Specialist Optometrist

Transformationunitgm; Derby; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading NHS Trust as a Specialist Optometrist at Royal Derby Hospital. This role involves expanding pre-cataract and contact lens clinics, assessing patients for surgery, and fitting medical contact lenses. We offer a supportive environment with development opportunities and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Development opportunities

Employee assistance programme

Discounted gym membership

Onsite fitness classes

Car schemes

Qualifications

• Experience in post-op cataract assessment.
• Prior specialist contact lens knowledge.
• Experience in pre-cataract assessment.

Responsibilities

• Assess patients for cataract surgery suitability.
• Fit contact lenses for medical conditions.
• Conduct pre-assessment of cataract patients.

Skills

Precision in patient assessment

Teaching ability

Education

Professional registration with the General Optical Council

Job description

Employer University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Royal Derby Hospital Town Derby Salary £46,148 - £52,809 pro rata / pa Salary period Yearly Closing 03/06/2025 23:59 Interview date 17/06/2025

Specialist Optometrist

Band 7

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together.

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

With over 13,000 members of staff you can expect huge variety and new opportunities every day! Our staff go above and beyond and take pride in caring for our patients.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust is fully committed to promoting inclusion, equality, diversity and human rights in employment and delivery of its services. The Trust is committed to providing an environment where all employees, patients, carers and visitors experience equality of opportunity by means of understanding and appreciating the value of diversity.

As a Trust we promote an inclusive environment and welcome applications from a diverse pool of talent and backgrounds. All individuals are valued and given every opportunity to succeed based on merit.

The Trust actively encourages applications from members of our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. These groups are under-represented in our organisation, and it’s important to us that our workforce reflects the diversity of our communities as much as possible.

Armed Forces and Disability Confident guaranteed interview scheme

To further support the pledges in the Armed Forces Covenant and to make a positive contribution to support ex-armed forces personnel (veterans) make the transition to civilian life, the Trust has introduced a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for veterans who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification, to help them overcome barriers to find civilian employment. The scheme will operate for all external recruitment.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer and committed to both employing and retaining people with disabilities. This commitment is to guarantee an interview for any candidate that has disclosed a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification. Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 will be considered upon request.

If you require support/adjustments with your application please contact the recruitment team on 01332 788466

Join us and help make a real difference to our Trust.

Here’s more about the role and what we’re looking for;

Job overview

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced optometrist to join our team to expand our pre-cataract assessment clinic and our contact lens clinic. A number of sessions have become available both clinics

The post is suitable for a qualified optometrist, ideally with previous RGP contact lens experience or previous hospital experience.

Main duties of the job

In the pre-cataract clinic, the role is to assess patients for their suitability for cataract surgery. These patients are assessed , listed and consented for surgery by the optometrist.

In the contact lens clinic, the role is to fit contact lenses for patients who require medical contact lenses (e.g. keratoconus, post-graft, prosthetic, aphakic, etc).

The role also includes specialist medical contact lens fitting and the pre-assessment of cataract patients

Closing date of applications: 3 June 2025

Interview date: 17 June 2025

Working for our organisation

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

In return we will offer:

• Development opportunities, both professional and leadership development
• On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
• Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes

Key Facts:

• We see on average 4810 OP appointments a day.
• We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England – an average of 2077 per week.
• An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day – 3rd largest in the country.
• Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
• Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
• We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
• We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.
• UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached Job description and Person Specification. To apply please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB – this link will take you to the TRAC Recruitment Site. You will need to register if you do not already have an account.

• Professional registration with the General Optical Council

Experience

• Experience in post-op cataract assessment
• Prior specialist contact lens knowledge with experience of hospital contact lenses
• Experience in pre-cataract assessment
• Previous hospital optometry experience

Skills

• High level of precision required in undertaking the assessment of patients which includes the manipulation of fine optometric tools and clinical devices
• Ability to teach other less experienced staff

Our Trust aims to provide the highest quality care to patients within Derbyshire and South East Staffordshire and we want the very best people to work with us.

Follow us on Twitter @UHDBTrust or find us on Facebook & LinkedIn - UHDBTrust

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If we receive a high number of applications for this position we reserve the right to withdraw the post before the closing date, therefore it is advisable that you apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

At UHDB , we offer different ways to work flexibly to each and every one of our colleagues, many of whom already work flexibly at all sites of the Trust.

For our roles we are open to discussing the possibility of part-time/ reduced hours/ compressed hours/ flexible start and finish times/ fixed/flexible shifts/annualised hours/ term time hours/ hybrid working – working partly in the trust/partly at home.

Why don’t you talk to us at interview about the flexibility you would like to explore and what it means to you, and we will discuss what’s possible for the job and team, and the opportunities we might be able to create together.

We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise to work with you to look at all the available options.

Most of our posts are subject to a DBS check, however having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from obtaining a position. Please be aware that all new employees starting work with us will be charged for the cost of their DBS check, if it is required for their role.

All correspondence relating to your application will be sent to you via our trac.system account. Please ensure that you regularly check your emails; this includes junk/spam, as your security settings may not recognise the sender.

Anyone from outside of the UK (excluding from the Republic of Ireland) will need permission from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to work in the UK and may also need entry clearance before travelling here.

UKVI is responsible for managing migration. To obtain a visa or entry clearance, you will need to meet certain requirements and demonstrate you have the right the work in the UK via:

• the points-based immigration system
• the EU settlement scheme
• eVisa

During the course of its employment activities, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust collects, stores and processes personal information about prospective, current and former staff.

Our Privacy Notice includes applicants, employees (and former employees), workers (including agency, casual, honorary and contracted staff), volunteers, trainees and those carrying out work experience – please refer to our Privacy Notice available on our Trust website: https://www.uhdb.nhs.uk/information-governance

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.