• Evidence and ability to communicate and liaise effectively with patients and colleagues (verbal and written communication skills in English).
• Demonstrate good organisational skills including ability to prioritise effectively and meet deadlines
• Demonstrate the ability to be calm, compassionate, and able to respond efficiently to various circumstances, which may change rapidly
• Evidence of participation in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching
• Ability to travel between hospital sites or for necessary patient visits

Qualifications, Training & Experience

• MBBS or equivalent medical qualification
• GMC registration with a licence to practis
• Appropriate knowledge base, and ability to apply sound clinical judgement to problems
• Experience in Medical Retina pathways (diabetic eye disease, AMD, macular pathology)
• CT in Ophthalmology with subspecialty fellowship training in Vitreoretinal surgery
• Previous experience as Vitreoretinal Consultant (Locum or Substantive)
• MD or PhD
• Publications in Ophthalmology
• Publication in high impact journals

Living Trust Values

• Patients First
• Always Improving
• Working Together

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.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust