Main area Shared Care Optometry Grade Band 7-8a dependent on experience Contract Permanent Hours
* Full time
* Part time
37.5 hours per week (Minimum of 15 hours per week) Job ref 387-S6789-LH
Employer University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Bristol Eye Hospital Town Bristol Salary £47,810 - £62,682 Dependant on experience and post graduate qualifications Salary period Yearly Closing 20/10/2025 23:59
Medical Optometrist
Band 7-8a dependent on experience
As an organisation we recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.
If you’re an experienced Specialist Optometrist keen to expand your scope of practice, the prestigious Bristol Eye Hospital is seeking Medical Optometrists to support our expanding services.
At our research-active teaching hospital, you will deliver advanced, highly specialised, non-routine care in an inspiring, multidisciplinary environment known for clinical innovation. Working collaboratively alongside our Consultant Ophthalmology and experienced optometry teams, you will support the medical and surgical management of sight-threatening eye disease. With significant evidence of autonomous practice, you will evaluate highly complex and potentially conflicting ‘high stakes’ cases, determining the most appropriate treatment options for patient-centred care.
You should hold post-graduate professional qualifications or demonstrable training & experience in subspecialty clinics. Skills should be on par with the level of sub-specialty trained Ophthalmologists, though access to additional training can be provided. You should possess clear evidence of leadership and extended clinical responsibility to support the teaching and supervision of trainees as part of our commitment to the professional and personal development of our staff.
Candidates not meeting the post-graduate qualification level could be considered for a Band 7 Specialist Optometrist role.
Main duties of the job
As a Medical Optometrist you will:
* plan and deliver advanced specialist clinical examinations tailored to individual patient requirements;
* utilise highly developed physical skills for complex medical procedures ;
* analyse, interpret and act upon highly complex multifactorial and potentially conflicting patient-related information for the purpose of ‘high stakes’ clinical decision making, in order to determine the most appropriate action where multiple clinical management options exist;
* work in a fast paced and changing clinical environment without compromising clinical care;
* be responsible for autonomous independent prescribing or supply of topical investigational drugs and where appropriate, to seek guidance from Consultant Ophthalmologists with respect to the requirement for ocular surgery, or where medical management requirements may be unclear;
* communicate and interact effectively, routinely discussing the risks and benefits of management options, explaining highly complex, multi-stranded and potentially conflicting information in a manner that enables patients to make informed choices;
* communicate highly sensitive prognostic and emotionally distressing information about loss of sight and risk of further loss of sight;
* keep full and complete patient records, of each patient’s examination results, diagnosis and management/treatment and to verify successful data entry of ancillary clinical information entered by supporting technical staff.
Working for our organisation
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff across 10 hospital sites, delivering over 100 clinical services to more than 500,000 people in the South-west.
UHBW has been rated by the CQC as ‘Good’ overall, and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston, and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award-winning Trust and digital exemplar committed to improving patient outcomes, our world-leading research and innovation have a positive local and global impact.
With hospitals based in both vibrant Bristol and coastal Weston-super-Mare, we offer the best of city and seaside living with easy access to countryside, national parks, and the wider Southwest.
UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer working towards a diverse workforce, we aim to recruit and retain staff that reflect the communities we serve, and we actively support inclusive recruitment and working practices.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For a detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the PDF job description documents attached to this vacancy.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Registration with the General Optical Council
* BSc Hons Optometry or equivalent
* Professional post-graduate specialist qualification(s) at masters level or higher, relevant to job plan (eg College of Optometrists DipGlauc, Higher Prof Cert Med Ret)
* GOC Speciality Registration in Independent Prescribing
* Postgraduate masters (or higher) level clinical audit or research experience relevant to sub-specialist practice
Knowledge and Experience
* Highly developed and proven specialist knowledge, at Masters level or above, across multiple areas of specialist clinical practice beyond conventional hospital or community optometry
* Significant specialist clinical experience in assessment & management of patients with active and sight-threatening disease across multiple of areas of-specialist clinical practice
* Advanced understanding of all relevant national clinical guidance (e.g. NICE guidelines; College of Optometrists Clinical Management Guidelines; Royal College of Ophthalmologists guidelines
* Significant specialist clinical experience in management of patients with ocular/visual manifestations of systemic disease that may threaten general health
* Multidisciplinary team working
Skills and Abilities
* Specialist clinical practice beyond conventional hospital or community
* Specialist clinical assessment skills for patients with active and sight-threatening disease across multiple of areas of sub-specialist clinical practice
* Can teach or; supervise trainees; & address queries from support staff whilst performing clinical duties
* Ability to quickly interpret complex and potentially conflicting clinical information
* Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills; ability to communicate complex, sensitive and potentially conflicting information to patients and other stakeholders in an appropriate manner independent of their level of understanding
* Ability to empathise regarding loss of sight and prognoses including blindness and threats to general health from systemic disease with ocular/visual manifestations
* Able to work within a multidisciplinary team & gain credibility with all staff
* Capable of performing sustained high intensity work in a pressurised clinical environment
We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.
· As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
· The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
· UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
· To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
· If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
· The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
· By applying for this post, you are agreeing to University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
· Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.
IMPORTANT:
Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.
Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification
Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.
As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.
When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.
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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