Job overview
We are seeking a passionate, experienced and motivated Orthoptist to join our team of 8 Orthoptists and 6 Optometrists at Epsom and St Helier Hospitals.
Your Orthoptic workload will be extremely varied including paediatric, ocular motility and acute cases. We have an Orthoptic lead school and vision screening programme and run a stroke service. We also deliver the adult low vision service, and host Orthoptic undergraduates in the department regularly.
The successful candidate will join a friendly and enthusiastic multi disciplinary team, including, Ophthalmic Technicians, Ophthalmic Nurses, HCAs and Consultant Ophthalmologists.
Main duties of the job
The Orthoptist is an autonomous practitioner and is a specialist in the assessment of visual function in all age groups and the diagnosis and management of defects of binocular vision and all ocular motility disorders.
The post holder will:
·provide a full orthoptic service and assess, diagnose, manage and treat patients referred to the orthoptic department from a variety of sources.
·provide a full visual field service, reporting to the ophthalmic team and including fields for neurology, paediatric and adult oncology, general medicine and endocrinology.
·Provide an adult low vision service, assessing and providing low vision aids to patients referred to the service, and signposting to additional support.
·Provide support to the Orthoptic stroke service, undertaking assessments of both inpatients and outpatients referred to the stroke service.
Working for our organisation
St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey. Our sites include St George’s Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC).
After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.
At gesh we are committed to supporting flexible working arrangements. Applicants are encouraged to discuss any flexibility they may need during the recruitment process.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Clinical
1.To act as an autonomous practitioner taking clinical responsibility for the effective diagnosis, treatment and management of own orthoptic caseload.
This group comprises babies, children and adults of all ages referred from a wide range of specialities including paediatrics, neurology, stroke rehabilitation, A/E, G.P.’s and H.V.’s. This group also includes pre and post operative patients with ocular motility defects where highly developed specialist skills are required to ensure the necessary degree of accuracy in measurements for surgery and specialist knowledge to formulate prognosis. There will also be a significant number of children referred from the Royal Marsden Hospital with a variety of brain tumours or leukaemia. These patients require a particular type of expertise and high level of communication skills from the clinician.
2.The patient group frequently requires significant manual dexterity, speed and experience to ensure accurate results and measurements. There are often additional diagnoses of ADHD, developmental delay, limited mobility, communication difficulties and behavioural challenges eg autism spectrum condition.
3.The post holder has the freedom to make clinical decisions on treatment and management plans for his/her own patients. eg occlusion treatment in children which must be implemented with caution and carefully monitored in order to avoid irreversible problems.
4.The post holder will undertake visual field testing, performing both manual and automated perimetry. This patient group includes children and adults, referred from glaucoma clinics, general ophthalmology clinics, paediatric and adult oncology, neurology, general medicine and endocrinology. The post holder will also undertake testing of DVLA fields for driving when required.
5.To undertake primary community vision screening with sole responsibility for appropriate onward referral.
6.The post holder will undertake vision assessments including ocular motility assessments and visual field assessments for stroke patients both as an inpatient service at St Helier Hospital and Epsom hospital
7.and as ongoing outpatient follow up within specialist outpatient stroke review clinics.
8.The post holder will undertake Low Vision Clinics providing specialist assessments of practical aspects of a patient’s visual acuity to assess the impact of this on daily living skills, to ensure patients have best use of their vision as possible. To assess and provide magnifiers appropriate to each patient’s needs; balancing improvement in visual acuity to patients overall health and manual dexterity. This often requires a problem solving approach to clinics.
9.The post holder will require specialist knowledge of a wide variety of eye conditions to be able to answer patient questions regarding their eye conditions, treatments and often long term prognosis for vision. This requires skill and an awareness of the symptoms of some of these conditions when discussing potential further loss of vision and the impact on patient’s lives.
The post holder will also identify patients that require input from specialist services provided by local societies for local councils and organise appropriate onward referral for home assessments, mobility training and eccentric viewing training to name a few. To be aware of national support organisations and make onward referrals as necessary eg. Blind Veterans UK, RNIB, Guide Dogs, Access to work.
10.The post holder will contribute in departmental meetings to the formation of departmental treatment plans and discharge guidelines.
Organisational
1.The post holder will take personal responsibility for accurate/informative record keeping of own patient caseload.
2.The post holder will maintain and utilise Department and Trust Information systems currently in use and will ensure the accuracy of patient information held within Patient Administration Systems.
3.The post holder will assist in ensuring the integration of hospital and community services.
4.The post holder will organise the administrative aspects of the school vision screening programme at his/her own clinics. This includes writing referrals and recording attendances and outcomes.
5.The post holder will organise the administrative aspects of the department’s vision assessments for stroke patients. This includes organising time of inpatient assessments and organising onward referral
Professional
1.The post holder will be professionally and legally accountable for their own clinical practice.
2.The post holder will ensure accurate and efficient maintenance of patient clinical records and the recording of patient data in accordance with Trust and departmental policy.
3.The post holder will maintain continuous professional development by attending appropriate courses, by self directed learning and reflective practices and by keeping an up to date knowledge of techniques and technology in line with the requirements of the HCPC for registration.
4.The post holder will keep an up to date continuous personal development folder.
5.The post holder will maintain ongoing registration with the HCPC.
6.The post holder will practise according to the BIOS Competency Standards and Professional Practice Guidelines, the HCPC Standards of Proficiency, and departmental policies and protocols, including Health and Safety regulations.
7.The post holder will attend and take a full part in departmental and Trust wide Ophthalmology audits including researching and presenting own topics on a regular basis when required.
8.The post holder will participate in the Trusts annual appraisal process.
9.The post holder will respect patient and staff confidentiality at all times.
Teaching
The postholder will assist with the teaching of Orthoptics to other professions including doctors, Medical students, optometrists, nurses and health visitors.
Communication
1.The post holder will be expected to communicate effectively and sympathetically with patients of all ages and abilities and their parents and carers. This can involve imparting sensitive and complex information about their eye condition, using explanation, persuasion and motivation as necessary and ensuring informed consent for treatment. This requires special skills where there are barriers to understanding such as deafness, learning difficulties, cognitive impairment, language or cultural barriers (including where English is not the first language).
2.To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to patients, carers and relatives.
3.The post holder will communicate effectively with other staff members of all disciplines within the hospital eye department and community clinics, including fellow orthoptists, ophthalmologists, nurses, optometrists and other professional groups.
4.The post holder will deal appropriately with complex and/or sensitive information and ensure by liaison with peers and other professional groups the proper ongoing care plan for the patient and/or carers concerned.
This job description is intended as an outline and is not exhaustive. The post holder will undertake any other duties which may be reasonably regarded as within the nature of the duties, responsibilities and grade of the post as defined, subject to the provision that appropriate training is given and that wherever possible significant changes of a permanent nature shall be mutually agreed and incorporated into the job.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. BSc or equivalent qualification in Orthoptics
2. Registration with the HCPC
Desirable criteria
3. Participation in a relevant additional course
Experience
Essential criteria
4. Post graduate Orthoptic experience.
5. Evidence of ongoing training/development
6. Demonstrate sound clinical knowledge in a full range of orthoptic practice
Desirable criteria
7. Experience in Orthoptic stroke patient assessments and low vision clinic assessments
Knowledge
Essential criteria
8. Experience of diagnosis and management of complex ocular motility disorders
9. Demonstrate evidence of reflective practice
10. Excellent communication and inter-personal skills
Desirable criteria
11. Active involvement In audit in relation to own area of practice
Your recruitment team
The NHS South West London Recruitment Hub is your dedicated recruitment team, here to support you at every stage of the process. If you have a query, please contact us:
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Your application
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Use of Artificial Intelligence
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References
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Closing date
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Shortlisting
If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be contacted by email or SMS from the South West London Recruitment Hub. Please check your registered TRAC email regularly.
Application feedback
If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume your application has not been successful on this occasion.
Safeguarding and DBS Checks
We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. For roles with direct access to these groups, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required. All staff are expected to understand and uphold their safeguarding responsibilities as part of their role.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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.
Application numbers
This vacancy may have an application cap, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. Ensure your supporting statement clearly shows how you meet the job specifications.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
NameAlia HarrisonJob titleHead of Orthoptics and OptometryEmail addressTelephone number020 8296 2000Additional information
ext 3802