Orthoptist

NHS Ayrshire & Arran; Wishaw; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 35 days + public holidays

NHS pension scheme

Incremental salary progression

Sick pay and NHS discounts

Job summary

NHS Lanarkshire is seeking a Registered Orthoptist to provide autonomous orthoptic services within a multidisciplinary ophthalmic team. You will lead primary vision screening for the Pre-school Vision Screening Programme and manage assessments, treatment and discharge planning for patients referred to the service.

The post is fixed-term for 12 months, with secondment options for existing NHS Lanarkshire staff who have written agreement from their line manager.

Qualifications

• Registered Orthoptist with HCPC Registration.
• Educated to Degree Level or working towards it.
• Postgraduate expertise within specialty.
• Comprehensive knowledge of clinical guidelines within the specialty.

Responsibilities

• Provide orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary ophthalmic team.
• Undertake primary vision screening as part of preschool programme.
• Discharge planning and onward referral for patients.
• Manage referrals and provide expertise on motility disorders.

Skills

HCPC Registration

Degree level education

Postgraduate expertise

Clinical guidelines knowledge

Education

Degree-level qualification

Job description

About The Organisation

Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services.

About The Organisation

Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services. We proudly serve a population of 655,000 across rural and urban communities in both North and South Lanarkshire. NHS Lanarkshire is comprised of Acute Services (which currently provide hospital based services over 3 main sites), Corporate & Property & Support Services, North and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships which provide integrated primary healthcare and social care services to local communities and surrounding areas.

The Role

• To provide orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner.
• To work as an active member of a multi- disciplinary team.
• To undertake primary vision screening as part of the Pre-school Orthoptic led Vision Screening Programme
• To be autonomously responsible for the diagnosis, management and treatment of patients presenting to the Orthoptic department and formulate relevant discharge plans and make appropriate onward referral
• To take direct referrals from medical professionals in e.g. Ophthalmology, Paediatrics, A&E, Maxillo-facial, Endocrine, Neurology, Geriatrics and Community Health, and to make the appropriate onward referral.
• To act as a source of expertise on the management of motility disorders to patients, other health care professionals, GP’s and consultants

Please note this is a fixed term post for 12 months. Where a post only has temporary funding and an existing member of NHS Lanarkshire staff wishes to apply, this will be treated as a secondment. The employee MUST already have written agreement from their line manager to be released on a secondment before applying for the post.

In This Key Role, You Will

• To undertake primary vision screening as part of the Pre-school Orthoptic led Vision Screening Programme
• To take sole responsibility for patients undergoing Orthoptic treatment as an outpatient or an in-patient and provide highly specialised advice to the Ophthalmologist and other members of the Ophthalmic team. In adults the diagnosis of acute onset ocular motility defects require a significantly high level of anatomical and neurological knowledge to make a differential diagnosis between clinical conditions. The post holder is regularly the first point of contact for patients with recently required signs and symptoms of Ophthalmic, Neurological or Systemic disease.
• To take autonomous responsibility for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of all patients directly referred to the service To manage, implement care plans, plan onward referral to relevant specialties and discharge from the service.
• To deal with enquiries that arise during the working day and take appropriate action.
• To be professionally and legally accountable and responsible for all aspects of own work, including the management of all patients.

What You'll Bring

• Registered Orthoptist with valid HCPC Registration
• Educated to/working towards/operating at Degree Level
• Post graduate expertise within speciality / area of practice that demonstrates the required breadth of knowledge required to lead safety, effectively and efficiently.
• Comprehensive knowledge of clinical guidelines and standards within the speciality / area of practice.

What We Offer

As a valued employee of NHS Lanarkshire, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:

• Annual Leave - 35 days including public holidays
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Annual incremental salary progression
• Paid sick leave increasing with length of service
• NHS discounts and more.

NHS Lanarkshire is dedicated to building a diverse workforce where everyone can thrive, develop, and succeed based on their skills, knowledge, and talent - regardless of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or care experience* or any other dimension that can be used to differentiate people from one another.

• Care experienced applicants include those who have lived with foster parents, kinship carers, or in residential/secure children’s settings.

For informal discussion, please contact Rachel McKay, Head Orthoptist via [e-mail] If you have any questions about the recruitment process or require support with your application, contact Nicole Hetherington, Recruitment Administrator on [e-mail]