Job overview
A fantastic opportunity has become available for a full-time substantive post dedicated to leading on education as a highly specialised orthoptist in a busy and expanding London eye Department.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Orthoptist to lead on the department’s orthoptic undergraduate teaching programme; UCL Orthoptics MSC programme; departmental teaching and peer-review learning; assisting in the coordination of medical student placements for students from Queen Mary University of London’s Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry; and supporting with the sign-off of competences for colleagues within the service.
As part of general orthoptic duties the post-holder will work as a highly specialised autonomous practitioner to assess, diagnose and manage any patients referred to the Orthoptic, Paediatric and Neuro-ophthalmology departments. The Orthoptic department is a highly specialised department that provides comprehensive, quality and specialised Orthoptic services to the Trust as part of a multi-disciplinary Ophthalmology Team.
Our department consists of a close-knit multidisciplinary team consisting of 6 Orthoptists, 8 Optometrists, 10 consultants across paediatrics and adult services, a National Retinoblastoma service, ECLOs, a nursing team including HCA’s, photography and administrative teams.
There are significant opportunities to develop within the role, gaining experience in extended roles and being involved in audit and research.
Main duties of the job
a) To lead on the co-ordination, provision and delivery of Orthoptic teaching to undergraduate and MSc Orthoptic students.
b) Demonstrate, teach and supervise where appropriate a range of medical and non-medical personnel from student orthoptists to a range of healthcare professionals based within the Trust but particularly within the ophthalmology service (such as HCAs, ophthalmic technicians - though not an exhaustive list).
c) To evaluate the provision of teaching to orthoptic students as a means of striving to be the optimal placement site nationally.
d) To support with signing off competences for members of the wider ophthalmology team such as ophthalmic technicians.
e) To co-ordinate departmental teaching for the wider ophthalmology team.
f) To co-ordinate journal club/peer-review meetings for the orthoptic team to ensure evidence-based best-practice.
g) To provide teaching of orthoptics and perimetry to multidisciplinary groups across the Trust e.g. occupational therapists, endocrinologists, neurologists, etc.
h) Work as an autonomous practitioner to assess, diagnose and manage any patient referred to the Orthoptic Department.
i) Participate in educational activities ran by and for the Orthoptic Department. This includes the teaching of pre-registration optometrists, medical undergraduates, junior doctors and other health care professionals, in addition to co-ordinating and teaching undergraduate orthoptic students.
Working for our organisation
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain’s leading healthcare providers.
The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.
Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.
We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Possession of a Bachelor of Science in Orthoptics BSc (Orth), BMedSci (Orthoptics) and/or a diploma from the British Orthoptic Council Registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC) Up to date proof of CPD in line with HPC guidelines Commitment to Continuing Professional Development BIOS Recognised Teaching Qualification
2. Registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC)
3. Up to date proof of CPD in line with HPC guidelines
4. Commitment to Continuing Professional Development
5. BIOS Recognised Teaching Qualification
Experience, Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
6. Extensive experience in all areas of clinical orthoptics
7. Experience in Humphrey and Goldmann visual field assessment
8. Previously worked single-handed
9. Teaching clinical orthoptic skills to undergraduate orthoptic students and orthoptic MSc students
10. Teaching to other health care professionals e.g. pre-registration optometrists, school nurses and undergraduate medical students
11. Experience in auditing procedures
12. Experience working with children and adults with additional needs and/or learning difficulties
13. Ability to organise and manage own workload
14. Good organisational and planning skills
15. Good Communication and interpersonal skills
16. Ability to work as part of the multi-disciplinary team
17. Ability to develop good working relationships with hospital staff at all levels
18. Ability to actively participate in departmental clinical education and teaching of practical orthoptic skills
19. Understanding and ability to maintain patient confidentiality
20. Willingness to contribute to research within the department
21. Adaptable and flexible to cope with all aspects of work and changing circumstances
Desirable criteria
22. Experience working in a community orthoptic setting
23. Knowledge of the Care Records System (CRS)
24. Knowledge of the Patient’s Charter
25. Paper and/or articles published in journals or newsletters
26. Lectures or presentations given/posters presented at a local or national level
Visa Sponsorship Information
This role is subject to UK immigration requirements. Where sponsorship is required, applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa in accordance with current UK Visas and Immigration rules, including any salary, qualification, and role-specific requirements applicable at the time of appointment. Candidates who require sponsorship will only be considered where the post is eligible and where all sponsorship criteria can be met. Evidence of the right to work in the UK will be required before appointment. Please note that for roles employed under Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions, the High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) is not included when calculating the basic salary for the purposes of sponsorship.