Specialist Optometrist

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust; Sutton; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS trust in the United Kingdom is seeking a Specialist Optometrist to deliver patient-focused care within the Ophthalmology team. Responsibilities include managing patient assessments, documenting cases, and ensuring high standards of clinical governance. Candidates should have relevant experience and qualifications, including a BSc in Optometry and independent prescribing certification. The role offers a competitive salary based on experience and is vital for the department's success.

Qualifications

• Significant post registration or hospital experience.
• Experience in community minor eye conditions service.
• Previous experience in ophthalmic subspecialty clinics.

Responsibilities

• Undertake optometry services and communication with patients.
• Document patient episodes and maintain accurate records.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Professional experience with vision problems

Ability to work unsupervised

Broad understanding of ophthalmic roles

Evidence of participation in research

Education

BSc or equivalent in Optometry

Independent prescribing certification

Postgraduate professional certificate in ophthalmology subspecialty

Job description

Specialist Optometrist

The closing date is 19 December 2025

The Optometrist will form part of the Ophthalmology team and is responsible for delivering the highest quality, patient focused care as well as contributing to the highest standards of clinical governance.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will participate in the assessment and management of patients attending the Paediatric Ophthalmology clinic, Acute Emergency Eye service and contact lens clinic under the direction of the Clinical Lead.

The post holder will work within the Ophthalmology clinic to meet the needs of the service.

The post holder is expected to work without direct supervision. This involves taking action based on the post holder's own interpretation of the NHS, Trust, College of Optometrists and General Optical Council policies and guidelines.

The post holder will support the development of extended roles for optometrists, orthoptists and nurses within Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The post holder will ensure the service meets the highest standards. The successful candidate will be encouraged to participate in further training and development.

About us

The Ophthalmology team consists of over 100 members of staff consisting of Consultants, Doctors, Optometrists, Orthoptists, Nurses, Ophthalmic Technicians, HCA's, Reception and Admin staff. The department is split across two sites; St Helier Hospital and Epsom General Hospital. The department also holds an acute eye service at St Helier, accessed by referral. The team works cohesively and with respect to deliver high quality patient centred care.

Job responsibilities

The post holder will undertake a range of optometry services as required including:

• Slit lamp examination to include dilated fundoscopy and refraction where necessary of both paediatric and adult patients including those with significant visual loss and/or communication difficulties.
• Competently undertake patient assessment using visual fields equipment, Optical Coherence Tomography, contact tonometry, Pentacam, and retinal photography as necessary.
• Use highly developed specialist knowledge and analytical skills to interpret specialist ophthalmology test results including visual fields, OCT and corneal topography and act upon these appropriately or discuss with the clinician.
• Work within paediatric ophthalmology and contact lens clinics as well as within the hospital acute emergency eye service. These clinics involve responsibility for decision-making with support from consultants and the provision of assessment, management and education of patients.
• Ensure patient assessment enables diagnosis and management plan on a case-by-case basis, understanding each patient's condition and differing complex requirements, and discuss cases with senior medical colleagues as appropriate.
• Accurately document all patient episodes in Medisoft to maintain accurate electronic patient records and send letters to patients' general practitioners through Medisoft and print appropriate documentation for Hospital records.
• Follow local policies in regards to infection control and maintenance of equipment used within optometric clinics ensuring it is fit for purpose.
• Prioritise own activity to meet immediate demands, performing under pressure with unpredictable interruptions.

Communication

The post holder will be expected to communicate effectively and sympathetically with patients of all ages and abilities and their parents and carers. This can involve imparting sensitive and complex information about their eye condition, using explanation, persuasion and motivation as necessary and ensuring informed consent for treatment. This requires special skills where there are barriers to understanding such as deafness, learning difficulties, stroke damage, language or cultural issues (including where English is not the first language).

The post holder will communicate effectively with other staff members of all disciplines within the hospital eye department, including ophthalmologists, orthoptists, nurses, optometrists, ophthalmic technicians and other professional groups.

The post holder will deal appropriately with complex and/or sensitive information and ensure by liaison with peers and other professional groups the proper ongoing care plan for the patient and/or carers concerned.

Teaching

The post holder will contribute to the delivery of optometric teaching to junior Doctors, Orthoptists, Optometrists, Nurses and Ophthalmic Technicians.

Professional and Organisational

The post holder will be professionally and legally accountable for his/her own practice.

The post holder will ensure accurate and efficient maintenance of patient clinical records with the recording of data in accordance with Trust and departmental policy.

The post holder will ensure departmental protocols are followed including correspondence, patients who fail to attend, patients who are referred and discharged and infection control.

The post holder will be expected to implement policies and propose changes to practices where necessary taking an active role in service development.

The post holder will carry out and present clinical audits as and when required.

The post holder will contribute to service/Team audit/Research activity as required.

The post holder will maintain a high level of personal continuing education and training to function effectively and as required by the General Optical Council.

The post holder will actively participate in multidisciplinary team meetings.

The post holder will undertake other duties, as required by the Head Orthoptist, to ensure the day to day smooth running of the department.

This job description is intended as an outline and is not exhaustive. The post holder will undertake any other duties which may be reasonably regarded as within the nature of the duties, responsibilities and grade of the post as defined, subject to the provision that appropriate training is given and that wherever possible significant changes of a permanent nature shall be mutually agreed and incorporated into the job.

Person Specification

Experience

• Significant post registration or hospital experience
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Be able to demonstrate professional experience dealing with people of all ages and with a range of vision problems
• Previous experience in community minor eye conditions service
• Previous experience in ophthalmic subspecialty clinics or acute eye service/eye casualty

Qualifications

• BSc or equivalent in Optometry
• Previous experience working with specialist contact lenses
• Completion of preregistration year
• Independent prescribing certification
• Post graduate professional certificate in ophthalmology subspecialty

Knowledge and Skills

• Broad understanding of the developing roles of the ophthalmic professions, within primary, secondary & tertiary care
• General ophthalmic knowledge and understanding of ocular disease and management
• Ability to work unsupervised and to deal with own complex caseload
• Excellent communication skills with staff and the public
• Evidence of participation in research and audit
• Demonstrate an understanding of clinical governance

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.

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust

£53,751 to £60,651 a year Pa incl HCAS Outer pro rata