Trainee Diabetic Retinal Screener/Grader

Transformation Unit; Doncaster; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension Scheme

Holiday entitlement

Learning opportunities

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Trainee Retinal Screener/Grader for the Diabetic Eye Screening Programme. The role involves taking retinal images, grading results, and progressing through a Level 3 Health Screening Diploma.

Fixed and mobile screening venues support service delivery across Doncaster and Bassetlaw. The post offers banded pay with progression to band 4 after diploma, and requires flexibility to cover sites; driving access is desirable

Qualifications

• Must hold Level 3 Health Screening Diploma or equivalent.
• Experience in patient/customer environments is desirable.
• Ability to work with diverse patient groups and communicate clearly.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality screening and grading across Doncaster & Bassetlaw.
• Assist early detection of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy.
• Meet National Standards and KPIs for the service.
• Work with minimal supervision under occasional pressure.
• Handle patient images/data and prioritise duties for service delivery.

Skills

Communication skills

Patient-focused care

Work under pressure

Education

Level 3 Health Screening Diploma

Tools

Retinal imaging software

Retinal cameras

Job description

Main area Diabetes & Endocrine Grade Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Part time

37.5 hours per week (Part time hours will be considered) Job ref 272-8130912

Employer Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Doncaster Royal Infirmary Town Doncaster Salary £25,760 - £31,157 This is a band 3 progressing to a band 4 Salary period Yearly Closing 23/10/2026 23:59

Trainee Diabetic Retinal Screener/Grader

Band 3

Job overview

We are seeking to appoint a Trainee Retinal Screener Grader to the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Diabetic Eye Screening Programme.

The Doncaster & Bassetlaw Diabetic Eye Screening Programme screens over 36,000 patients each year across a number of fixed and mobile screening venues throughout Doncaster and Bassetlaw to deliver a consistently high quality diabetic eye screening service for people with diabetes. The role of a Retinal Screener/ Grader is a key function of the department, screening patients including taking detailed images and scans of the retina as well as grading these images for diabetic eye disease. The post includes undertaking the mandatory Level 3 diploma in Health Screening. From commencement of the post until the completion of the diploma, the salary will be based on a Band 3 and increased to Band 4 once the diploma is obtained.

Requires the ability to be flexible to cover sites throughout Doncaster and Bassetlaw. Car driver/access to personal vehicle desirable due to off site and community based working.

Main duties of the job

• To provide a high quality screening and grading service across the Doncaster and Bassetlaw area against National Service Framework and National Quality Assurance Standards.
• To ensure the early detection of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy and the reduction of blindness.
• To support the activities of the department to ensure that National Quality Standards and the Key Performance Indicators and other targets are met.
• Ability to work without direct supervision, often under pressure, on rare occasions with no guidance from peers, senior team members or the departmental managers, whilst maintaining a high standard of patient care, safety, education and time management.
• Responsibility for handling patient images and data and prioritising time to ensure the service meets national standards.
• To remain focused and resourceful in adverse working conditions so that technical problems can be analysed and resolved.

Working for our organisation

DBTH is one of Yorkshire’s Leading acute trusts, serving a population of more than 440,000. Our services are based over three main hospital sites and several additional services employing over 7,000 colleagues.
At DBTH we have a comprehensive framework of behaviours that guide us in our daily working lives, these form the DBTH Way. We pride ourselves on our commitment to the values of We Care and now the DBTH Way builds upon these foundations, providing further clarity on what it means to embody these values in our everyday interactions.
As an organisation that supports flexible working, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applicants from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including those with disabilities, members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities.
We offer a range of benefits to support our people including:

• Extensive range of learning opportunities
• NHS Pension Scheme
• Generous holiday entitlement in line with Terms & Conditions
• Comprehensive health and wellbeing support
• NHS Car Lease schemes and a range of salary sacrifice scheme
• Discounts on restaurants, getaways, shopping and finance through external providers.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached to the advert a job description and person specification for further details. Please ensure you read this document carefully.

Please note, if your application is successful you will be required to present original certificates of qualifications that are listed in the person specification under essential.

Certificate of sponsorship

For individuals who may require sponsorship under the skilled worker or health & care visa route please use the link below to check your eligibility. Check if you need a UK visa - GOV.UK

Please note that from 9th April2025, band 2 & 3 entry roles are no longer eligible for sponsorship.

Person specification

Knowledge & Experience

• Previous experience of working in a patient or customer focused environment
• Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of the diabetic eye screening programme
• Experience of dealing with a wide range of patients or customers including those with communication barriers.
• Previous experience of working as a Retinal screener/photographer
• Knowledge of the cameras and software used in diabetic eye screening

Qualifications & Training

• Basic skills in English and Mathematics
• Be prepared to study for the appropriate modules in Diabetes Retinopathy as outlined by the National Screening Programme which will involve some self-directed study in own time.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Health Screener Diploma including Grading Unit or equivalent

Personal skills & Attributes

• Excellent communication skills both written and spoken
• Ability to build effective relationships with team members in primary and secondary care
• Ability to work well and communicate effectively with staff who are part of the wider multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to run clinics with unpredictable workloads

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 statement.

While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for, nor can they accurately reflect your skills, knowledge, and experience. 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 statement is not advocated by DBTH and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.

1. Usually lack relevance and fail to address the key criteria outlined in the job description and person specification. may come across as generic and fail to distinguish you from other applicants.
2. May be ambiguous or open to misinterpretation. Without careful review and editing, the supporting statement could convey messages that are unclear or misconstrued by hiring managers
3. May include qualifications, skills, knowledge or experience that you do not possess, potentially leading to misrepresentation.

• Please note that all correspondence will be sent you to via email. If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• In submitting an application form, you authorise our Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the ESR IAT process should you be appointed.
• We reserve the right to close down this advert early should there be a high number of applicants.
• The Trust is committed to its obligations in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and we positively encourage applications from all sections of the community.
• All employment with the Trust is subject to a number of NHS Employment Checks being met to a satisfactory standard including verification of identity, eligibility to work in the United Kingdom, references and qualifications in addition to professional registration, a disclosure and barring records check and occupational health check if these are deemed to be a requirement for the position to be undertaken. The Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event that they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Please note that this check will be charged for in two instalments when you commence employment with Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Name Amanda Stallard Job title Joint Programme Manager / Specialist Nurse Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01302 642599