Specialty Doctor in Ophthalmology

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals; Chorley; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career progression pathway

Flexible working options

Job summary

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust invites applications for a Specialty Doctor in Ophthalmology at the Lancashire Eye Centre, Chorley/Hospital site. The post involves outpatient clinics, laser lists, and day-case operating across subspecialties with MDT involvement.

Applicants should have MBBS or equivalent, Full GMC registration, and postgraduate ophthalmology training (minimum 4 years). MRCOphth/MRCSEd and ALS certification are desirable.

Qualifications

• Full GMC Registration and Licence to Practice.
• MBBS or equivalent qualification.
• Postgraduate Ophthalmology training of at least 4 years.
• MRCOphth or equivalent qualification.
• MRCSEd or equivalent.
• ALS certification.
• Experience in teaching methods.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct input to patients and coordinate care within multidisciplinary teams.
• Undertake comprehensive ophthalmic assessments and take clinical histories.
• Develop management plans and treat a range of ophthalmic conditions within competence.
• Recognise when consultant input is needed and escalate appropriately.
• Provide continuity of care and review diagnostic investigations.
• Be involved in outpatient clinics, laser lists and day-case operating.
• Contribute to on-call rota across Trust sites.

Skills

Ophthalmology

Surgical experience

Laser clinic experience

Teaching/training skills

ALS certification

Education

MBBS or equivalent

MRCOphth

MRCSEd

Full GMC Registration & Licence to Practice

ALS certification

Job description

We hope to be welcoming you to the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals team soon; we've shown you exactly why we're 'a great place to work', now it's time to see for yourself! Have a look at our current vacancies down below and make the first step to starting a fantastic new career. Need help with your NHS application? We've got you covered! Our brand-new step-by-step NHS Application Help Video will guide you through the process, making it easier, faster, and stress-free to apply. Additionally, you can check out our helpful Application Guide as well!

You can also look at our recruitment flipbook , an interactive brochure showcasing various entry-level roles. It includes a fun quiz to help you find the right role and links to more information about our hospitals and our fantastic staff.

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Main area Ophthalmology with an interest in Medical retina & neuro-ophthalmology Grade NHS Medical & Dental: Specialty Doctor Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 40 hours per week Job ref 438-MS3307

Site Lancashire Eye Centre, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital Town Chorley Salary £63,696 - £102,689 N/A Salary period Yearly Closing 30/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

We welcome applications for Specialty Doctor in Ophthalmology. An interest in development in Neuro-ophthalmology / Medical Retina and Uveitis is desirable. The post holder will have an opportunity to participate in tertiary level care in these areas, participate in MDT and gain specialised experience.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced ophthalmologist who is looking to develop their clinical skills, broaden their experience across ophthalmology and take the next step towards greater clinical autonomy.

LTHTR extremely values extremely its Specialty Doctors and in a first of its kind in the UK, we have agreed and committed ours elves to provide all Specialty Doctors joining the T rust , and those already working with us, a personal career progression pathway with support to become autonomous practitioners if they aspire to do so.

The role involves provision of outpatient clinics across a range of subspecialties, independent laser lists and day case operating.

The Specialty Doctor participates in the middle grade on-call rota at the Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble District General Hospital on a cross cover basis.

Main duties of the job

- Provide direct input to patients; contribute to multidisciplinary teams & co-ordinate care for patients & a ssume continuous commitment for care of patients/p romote high professional standards of clinical care for patients.

- Undertake comprehensive ophthalmic assessment of patients presenting to outpatient services & take relevant clinical histories, perform appropriate ophthalmic examinations & formulate differential diagnoses.

- Develop and implement appropriate investigation and management plans & manage patients with a range of ophthalmic conditions within the post holder's level of competence and experience.

- Recognise patients requiring consultant or specialist input & appropriately elevate care.

- Provide continuity of care for patients where clinically appropriate.

- Review/interpret relevant diagnostic investigations, including visual fields, OCT, fundus imaging, biometry & other ophthalmic investigations relevant to the clinical area.

- Ensure appropriate documentation of clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment & follow-up plans & provide appropriate advice to patients & relatives regarding diagnosis, treatment options, prognosis & follow-up & obtain appropriate consent for procedures and treatment in accordance with Trust policy.

- Work collaboratively with Colleagues to ensure safe & effective patient pathways & contribute to the management of urgent and complex ophthalmic presentations within the post holder's competence.

Working for our organisation

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTHTR) is delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for a Specialty Doctor in Ophthalmology to join our dynamic and expanding service.

At LTHTR, we recognise and highly value the important contribution that Specialty Doctors make to our clinical services. We are committed to supporting our Specialty Doctors to develop their careers and achieve their professional aspirations.

In a first-of-its-kind approach in the UK, LTHTR has committed to providing all Specialty Doctors joining the Trust, as well as those already working within the organisation, with an individual career progression pathway.This means that your career development is not simply an expectation of the role; it is something that we actively support and plan with you.

The Ophthalmology department at Lancashire Teaching hospitals is a dynamic, progressive service which is based across 2 sites (Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley District Hospital). Our primary location is the newly opened Lancashire Eye Centre situated in Chorley District Hospital. The Centre was funded through an £18 million investment and comprises a 3 storey build with modern, state of the art outpatient and day case facilities on one site. There are over 20 consult rooms in outpatients and 3 modern spacious theatres. The unit is equipped with modern diagnostic facilities and infrastructure to provide high-quality care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job description, Person specification and Specialty/ Trust Brochure for further details on:

• What we can offer
• The Team

Person specification

Qualifications

• Full GMC Registration and Licence to Practice
• MBBS or equivalent
• Have at least 4 years’ full-time Postgraduate training (or its equivalent gained on a part-time or flexible basis) at least 2 of which will be in a Specialty Training programme or as a Fixed Term Specialty Trainee in Ophthalmology
• Hold a higher diploma e.g. MRCOphth, MRCSEd.
• Hold ALS certification
• Have some training in teaching methods

Experience and Skills

• Have equivalent experience and competencies, in relation to qualifications
• Surgical experience, supervised or unsupervised
• Laser clinic experience

Research and Development

• Evidence of interest in personal development e.g. through research and/or publications

We are 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 race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, neurodiversity or veteran status are encouraged to apply for this post. Our Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders is available Here

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications

If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information.
AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.

We have added a disclaimer to our application process advising that the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Supporting Information

The supporting information section is an opportunity for you to showcase how your qualifications, knowledge, skill and experiences align with the requirements and criteria outlined in the job description and person.
Our recruiting managers score applications based on the criteria listed in the person specification. They will be looking for evidence of how you meet these criteria. To increase your chances of securing an interview, provide examples of how you have applied your skills and knowledge in real-life situations. Share work-related successes and challenges you’ve navigated that align with the criteria. These could be from various aspects of your life, including work, education, and personal experiences.
Consider structuring your supporting information section with clear headings or bullet points. This approach will help both you and the recruiting manager navigate through your application more effectively.

Working Smarter pledge

We are reminded everyday of how important life is, so as part of our Working Smarter pledge we offer a variety of flexible working options and wellbeing support to enable our people to find and maintain the right work-life balance.

Secondments

Please note a young person must be in part-time education or training until they’re 18. therefore if you are under 18 we are unable to employ you on a full time basis, unless it is in an apprenticeship role.

Disclosure and Barring Service checks

If the role you’ve applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this on your behalf and the cost will be recovered from your salary, either as a one-off payment, or over 3 months. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered. Currently the charges are - Basic DBS check £26.40 Standard DBS check £26.40 and Enhanced DBS check £54.40. You should be aware that if you are successful in obtaining a position that requires a DBS check but later withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check. DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions. The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here .

In line with guidance from United Kingdom Health Security Agency, all staff and volunteers are required to comply with Trust Infection Prevention and Control processes in relation to safe working. This includes mask wearing and adherence to social distancing at all Trust sites.

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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.

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