Specialist Optometrist

University Hospital Southampton NHS FT; Southampton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust invites a Specialist Optometrist to join the Southampton Eye Unit, a major tertiary centre for paediatric cataract and other subspecialities. You will work in core clinics and paediatrics, with opportunities across cornea, glaucoma, and retina services.

The role includes training for extended responsibilities and collaboration within a large multidisciplinary team.

Qualifications

• BSc (hons) in Optometry.
• Registered with General Optical Council.
• Post-qualification optometry experience.

Responsibilities

• Core Optometry work including refractions and contact lens clinics.
• Assess paediatric, corneal, vitreoretinal, and glaucoma cases with consultants.
• Review images from virtual imaging clinics and plan care pathways.
• Carry out intravitreal injections in AMD/DMO after training.

Skills

Clinical excellence

Communication

Team collaboration

Paediatric care

Education

BSc (Hons) in Optometry

Registered with General Optical Council

Job description

Job Overview

University Hospital Southampton is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us

Job Title: Specialist Optometrist

Contract Type: Permanent

Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Specialist Optometrist to join our dynamic team at the Southampton Eye Unit. Southampton Eye Unit is the largest eye department on the south coast and sees over 130k patients per year and is a tertiary referral centre for many sub-specialities, including paediatric cataract, AMD and cornea. We have a team of nearly 70 Ophthalmologists, including 34 Consultants, as well as Optometrists, Orthoptists, imaging technicians and nursing staff.

The successful candidate will be joining a team of 10 Optometrists, a Dispensing Optician and 3 admin staff, to help support and grow our service and will work as part of a multidisciplinary team delivering high-quality, patient-centred care across a range of specialist clinics.

The role will involve working within core Optometry clinics, including medical contact lenses and paediatrics but also a highly specialised role in the paediatric cataract and contact lens service. Depending on service needs, support may be required in other sub-speciality clinics, including eye casualty, post op cataract and glaucoma clinics.

Our Optometrists are involved in the corneal, glaucoma and vitreoretinal clinics, as well as working in eye casualty, Anti-VegF injecting and YAG laser, so there is scope for personal development within many fields.

Previous hospital Optometry experience would be preferred for this role and training will be provided for working in these extended roles.

Working for our organisation

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.

We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 30% lower than London and 17 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

The Eye Unit is a busy and exciting place to work, so lots of energy is essential. This is a great opportunity to work in an eye unit that values the clinical skill Optometrists possess and enable you to expand your professional expertise.

Duties Will Or Have The Opportunity To, Include

• Some core Optometry work, including refractions and contact lens work, as well as paediatric contact lens clinics.
• Working with paediatric, corneal, vitreoretinal, eye casualty and glaucoma consultants assessing patients and making decisions about treatment pathways.
• Assessing images and information gained from virtual imaging clinics.
• Following suitable training, carrying out intravitreal injections in AMD and DMO patients
• YAG laser clinics

The successful candidate will preferable have experience in Ophthalmology and hospital Optometry and full training will be provided for extended roles.

You will need to be patient, empathetic and a good communicator as you will be dealing with older and younger patients with visual impairment and sometimes difficulties with communication. The successful applicant will be working independently with minimal supervision, where appropriate but also as part of a busy multi-disciplinary team.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• BSc (hons) in Optometry
• Registered with General Optical Council (following pre-registration year and professional exams for Diploma in Optometry)

Desirable criteria

• Member of Association of Optometrists
• College of Optometrists Higher Qualifications or working towards them
• Member of the College of Optometrists

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Professional/clinical knowledge acquired through Degree, clinical placement, plus advanced clinical training and experience to Masters level or equivalent
• Post qualification optometry experience
• Evidence of continued professional development

Desirable criteria

• Experience in glaucoma shared care provision and other extended roles
• Previous experience of hospital Optometry
• Some experience in teaching and presenting to other professionals

Trust Values

Essential criteria

• Patients First
• Always Improving
• Working Together