Pre-Registration Dispensing Optician (Band 5) - Optician - Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundati[...]

Moorfields Eye Hospital, London; London; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Moorfields Eye Hospital offers an exciting opportunity for a Pre-Registration Dispensing Optician. The role involves assisting patients, dispensing spectacles, and gaining valuable experience within a renowned NHS foundation trust. You will benefit from a supportive environment and numerous learning opportunities while contributing to exceptional patient care.

Benefits

NHS Pension Scheme

Free 24/7 independent counselling service

Learning and development opportunities

Access to NHS discount schemes

Free Pilates classes

Qualifications

• Currently registered with the GOC as a student.
• Expected to pass or have passed ABDO Theory examination.
• Experience in a dispensing practice or glazing/surfacing lab is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients with selecting and dispensing spectacles under supervision.
• Perform administrative tasks and manage prescriptions meticulously.
• Ensure compliance with hygiene and safety standards.

Skills

Dispensing knowledge

Excellent administrative skills

Customer service

Education

Registered with GOC as a student

A-Level or equivalent in English, Maths, Sciences

Job description

We're proud of our team and recognise the significant contributions they make to patients here in the UK and globally. When you join Moorfields Eye Hospital you can help us continue to deliver excellence and equity in patient care through kindness and compassion for all.

Site Moorfields Eye Hospital Town London Salary £26,973 - £32,835 Inc HCAS, Band 5 75% as a Pre-registration position Salary period Yearly Closing 03/07/2025 23:59

YOU MAKE US MORE

Join Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

At Moorfields, people’s sight matters—and so do the people who make it possible.

For over 200 years, Moorfields has been at the forefront of ophthalmic care, research, and education. With more than 2,300 dedicated team members and over 700,000 patients seen annually across our City Road site and 22 networked sites, we are proud to be a global centre of excellence.

We're also a vibrant community where kindness, equity and excellence shape every aspect of our work. Whether it’s pioneering research through our partnership with UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre or training the next generation of global eye care leaders, we’re united by one mission—delivering world-class eye health, sustainably and at scale.

Construction is well underway on our groundbreaking new centre in Camden, a joint initiative between Moorfields Eye Hospital, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity This modern, flexible facility will bring together eye care, research, and education under one roof—enabling transformative innovation and collaboration like never before.

Could you be part of this future? Make us more.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, within the Spectacle Dispensing Department, for a Pre-Registration Dispensing Optician . This is a fantastic opportunity for someone to join a leading hospital in eye care within the UK. You will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience and dispensing knowledge to help complete your portfolio and final year exams.

The main site for the Spectacle Dispensing Department is at City Road, but there may be opportunities to be able to work at some of the other Moorfields satellite locations. To enable us to offer a range of products we hold a wide range of frames from multiple suppliers and there will be opportunities to dispense various types of spectacles such as ptosis props, protective eyewear, tomato spectacles for babies or those with special facial characteristics and more!

We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate to be a member of the team and you will be expected to help towards the smooth, efficient running of the spectacle dispensing and manufacturing service while gaining experience in unusual/ complicated dispensing.

You must be currently registered with the GOC as a student, completing the ABDO Spectacle Dispensing course and have recently been working within the Optical industry.

Main duties of the job

The Pre- Registration Dispensing Optician will be required to always work under supervision. You will be required to help patients choose and dispense spectacles based on their facial features/ measurements and prescription requirements and to make relevant adjustments required. To provide a copy of the spectacles prescription to patients and when required issue a HESP optical voucher towards spectacles. You will also be required to deal with patients for collections/ adjustments/ queries and repairs, to check the fit and discuss relevant details on the patients return to the unit.

You will be required to transfer a prescription onto the spectacle dispensing IT system from clinical records with care and precision. Excellent administrative skills are required, including in the use of Microsoft applications such as Word/ Excel etc.

You will be expected to help with day-to-day tasks with the rest of the team. This includes answering patient phone/email queries in a positive manner, conducting the final checks on the newly manufactured spectacles for patients according to British Standards and always maintaining a clean and hygienic work environment for patient and staff safety.

Working for our organisation

At Moorfields, we provide more than just an excellent career and great colleagues to work with. We also offer:

• Salary including High-Cost Area Supplement
• Opportunity to join the NHS Pension Scheme
• Free 24/7 independent counselling service
• Learning and development opportunities
• Easy and quick transport links
• A range of attractive benefits and discounts
• Access to Blue Light Card and other NHS Discount Schemes
• Free Pilates classes
• Full support and training to develop your skills
• Flexible working friendly organisation

And so much more! To see the full range of benefits we offer please see our Moorfields benefits document.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Extracting prescriptions from patient's records as appropriate and entering, when necessary, prescriptions onto a Spectacle Dispensing IT system.

Advising all patients, external patients, private patients and members of staff of appropriate lens options/ forms and appropriate frames required. Prescriptions may also come from MEH VDU assessments and outside opticians. All dispensing under the supervision of a Qualified Dispensing Optician.

To advise, fit and adjust the chosen frame taking the necessary frame and facial measurements under the supervision of a Qualified Dispensing Optician.

Pricing the appliance and completing dispensing records according to the spectacles dispensing procedures.

Verifying prescriptions including lens form, frame measurements, centration etc. according to British and European standards. Also check lens design, centration and form of lens against the recorded notes on the patient’s dispensing card.

Dispensing special appliances such as ptosis props, spectacle mounted low vision aids special protective devices etc. under the supervision of a qualified dispensing optician.

To fit spectacles at the time dispensing, or at collection and make necessary adjustments and/or repairs.

To discuss prescriptions with Qualified Dispensing opticians, medical or optometric staff as and when necessary.

Advising patients on available benefits towards the cost of spectacles and checking patient benefits where necessary.

Issuing patients with copies of prescriptions and HES vouchers where appropriate under the supervision of a qualified dispensing optician.

Completing any relevant audit information required for the purposes of Quality Improvement or for any other purpose deemed necessary.

Answering telephone/ email queries from patients and staff. In addition to helping/ advising Optometry clerks with Dispensing related queries from patients.

To perform any other duties required by the Head or Deputy Head Dispensing Optician, Senior Optometrists or Head of the Optometry Department.

To be responsible for ensuring that all risks of cross infection to patients are minimized and that all policies, procedures and guidance relating to infection control practice is adhered to.

To be responsible for ensuring that all equipment used by patients is cleaned / decontaminated as instructed by manufacturers and in line with infection control guidelines, protocols and policy.

To be responsible for ensuring that all Mandatory Training is completed in a timely manner.

Person specification

Education / Qualifications

• Standard Education to GCSE with higher grades in English, Maths and Sciences
• Expected to pass or have passed ABDO Theory examination
• Registered with ABDO/ GOC as a student
• A-Level or equivalent of English, Maths and Sciences

Experience

• Experience in a dispensing practice
• Experience in a glazing/ surfacing manufacturing lab

Knowledge

• Knowledge and experience of dispensing different spectacle lens forms- Aspherics/ Progressive Lenses/ High Prescriptions
• Knowledge of Optical appliances - LVA's/ Ptosis Props etc.
• Knowledge of glazing and surfacing machinery and theory
• Experience dispensing optical appliances - LVA's/ Ptosis props

Due to the nature of this position, employment is subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK, completion of a satisfactory DBS disclosure and two references. We do not offer visa sponsorship for roles unless clearly stated in our adverts, so please consider this before applying.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of our organisational culture. As part of our pledge to take positive action in recruitment we encourage applications from under-represented candidates including BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) and Disabled candidates as we work towards a representative workforce that is able to provide the quality, the dignity and respect and to deliver above and beyond.

Moorfields is a flexible working friendly organisation, and we are committed to helping our employees achieve a work-life balance that is beneficial for health and wellbeing, motivation levels and job satisfaction. Every employee of the Trust has the right to request to work flexibly. Please speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

If we receive sufficient applications, we will close this ad prior to the closing date. You are advised not to delay submitting your completed application.

If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying or would like an accessible version of any recruitment documents, please contact the recruitment team at [e-mail].

https://www.moorfields.nhs.uk/work-for-us

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.

Name Kelly Parsons Job title Head of Spectacle Dispensing and Manufacturing Email address [e-mail]