Optometrist, Band 6

NHS; Cheltenham, Gloucester; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Part time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Cheltenham seeks a part-time Optometrist to join their progressive team. This role involves working with a diverse patient demographic and opportunities to develop clinical skills, including complex optometry cases. Candidates should have a relevant degree, be GOC registered, and possess strong interpersonal skills. This position promotes flexible working in a supportive environment, providing comprehensive training and career advancement opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience in optometry practice in a clinical setting.
• Experience with children and adults with complex requirements.
• Clinical experience of complex refraction and specialist contact lenses.

Responsibilities

• Work independently in core hospital optometry clinics.
• Contribute to clinical audit for governance.
• Support clinical lead optometrists and training within the department.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills and professional manner

Able to communicate complex clinical information

Attention to detail and accurate clinical record keeping

Flexible approach working within a team

Experience working with electronic patient records

Education

BSc (Hons) Optometry or equivalent

GOC registered as qualified Optometrist

Grade 2:1 or higher

Member of the College of Optometrists

Job description

Go back Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Optometrist, Band 6

Closing date: 02 February 2026

A vacancy has arisen for a part‑time (15 hours per week) Band 6 optometrist to join the optometry team at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We are seeking an enthusiastic optometrist who is keen to develop their clinical skills and progress their specialist clinical interests. This role would suit any practitioner who is keen to explore a career in hospital optometry or wanting to extend their clinical skills with more complex optometry patients, and we welcome applications from newly qualified optometrists or those in the final stages of their pre‑registration year.

Additional working pattern details: Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:20pm.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will have the opportunity to work in a wide range of optometry clinics, including specialist medical contact lenses, low vision assessment, cataract post‑operative management, and complex adult and paediatric refraction, along with paediatric dispensing. A flexible approach is essential; as well as working independently the post holder will support ophthalmology clinics with diagnostic tests and imaging, and play a role in training and teaching of pre‑registration or student optometrists who visit the department, as well as medical students and trainee nurses.

About us

We are a friendly and progressive optometry team consisting of over 20 optometrists and 8 optometry technicians. The department works closely with the ophthalmology team and runs joint paediatric clinics with orthoptists. Although a large department that works across several sites, we are still a cohesive and supportive team. We encourage optometrists to pursue their clinical interests and gain further postgraduate qualifications to progress their career.

Job responsibilities

We have a part‑time post available and will consider applications from candidates who have a specialist interest—for example low vision assessments or those looking to manage the complex post‑cataract refractions of patients with co‑morbidities.

Our normal working hours are 9:00am to 5:20pm Monday to Friday but may also include the option of occasional weekend clinics. The post holder will be based between Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal Hospitals, and there may be an option to work at community hospital sites across the county.

The post holder will work independently in core hospital optometry clinics. Full training will be given, especially for more specialist hospital work such as complex contact lens fitting and low vision. This role is suitable for newly qualified optometrists or an optometrist without previous hospital experience who wishes to develop their clinical optometry skills. The post holder will be expected to contribute to clinical audit for effective clinical governance and take on roles to support the clinical lead optometrists and training and teaching within the department.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• BSc (Hons) Optometry or equivalent / MSc Optometry
• GOC registered as qualified Optometrist
• Grade 2:1 or higher
• Member of the College of Optometrists

Experience

• Optometry practice experience in a clinical setting (including pre‑reg year)
• Experience working with children and adults with complex requirements
• Clinical experience of complex refraction / specialist contact lenses / low vision
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Experience in clinical research and/or clinical audit

Knowledge / Skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills and professional manner
• Able to communicate complex clinical information with empathy to patients
• Attention to detail and accurate clinical record keeping
• Flexible approach working within a team and willing to seek advice from senior colleagues
• Experience working with electronic patient records and databases

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.

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year (part‑time, pro rata if part‑time)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part‑time

Reference number

318-26-T0037

Job locations

Trustwide