Orthoptist

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust in Birmingham is recruiting a Band 5 Orthoptist for the Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre. The role covers a broad range of clinical orthoptics within an ophthalmology centre with a large A&E, supporting MDT care for paediatric and adult patients.

The successful candidate will contribute to acute hospital-based care, community outreach, and vision screening, with a focus on lifelong learning and CPD under BIOS preceptorship.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Orthoptics or related degree and UK registration.
• Undergraduate experience in clinical orthoptics across paediatrics, neurology and related services.
• Experience with visual fields assessment and MDT teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Manage patients referred to the Orthoptic service from GP, health visitors and hospital departments.
• Work as autonomous practitioner after induction with buddy support.
• Deliver clinical investigations, diagnosis and management across paediatric and adult cases.

Skills

Clinical orthoptics experience

Paediatric ophthalmology

Neuro-ophthalmology

Education

BSc Orthoptics (or BMed Sci Orthoptics) or Diploma of the British Orthoptic Council

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Main area Orthoptist Grade NHS AfC: Band 5 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (37.5 hours) Job ref 381-SS-8159283

Site Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre, City Health Campus Town Birmingham Salary £32,073 - £39,043 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 22/09/2026 23:59

Here at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust we’re committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse workforce and we welcome applications from all parts of the community. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities whilst employing people to our organisation who meet our Trust values of ambition, respect and compassion. With the opening of our new hospital, Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, it’s the coming together of expertise from every corner of our organisation and a show of our commitment to provide better healthcare and create more jobs and so much more. We at the Trust actively encourage Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) and disabled applicants, as well as members of the armed forces community and value the positive impact that difference has on our teams. We are committed to equality and diversity within our workforce.

Job overview

As a Band 5 Orthoptist you will be based at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre, a tertiary ophthalmology referral centre with a large A&E department. The Orthoptic team provide acute hospital-based care, community out-reach services, Primary Vision Screening, specialist Stroke, Genetic and Neuro-ophthalmology services

Band 5 post holders will provide clinical diagnostic and therapeutic services across a wide range of clinical conditions including, Ophthalmic Paediatrics, Neuro-ophthalmology and Accident and Emergency, at two acute hospital sites, Sandwell and the Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre.

You will be part of a team of 12 Orthoptists and 9 Ophthalmic Technicians. You will be supported by a Senior Orthoptic Mentor who will meet with you on a regular basis in line with the BIOS Preceptorship programme.

You will be working within a MDT of Medical, Optometric and Nursing staff to deliver high quality patient care.

The Orthoptic service of Sandwell and West Birmingham has an ethos of lifelong learning. Emphasis is place on regular CPD. Personal learning and development facilitated through online, face to face courses and peer learning. The aim is to develop new graduates giving them multiple learning opportunities to gain hands on experience with a wide range of clinical conditions allowing you to expand your theoretical knowledge and its application in clinical practice.

Main duties of the job

As a Band 5 Orthoptist you will be responsible for the management of patients referred to the Orthoptic service from GP's, Health Visitors, Primary vision screening and other hospital departments, including paediatrics, accident and emergency, maxillo-facial, neurology and endocrinology.

Following a period of induction with clinician buddy support and reduced clinical workload, you will work as an autonomous practitioner undertaking clinical investigation, diagnosis and management of a range of clinical conditions in line with evidence-based practice. The patient group includes patients suffering from strabismus, amblyopia (reduced vision with no apparent pathological cause), complex congenital and acquired conditions including cranial nerve palsy (neurological and systemic in origin), ocular trauma and genetic ocular disorders and associated ocular abnormalities.

You will work within a large team of Orthoptists who will provide peer support and advice.

The clinical role will encompass a wide range of paediatric and adult patients. A reduced case load and senior Orthoptic support will be provided to allow the post holder to develop their skills and knowledge and gain confidence.

Working for our organisation

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWB) provides healthcare services to Birmingham and the Black Country – one of the country’s most culturally diverse areas. It’s a friendly and welcoming place – a place where you can belong, and a place where you can grow.

We care for our patients, we care about our population, and we care about our people.

Our values – Ambition, Respect and Compassion – are at the heart of who we are. They guide us every step of the way; how we work with each other, and how we look after our patients and their families; how we respect and value the rich diversity of our team and our community.

Our Trust has always aspired to be more than a hospital, more than a healthcare provider. Our purpose is “Improve the Life Chances and Health Outcomes of our Population.” It is what inspires, drives, and unites us every day. It’s what makes us unique.

We want working at SWB to feel like more than just a job. We want our Trust to be a place where you can feel you belong. A place where you feel happy, safe, and rewarded. A place where you can develop your career in whatever way you choose. When we say we’re ‘with you all the way’ we want you to know that we mean it. Visit the SWB website to find out more about our ambitions and people plans.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details of what this role entails

Person specification

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Orthoptics BSc (Orth) or Bmed Sci (Orthoptics) and or Diploma of the British Orthoptic Council
• To be registered with the Health Professions Council

Experience

• To have undergraduate experience in all aspects of clinical orthoptics involving specialist services, paediatrics, neurology, community, glaucoma.
• To have experience of visual field assessment Ability to use Microsoft WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT and be proficient in keyboard use
• Some undergraduate experience with trauma, neuro-ophthalmology and paediatrics
• Some Undergraduate clinical experience with the assessment of visual fields

The four partner Trusts of the Black Country Provider Collaborative (Dudley Group NHS FT, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust, and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust) are actively working in partnership to deliver a collective vision focused on providing"better, faster and safer care to the population of the Black Country and beyond".

• Better protect elective / planned care service delivery across the system by organising on a 'hot and cold' arrangement
• Consider the optimal use of resources through consolidation and specialisation, and
• Seek to reduce unwarranted variance, level up / standardise care through a 'Networked Service Solution' approach across the four sites

Against this context, although this post is hosted by Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust, there may be an expectation to work flexibly acrossthefour partner Trusts to better meet patient and service needs.

As a major employer in the Black Country and West Birmingham region we are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance. We want the Black Country and West Birmingham region to be the best place to work and as such will consider all requests to work flexibly taking into account personal and individual circumstances alongside the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the Recruiting Manager as part of the on-boarding process.

Healthcare services have a significant impact on the environment. We are committed to embedding sustainable practices. We expect all colleagues to support the delivery of our Green Strategic Plan and to drive positive changes in their department by joining ourGreen Impact programme.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.