An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Hospital Optometrist working with Moorfields Eye Hospital, Bedford. The role involves working within the paediatric community eye service at the Liverpool Road Health Centre, Luton. The position requires delivering specialised face‑to‑face and optometric care, extended role optometric care, clinical audit and teaching. The goal is to support the development of extended roles for optometrists within Moorfields and to help deliver shared‑care for ophthalmic conditions.
MAIN RESPONSIBILTITES
1. Leadership
To personally deliver a range of specialised and extended optometric care, clinical audit and teaching.
2. Clinical
To provide a wide range of optometric services. Key activities include:
* Working in an 'extended role' capacity in ophthalmology clinics (Medical Retina, Glaucoma, Cataract, Acute Services).
* Working outside ophthalmology clinics (Diabetic slit lamp, Children's Vision Clinics).
* Triage of referral letters (routine and urgent) and management of shared‑care cataract referrals.
* Supervising junior staff in their clinical roles.
To undertake specialist clinical activity requiring advanced techniques and concentration. These clinics involve responsibility for clinical decision‑making with support from consultants and the provision of specialised diagnosis, management, care and education of patients.
To provide a clinical opinion or obtain a clinical opinion from consultant colleagues to optometric and non‑optometric colleagues on the management of patients.
3. Clinical Governance
* Responsibility in conjunction with the consultants for systematic and critical analysis of the quality of work carried by optometrists.
* Initiate and participate in clinical audit.
* Help identify and develop service standards and audit for optometrists.
* Personally participate in continuing professional education and development (as required by the General Optical Council and through appraisal as part of the role).
4. Management
* Assist the Lead Optometrist to manage Optometry Services.
* Help develop systems, clinical governance, processes, guidelines and training to establish and maintain extended role clinics and shared‑care services.
* Use appropriate IT including electronic patient records for benchmarking, audit and clinical uses.
5. Teaching and Development
Contribute to the delivery of optometric teaching and supervision to other ophthalmic professionals.
6. Research and Development
* Contribute to clinical research or assessment programmes.
* Present audit/research findings at relevant scientific meetings.
* Publish research/audit findings in peer‑reviewed journals.
7. Policy
* Support the Clinical Director, the Principal Optometrist and the Head of Optometry in the development and implementation of policies and procedures for Optometrists.
Due to the nature of this position, employment is subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK, completion of a satisfactory DBS disclosure and two references. We do not offer visa sponsorship for roles unless clearly stated in our adverts, so please consider this before applying.
Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of our organisational culture. As part of our pledge to take positive action in recruitment we encourage applications from under‑represented candidates including BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) and Disabled candidates as we work towards a representative workforce that is able to provide the quality, the dignity and respect and to deliver above and beyond.
Moorfields is a flexible working friendly organisation, and we are committed to helping our employees achieve a work‑life balance that is beneficial for health and wellbeing, motivation levels and job satisfaction. Every employee of the Trust has the right to request to work flexibly. Please speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
If we receive sufficient applications, we will close this ad prior to the closing date. You are advised not to delay submitting your completed application.
If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying or would like an accessible version of any recruitment documents, please contact the recruitment team at [email protected].
Join Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
At Moorfields, people's sight matters—and so do the people who make it possible.
For over 200 years, Moorfields has been at the forefront of ophthalmic care, research, and education. With more than 2,300 dedicated team members and over 700,000 patients seen annually across our City Road site and 22 networked sites, we are proud to be a global centre of excellence.
We're also a vibrant community where kindness, equity and excellence shape every aspect of our work. Whether it's pioneering research through our partnership with UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre or training the next generation of global eye care leaders, we're united by one mission—delivering world‑class eye health, sustainably and at scale.
From 2027, we'll move to our brand‑new Oriel site in St Pancras, Camden—a state‑of‑the‑art centre that will unite eye care, research, and education under one roof. This groundbreaking facility, developed in partnership with UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity, will enable transformative innovation and collaboration like never before.
Could you be part of this future? Make us more.
At Moorfields, we provide more than just an excellent career and great colleagues to work with. We also offer:
* Opportunity to join the NHS Pension Scheme
* Free 24/7 independent counselling service
* Learning and development opportunities
* Easy and quick transport links
* A range of attractive benefits and discounts
* Access to Blue Light Card and other NHS Discount Schemes
* Free Pilates classes
* Full support and training to develop your skills
* Flexible working friendly organisation
* And so much more! To see the full range of benefits we offer please see our Moorfields benefits document.
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