Orthoptist - (Newly qualified Band5 developing to Band 6 role) (NHS AfC: Band 6) - orthoptist -[...]

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust; Harlow; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust is seeking a newly qualified Orthoptist to develop skills and provide an Orthoptic service at their Harlow facility. This role offers a preceptorship training opportunity with career progression to Band 6, focusing on patient assessment and educational responsibilities within the department.

Benefits

Free car parking for staff

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Access to NHS Pension scheme

Flexible working options

Onsite crèche facilities

In-house training courses

Discounted hospital restaurant

Health and wellbeing services

Qualifications

• Registered Orthoptist with HCPC.
• Previous experience in all aspects of Orthoptics (adults/paeds).
• Leadership courses preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide an Orthoptic service as an autonomous practitioner.
• Assess, diagnose, and plan treatment for orthoptic patients.
• Supervise junior staff and provide education services.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Education

HCPC registration

Knowledge of ophthalmology

Job description

Employer The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site PAH Town Harlow Salary Per Annum plus 5% HCAS Closing 17/06/2025 23:59

Orthoptist - (Newly qualified Band5 developing to Band 6 role)

NHS AfC: Band 6

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping.

Our values

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) promise to our patients, as identified by our three values which will contribute to improving our patients’ experiences, is:

Patient at heart – Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts.

Everyday excellence – Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both.

Creative collaboration – Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care.

Job overview

· Newly qualified orthoptist to develop skills and knowledge and then to take an extended role within ophthalmology subspecialties.

· This role is suitable for newly qualified Orthoptist. Full preceptorship training will be given, with the possibility of progression to a Band 6 after completion of the preceptorship year. Regular reviews will take place to ensure goals are met.

· To provide an Orthoptic service as an autonomous practitioner in assessing, diagnosing, planning management and supervising treatment of orthoptic patients at the Princess Alexandra hospital (PAH),

· Provide evidence-based care required by patients during their stay within the department. Supervising junior staff and VF technicians.

· Report to clinical manager and lead Orthoptist, accountable to Matron. To be able to liaise with all operational team; General Manager, Service manager and assistant service manager, regarding clinic capacity and demand

Main duties of the job

· Be fully conversant and wholly accountable for your practice and maintaining your professional registration in line with the Health Care Professions Council

· To provide community liaison and outreach for provision of preschool children’s visual assessment.

· To provide the orthoptic department’s education service, including training for all disciplines: trainee GPs, medical students, nurses, AHPs, orthoptic undergraduate students on placement.

· To identify areas for further research, service development and service improvement for the department.

Working for our organisation

Our Organisation

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping.

We employ 3,500 staff and serve a local population of around 350,000 people living in west Essex and east Hertfordshire, centred on the M11 corridor and the towns of Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford and Epping. Our extended catchment area incorporates a population of up to 500,000 and includes the areas of Hoddesdon, Cheshunt and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire.

Our Values

The Princess Alexandra Promise to our patients as identified by our 3 values which will contribute to improving our patient experiences:

Patient at heart – Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts

Everyday excellence – Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both

Creative collaboration – Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care

The Trust believes in investing in all our staff and rewarding high standards of care whilst building for excellence and in return we expect our staff to uphold the Trust values to the highest level.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Job description and person specification for the full job details. This is available to download at any time.

Person specification

Interview

• Registered Orthoptist with HCPC
• Ophthalmology Knowledge and Experience
• Leadership courses
• Previous experience in all aspects of Orthoptics (adults/paeds)

Interview

• Excellent analytical skills and ability to resolve problems
• Single handed clinics- management of patients in hospital settings
• Experiencing of dealing with incidents, serious incidents, harm reviews and writing Rapid review reports and closing incidents and managing risk register
• Supervising and assessing in a clinical setting

What we can offer you:

• Full induction and onboarding process in our organisation
• Free car parking for our staff
• Structured pay scheme, including additional living supplement to your basic salary
• Minimum 27 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time staff)
• Access to our Alex Lounge, our staff only rest area with free tea and coffee
• Access to NHS Pension scheme
• Flexible working options available, in line with our flexible working policy
• Onsite creche facilities
• Annual appraisals with career pathways
• In-house training courses
• Discounted hospital restaurant
• Staff health and wellbeing health services and complimentary health provision
• Our Trust is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all its employees. We welcome applications from anyone who meets the specific criteria of the post regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy, religion or belief or sexual orientation. Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can also be made for any candidates with a disability
• All new colleagues joining PAHT will be subject to a probationary period of six months
• The closing date given is a guide only. There may be some occasions where we have to close a vacancy once sufficient applications have been received. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment
• Our Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and vulnerable adults. Offers of employment are subject to pre-employment NHS screening checks
• Providing false or misleading information or unsatisfactory pre-employment checks may result in the offer of a post being withdrawn

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.