Principal Optometrist

Moorfields Eye Hospital Nhs Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 66,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension Scheme

HCAS included in salary

Free counselling service

Job summary

Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a principal Optometrist to lead a designated clinic, delivering highly specialist clinical care and advancing the role of optometrists within the service. The post requires hospital experience and higher qualifications from the College of Optometrists or an active plan toward them.

You will join a team of consultants, optometrists, orthoptists and ophthalmic staff in Moorfields' renowned department, with opportunities in teaching, research

Qualifications

• UK Registration with General Optical Council (GOC).
• Post-qualification hospital experience.
• Experience supervising junior staff and teaching.
• Experience with prescribing and independent prescribing where applicable.
• Active involvement in audits and research activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead optometrist in designated clinic/service.
• Develop role of optometrists within the service with consultants.
• Represent hospital in teaching and management of complex cases.
• Ensure clinical care supervision of patients in clinic.
• Provide expert opinion to colleagues on complex cases.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Teaching experience

Audit experience

Research familiarity

Independent decision making

Education

BSc (Hons) Optometry

Specialist College of Optometrist Prof Cert Qualifications

Specialist College of Optometrist Higher Qualifications

Specialist College of Optometrist Diploma in Independent Prescribing

MSc/PhD in Optometry/Ophthalmology

Tools

Slit-lamp competence

Job description

Job summary We are looking for a highly skilled and motivated optometrist for a principal Optometrist post working within our City Road The post will consist of delivering highly specialist clinical care. Applicants need to have prior experience working in the hospital service and already have the relevant higher qualifications from the College of Optometrists or be working towards them (see Person Specification).

The successful applicants will be joining an enthusiastic and friendly team of consultants, optometrists, orthoptists, ophthalmic nurses and technicians working within the hospital. As well as joining the largest hospital optometry department that delivers sub-speciality care, research and education within the optometry sector. Moorfields provides high quality ophthalmology services across the full range of sub-specialities in hospital and community settings.

There are full and part time vacancies available.

Main duties of the job

To be the lead optometrist in the designated clinic/service for the Optometry Department.

To develop the role of optometrists within the service in conjunction with the Consultant Ophthalmologists within the clinics and the Service Lead and Head of Optometry.

To represent the hospital and the optometric profession in the teaching the management of conditions, by developing UK wide models of eye care.

To have overall responsibility for the clinical care and supervision of patients seen in the clinic.

To undertake highly specialist clinical activity requiring extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in management that includes a high proportion of tertiary referrals.

To have overall responsibility of the clinical supervision of clinical staff; To supervise all patient examinations carried out by the support/resident/placement/new to clinic Optometrist unless/until such time that the support/resident/new to clinic.

To provide expert opinion to optometric and non-optometric colleagues on the management of complex cases within the designated Clinics and the Optometry Department.

About us 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.

Details Date posted: 10 September 2026 Pay scheme: Agenda for change Band: Band 8a Salary: £66,274 to £73,496 a year per annum incl. HCAS, Will be pro rota'd if part time Contract: Fixed term Duration: 12 months Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time Reference number: 273-DC-8270294 Job locations: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHSFT, City Road, London, EC1V 2PD, United Kingdom.

Job responsibilities To deliver highly specialist clinical patient care requiring extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in management that includes a high proportion of tertiary referrals. This activity requires regular use of a wide range of advanced clinical techniques requiring dexterity, precision and intense concentration; and the judgement, analysis and interpretation of the complex clinical findings with a range of management options.

Patient examinations will be comprehensive and commensurate with clinical experience beyond Masters Level (i.e. College of Optometrists Diploma in Glaucoma, College of Optometrists Diploma in Independent Prescribing). Skills and knowledge are commensurate with those of sub-specialty medical ophthalmology staff.

To make independent, patient-centred clinical decisions on management in the presence of uncertainty (for example where patients are unable to cooperate fully in clinical assessments or the evidence for management options is unclear).

To be autonomously responsible for medical treatment (including prescribing) and management of patients. To recognise when patient clinical findings require Consultant Ophthalmic opinions (eg regarding surgery). To refer patients with ocular comorbidity to other ophthalmological services appropriately.

As Clinic Lead in Optometrist-, to supervise all patient examinations carried out by the support/resident/placement/new to clinic Optometrist unless/until such time that the support/resident/new to clinic Optometrist has attained the appropriate College of Optometrists certificate or completed their competency sign off. To review all prescribing decisions unless the prescribing optometrist has the correct qualifications together with The College of Optometrists Diploma in Independent Prescribing and their scope of practice /area of prescribing is in that service.

To organise the session by reviewing all clinical records at the start of an Optometrist-led clinic to determine necessary additional clinical tests (eg: visual fields, imaging, auto-refraction) utilising the different staff groups efficiently (admin, technical, optometric).

To provide expert opinion to optometric and non-optometric colleagues on the management of complex cases within the designated Clinics and the Optometry Department.

To undertake a comprehensive range of complex optometry services at Moorfields and out-reach clinics. These include refraction (complex, diagnostic and paediatric), low vision clinics (paediatric, complex, employment). The post holder maintains a personal clinical workload within these services.

To refer patients for appropriate appliances (contact lenses, spectacles, low vision aids) and provide appropriate advice to patients on needs, treatment and corrective aids.

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential

• BSc (Hons) Optometry
• Specialist College of Optometrist Prof Cert Qualifications
• Specialist College of Optometrist Prof Cert Qualifications
• Specialist College of Optometrist Higher Qualifications
• Specialist College of Optometrist Diploma in Independent Prescribing
• MSc/PhD in Optometry/Ophthalmology

Professional Registration Essential

• General Optical Council Registration
• Post-qualification Hospital experience > 5 years
• Hospital extended role experience >3 years
• Experience of examining vulnerable groups of patients e.g. CYP / additional needs
• Experience with clinical teaching
• Experience with supervision of junior staff
• Experience in audit
• Experience with line management and appraisal
• Experience in research
• Experience of dealing with quality and safety issues e.g. complaints, incidents, risk assessment
• Experience of formal undergraduate/postgraduate teaching
• Experience of presenting at national and international meetings and conferences
• Experience of writing protocols, competencies and Standard Operating Procedures
• Competent use of a slit-lamp to examine the anterior and posterior eye with specialist lenses
• Competent performance of retinoscopy
• Ability to analyse and interpret ocular imaging e.g. OCT, visual fields, topography to an expert clinical level e.g diagnosis and formulate management plans
• Ability to write detailed clinical summaries
• Excellent interpersonal skills highlighting the complexity of multidisciplinary team working, in challenging work environments, and the overall needs of the service. multidisciplinary working
• Advanced planning and organisational skills
• Ability to sensitively manage staff and patients with respect to their emotional well being
• Expertly and effectively communicate sensitive and complex information in a range of situations e.g. clinical information to patients, unwelcome & bad news, or where there may be barriers to understanding e.g. patients with additional needs and other sensory impairments.
• Ability to identify service improvement needs and innovate solutions

Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Applicants must have current UK professional registration.