Trainee Ophthalmic Assistant - Ophthalmology Outpatients

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust; Shrewsbury; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Part time

Job summary

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust in Shrewsbury is seeking a Trainee Ophthalmic Assistant in the Ophthalmology Outpatients department at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. The role starts at Band 2 and progresses to Band 3 on competency achievement, with 28.5 hours per week.

The post is a secondment/ fixed term 12-month contract to cover maternity leave, offering training and development in ophthalmic care within a busy clinic, supporting nurses, and helping patients through the eye care

Qualifications

• Maths and English GCSE 9-4 (or equivalent).
• NVQ Level 3 in health related subject.
• Experience in ophthalmic setting.
• Previous care experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist in eye clinic by supporting patients and ensuring comfort and information.
• Help nurses with basic care tasks and observations.
• Talk with patients and families about procedures and next steps.
• Check clinic lists and maintain records, ensuring patient information privacy.
• Keep clinic area clean, tidy and well stocked; prepare equipment.
• Learn eye-care skills such as checking vision and assisting with scans.

Skills

Good communication skills

Teamwork

Flexible/adaptable

Professional manner

Awareness of own limitations

Education

GCSE Maths and English 9-4

NVQ Level 3 in health related subject

Job description

Trainee Ophthalmic Assistant - Ophthalmology Outpatients

NHS AfC: Band 2 moving to band 3 once competencies met

Main area Ophthalmology Grade NHS AfC: Band 2 moving to band 3 once competencies met Contract Secondment: 12 months (Fixed term for external candidates, to cover maternity leave cover) Hours Part time - 28.5 hours per week Job ref 223-TOA-829

Site The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital Town Shrewsbury Salary £25,760 - £27,476 per annum/pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 17/11/2026 23:59

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our friendly team in the ophthalmology outpatients department at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital as a Trainee Ophthalmic Assistant.

This role is a trainee opportunity, starting as a Band 2 Trainee Ophthalmic Assistant and moving to band 3 once competencies have been met.

We are looking for a caring and motivated individual who has a genuine interest in ophthalmology to join our team on a secondment/ fixed term basis in Ophthalmology Outpatients at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

The successful candidate must have good communication skills and be able to work well as part of a friendly team in a busy and dynamic environment. In return, the post offers the opportunity for further development and training within ophthalmology.

Some weekend and evening working will be required.

Main duties of the job

• This role supports patients as they move through the eye clinic, helping them feel safe, comfortable, and informed.
• You will help nurses with basic care tasks, such as taking observations and assisting with mobility.
• You will talk with patients and their families, helping them understand what is happening and where they need to go.
• You will keep patient information private and help with simple admin tasks like checking clinic lists and keeping records up to date.
• You will help keep the clinic clean, tidy, and well stocked, and prepare equipment for use.
• You will learn new eye ‑ care skills, such as checking vision, helping with scans, and supporting minor eye procedures.

Working for our organisation

We believe that compassionate care sits at the heart of everything we do. Every member of our team — clinical or non-clinical — plays a vital role in ensuring that patients, families, and colleagues are treated with dignity, empathy, and respect at all times.

We expect all staff to demonstrate compassion not only through their words, but through their actions: by listening attentively, communicating clearly and kindly, and recognising individual needs, feelings, and circumstances of those in our care.

Effective communication is central to safe and high-quality healthcare. We value colleagues who take the time to understand others, explain information in a meaningful way, and respond to concerns with patience and understanding.

By joining our team, you are committing to uphold these values — ensuring that every patient feels heard, respected, and valued, and that compassion is embedded in every interaction, every day.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For full duties and responsibilities please refer to the attached document entitled "Candidate Job Pack"

Person specification

Qualifications

• Maths and English at GCSE level 9 - 4 (or equivalent)
• NVQ Level 3 in health related subject

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience in ophthalmic setting
• Previous experience of working in care

Aptitude and skills

• Ability to develop ophthalmic skills
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Able to adapt to a varying workload
• Professional manner
• Awareness of own limitations

Other requirements

• Ability to be flexible within working hours

We commit to removing barriers for people with disabilities or long-term health conditions in recruitment, training, and career progression. We will offer an interview to all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for the above position and will support reasonable adjustments wherever possible. In addition, whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from candidates who are male, from black and minority ethnic backgrounds or who have a disability, as these are currently under-represented in our workforce.

We are committed to offering an interview to applicants from the Armed Forces community who meet the minimum criteria for the position. In addition, for those who are successfully appointed from the Armed Forces community, the Trust are committed to recognising previous service and rank in terms of pay, annual leave and other terms and conditions.

We are committed to equal opportunities in employment. The policies and practices of the Trust aim to promote an environment that is free from all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination and values the diversity of all people. At the heart of our policy, we seek to treat people fairly, flexibly and with dignity and respect.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people from an Ethnic minority background are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

We aim to create a trusting, flexible workplace, that attracts talent and enables everyone to be their best working self. Many of our colleagues work flexibly in many different ways, including part-time. Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise a fair and equitable process that balances your needs, the needs of our patients and service delivery.

Our Commitment to Safety and Respect - The Trust is a signatory to the NHS Sexual Safety Charter and is committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace, free from sexual misconduct, harassment and discrimination. We expect everyone working, training or learning within the Trust to uphold appropriate professional boundaries, demonstrate respectful behaviour and contribute to a culture in which colleagues feel safe to speak up.

Thank you for your interest in The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, we look forward to receiving your application for employment.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

If you have problems applying, contact

Address The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Shrewsbury Business Park
1 Douglas Court
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
SY2 6LG
Telephone [phone]