Overview
Working Part Time : 15 hours per week
Applicants wanting to work less than the 15 hour will be considered
Who Our Opportunity is for
* A Specialist Optometrist to work in the Optometry Department at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
* Optometrists with a special interest in Glaucoma
What this Opportunity means
* We are a small, friendly and supportive team working closely with the ophthalmologists and orthoptic department.
* The successful applicant will have the opportunity to use their knowledge and skills in face-to-face and virtual glaucoma clinics
Your Application
* You must have a UK professional registration with the General Optical Council as an Optometrist.
* You should have a higher qualification in Glaucoma, or be willing to work towards this.
* The successful applicant will require clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau.
* Your offer of employment is subject to 2 satisfactory references, one must be your most recent employer and cover the last 3 years employment, with full contact details including a work email (personal emails are not accepted).
* You must disclose any previous convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings on the application, unless these are protected under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Main duties
The job will involve supporting the Glaucoma Specialist Ophthalmologists in providing a glaucoma service to the patients of the Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust. The post has been created by the expansion of the Virtual Glaucoma Clinic and will involve a mixture of face-to-face and virtual clinic reviews. The successful applicant will also act as a lead for the optometrist-led glaucoma service. There will be a small clinical involvement in the core optometry service.
About us
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:
* The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
* Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
* Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.
Details
* Date posted: 09 September 2025
* Pay scheme: Agenda for Change
* Band: Band 7
* Salary: £47,810 to £54,710 a year pa pro rata
* Contract: Permanent
* Working pattern: Part-time
* Reference number: 210-2025-617
* Job location: Countess of Chester Hospital, Liverpool Road, Chester, CH2 1UL
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details. Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies. New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above. Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Good luck with your application.
Qualifications
Essential
* M.Sci Optometry (Master of Optometry) specialist optometry degree, achieving all General Optical Council competencies Or Equivalent BSc(Hons) Ophthalmic Optics or Optometry/Vision Science (2-2 or above), successful completion of 12 month clinical postgraduate training post and achievement of all General Optical Council competencies as assessed by the College of Optometrists Professional Qualifying Examinations
* Registration with General Optical Council as an optometrist
* Further post-graduate optometry qualifications relating to highly specialist aspects of clinical optometry or a willingness to work towards these.
Desirable
* Member of Association of Optometrists
* Member or Fellow of the College of Optometrists
* Registered College of Optometrists supervisor for pre-registration optometrist training posts as required by the GOC
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
* Extensive post qualification experience
* Ability to competently undertake highly specialist advanced clinical extended roles with previous experience of training and working in extended optometry roles and shared-care clinics
* Evidence of a commitment to continuing professional development and specialist skills
* Experience in provision of specialist low vision assessment and contact lens fitting
* Some experience in teaching and presenting to other professionals
* Previous experience of hospital optometry
Desirable
* Experience in auditing procedures.
Other information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants required to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in the past 10 years. Guidance can be found here: Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
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