Orthoptist

NHS Scotland; Wishaw; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Leave 35 days

NHS Pension

Incremental pay progression

Sick leave

NHS discounts

Job summary

NHS Lanarkshire is hiring an Orthoptist to deliver autonomous orthoptic care across both outpatient and inpatient settings. You will lead clinical decisions, undertake vision screening for preschoolers, and provide expert advice to ophthalmology and the wider Ophthalmic team.

The post requires HCPC registration, a degree level qualification, and postgraduate expertise to ensure safe, efficient care. Fixed-term for 12 months with secondment arrangements if applicable.

Qualifications

• Registered Orthoptist with valid HCPC registration.
• Educated to/working towards/operating at degree level.
• Postgraduate expertise within speciality to lead safety and efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Provide orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner.
• Work as an active member of a multidisciplinary team.
• Undertake primary vision screening as part of preschool programme.
• Discharge planning and onward referral decisions.

Skills

HCPC Registration

Autonomous practice

Clinical guidelines knowledge

Multidisciplinary team

Education

Degree level

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.

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]

Full details about the role are provided in the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Please review our Application Guidance which explain key information including closing dates, amendments, right-to-work requirements, sponsorship eligibility and important points to be aware of before submitting your application.

You can also learn more about working with NHS Lanarkshire by viewing our Information Pack.

Unless otherwise stated, the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date.

Please note, CVs will not be accepted.