Specialist Optometrist | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A major healthcare provider is looking for a Specialist Optometrist (Band 7) in Liverpool. The role involves delivering high-quality specialist eye care services in a collaborative environment, with opportunities for career development and teaching. You will assess and manage patients of all ages and serve as a clinical expert. Previous hospital experience is preferred, but not essential. This position provides the chance to enhance your optometry skills and contribute to patient care.

Qualifications

• Ability to work autonomously providing optometric assessment and management.
• Experience in delivering complex specialist optometric services.
• Registered supervisor for pre-registration optometrists.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a comprehensive range of specialist optometric services.
• Provide autonomous optometric assessment and management of patients.
• Undertake lead clinician roles for specific optometric services.
• Participate in clinical audits and research activities.
• Teach and train at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Skills

Optometric assessment

Complex specialist optometric services

Teaching and training

Education

Relevant optometry qualifications

Job description

We have an opportunity, for a permanentSpecialist Optometrist (Band 7) post 37.5 hours per week.

St Paul’s Eye Unit is the largest eye care provider in Cheshire and Merseyside and is a long‑established centre of excellence for ophthalmic care serving the North West and beyond. We provide the full range of eye services with hospital optometrists involved in most of the services.

We work with a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to deliver the full range of ophthalmology services. We support and encourage career development and the attainment of higher professional qualifications and IP qualifications. The successful applicants will be based in purpose‑designed facilities at the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital, which opened in October 2022.

St Paul’s Eye Unit is a division within Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We are a tertiary referral centre with around 370 staff, including 44 Consultant Ophthalmologists working at Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Aintree University Hospital and satellite sites. We deliver eye emergency and general ophthalmology services along with all subspecialty services including ocular neurology, ocular plastics and ocular oncology.

In addition to traditional core optometry activities – refraction, biometry, medical contact‑lens practice and low‑vision services – hospital optometrists are involved in eye emergency, cornea, cataract, glaucoma, diabetic, medical retinal and clinical research activities. The post holder will personally deliver direct patient care and may undertake research activity, clinical audit and teaching/training as required.

These posts are particularly suitable for optometry colleagues wishing to expand and consolidate their knowledge and clinical skills. Previous hospital experience is an advantage but not essential.

If you are limited in your current role, looking to develop and fully use your wider optometry skill set, this may well be the role for you.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities – from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award‑winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women’s Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK’s largest single‑site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

For roles at Liverpool Women’s, visit their careers page.

Please refer to the detailed Job Description document attached.

Responsibilities

1. To work closely with the Head of Department in order to deliver a comprehensive range of specialist optometric services to the highest standards of quality and patient care.
2. To work as an autonomous practitioner in providing optometric assessment, diagnosis and management of patients of all ages, including the elderly, those with various degrees of visual disability and those with varying communication skills.
3. To personally deliver complex specialist optometric services that meet the changing needs of the Division and other outside agencies.
4. To undertake as necessary the role of lead clinician for at least one specific optometric service such as the contact‑lens service, low‑vision service, or ultrasound biometry service.
5. To coordinate and ensure the appropriate deployment of staff and evaluate service delivery, liaising with the Head of Optometry Department regarding changes to the service. To work as an independent practitioner and be a source of clinical expertise for junior staff in the assessment and practice of these clinical specialties.
6. To undertake specific administrative duties as agreed with the Head of Optometry Department, in particular tasks associated with the lead role for a specific optometric service and any other administrative task that may be delegated.
7. To undertake clinical audit and research as agreed with the Head of Optometry Department.
8. To participate in an audit team, coordinating and advising within the service as necessary.
9. To be a registered supervisor with the College of Optometrists for pre‑registration optometrists.
10. To provide teaching and training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels for various disciplines within ophthalmology (ophthalmologists, medical students, ophthalmic nurses, orthoptists and other health professionals) visiting the Optometry Department.
11. To take a major role in the preparation, organisation and delivery of teaching programmes provided by the Optometry Department.

The role/duties of the post are outlined above. In undertaking this role, the employee will be expected to behave at all times in a way that is consistent with and actively supports the Trust’s values, and observe all Trust Policies and Procedures.

This advert closes on Thursday 18 Dec 2025.