Specialist Optometrist

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

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust in Manchester seeks a Specialist Optometrist to join their supportive team at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. The role involves providing advanced clinical care in various ophthalmic subspecialties, contributing to research and teaching, and supporting professional development. Ideal candidates will have a BSc in Optometry, GOC registration, and significant clinical experience.

Qualifications

• Must be registered with the GOC.
• Previous hospital optometry experience is desirable.
• Extensive clinical experience is essential.

Responsibilities

• Undertake highly specialist clinical activity requiring extensive knowledge.
• Participate in the critical analysis of care quality.
• Assist in training for pre-registration optometrists.

Skills

Clinical experience

Knowledge of ocular therapeutics

Teaching experience

Education

BSc in Optometry

Registration with the General Optical Council

Post-graduate optometric qualifications

Job description

Employer Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Manchester Royal Eye Hospital Town Manchester Salary £46,148 - £52,809 per annum (pro rata) Salary period Yearly Closing 08/06/2025 23:59

Specialist Optometrist

Band 7

Job overview

This post is an ideal opportunity for an enthusiastic specialist optometrist to join our large, friendly and supportive team.

Manchester Royal Eye Hospital is a leading teaching hospital and centre of excellence for ophthalmic care, with around 50 consultant ophthalmologists working in a range of ophthalmic sub-specialities. The optometry team consists of over 40 optometrists who work within the multi-disciplinary team to deliver outpatient care. Core optometry services include refraction, complex medical contact lens management and low vision rehabilitation. Specialist optometrists contribute extensively towards clinical activity by way of extended roles in cataract, glaucoma, macular treatment, diabetes, corneal, paediatric and acute services.

Optometrists also have the opportunity to undertake research, clinical audit and engage in teaching. The department has strong links with optometry and medicine at the University of Manchester. We have a strong track record of supporting professional development opportunities.

Previous hospital optometry experience is desirable and extensive clinical experience is essential. You must be registered with the GOC and hold a degree in Optometry.

Applications for part time positions may be considered, some Saturday work will be required.

Main duties of the job

Qualified to BSc in ophthalmic optics or optometry, with significant clinical experience, you will bring advanced theoretical knowledge in ocular pathology, together with considerable clinical experience in the various ophthalmological subspecialties.

You’ll be working in a fast-moving environment where experience, strength of character and co-operation really matter. But you’ll take all this in your stride and embody our values as you work with pride, respect, empathy, consideration, compassion and dignity.

1. Undertake highly specialist clinical activity requiring extensive knowledge, experience and expertise .

2. Participate in the critical analysis of the quality of care within Optometry Services

3. To work closely with the Principal and Lead Optometrists to ensure that professional standards are achieved and maintained at all times.

4. To assist the Principal and Lead Optometrists in the provision of training for pre-registration optometrists, other optometrists and personnel involved in Optometry and to contribute to the delivery of optometry teaching programs to optometry, visiting optometrists and medical undergraduate students at MREH.

5. To contribute to clinical research programmes in collaboration with the
Department of Ophthalmology and Department of Optometry at the University of Manchester.

Working for our organisation

MFT is one of the largest NHS Trusts in England with a turnover of £2.8bn & is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. We’re creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.

Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 30,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so you’ll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.

We’ve also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research, and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our Electronic Patient Record system which launched in September 2022.

We’re proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. What’s more, we’re excited to be embarking on our Green Plan which sets out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.

At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open, and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing and shaping the future of our organisation together.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the ‘Supporting Documents’ heading. So that you’re even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, you’ll need to take time to read the ‘Candidate Essentials Guide’ that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how ‘we care for you as you care for others’. Most importantly, it also contains critical information you’ll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.

Diversity Matters

MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating, and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at [e-mail] .

We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Person specification

Qualifications

• Registration with the General Optical Council
• Member or fellow of the College of Optometrists
• BSc Ophthalmic Optics or Optometry
• Registered College of Optometrists supervisor for pre-registration optometrist training posts as required by the GOC
• Post-graduate optometric qualifications e.g. College of Optometrists certificates/higher certificates/diploma/IP etc.

Knowledge

• Ability to competently undertake highly specialist clinical extended roles
• Experience working with visually impaired patients & others with learning disabilities
• Significant clinical experience
• Broad understanding of the optometry profession, primary/secondary care interface, NHS service provision
• Sound knowledge of ocular therapeutics
• Experience of teaching at undergraduate and post graduate level and supervision of trainee optometrists

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.