Thepost is an integral part of the Ophthalmology MDT, responsible forspecialised clinical skills and leadership competencies, promoting theeffective and economical use of resources and contributing to budgetarybalance. The post holder is responsible for his/her own actions withoutdirect supervision and accountable for the actions of junior members ofstaff.
Thepost holder will have responsibility for the delivery of elements of themedical retina service, from initial assessment and investigation totreatment with intra-vitreal injection. As a specialised practitioner, thepost holder will work with the team to deliver care, plan future servicedemand planning and will collaborate with patients, carers and colleagues.This post will involve an independent caseload.
Thepost holder will also work within the Macular Treatment Suite, with anindependent case load. This role will involve either the clinical assessmentof patients having intra-vitreal therapies or the provision of a range ofintra-vitreal injections or both.
Main duties of the job
Thepost holder will be practising as a retina specialist practitioner withinOphthalmology, providing patient-centred and evidence-based clinical care,within an agreed scope of competence and practice. The role will encompassthe skills of history taking, slit lamp examination, image acquisition and/orinterpretation, diagnosis and treatment of intra-vitreal injections.
Thepost holder will work in partnership with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT)to implement and improve the patient pathway and will be expected to acquirenew skills to further enhance the quality of the service delivered.
Additionalroles will include the day to day liaison with other retina specialistpractitioners and to help lead the rest of team of the team within theMacular Treatment Suite.
Thesuccessful candidate will work within the medical retinal service andsupport, co-ordinate and implement effective medical retina assessments andinterventions. The role will encompass the skills of history taking,measurement of LogMAR visual acuity, slit lamp examination, ocular coherencetomography (OCT) imaging and interpretation, canulation for fluoresceinangiography, and treatment with both intra-vitreal injection and photodynamictherapy. The successful candidate will work alongside the medical retinaconsultants and other members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
About us
TheOphthalmology Department lies within the Head and Neck Clinical Service Unitat Leeds teaching Hospital Trust. It is the largest provider of specialistOphthalmology services in the Yorkshire region and provides a specialistophthalmology service for patients in Leeds, Yorkshire and from across thenorth of England. We strive to work as a team and be the centre ofexcellence, putting our patients at the centre to deliver patient focusedcare. We encourage staff to voice concerns in an open and honest way and opento ideas to improve patient experience and change practice to improveefficiency so that we deliver what we promise. We have on-going improvingpatient experience projects and each team member is actively encouraged tolead and be involved in all projects, irrespective of their banding.
TheOphthalmology Outpatient Department operates across two sites: St JamessHospital and Seacroft Hospital.
LeedsTeaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job advertsare subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or removeadverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in theshortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while thisprocess is completed, and contact the named contact if you have anyquestions.
Job responsibilities
- Actively contribute to theprovision of education and skills development of nurses, optometrists, and non-medical allied professionals.
- Support medical staff in thedelivery of the intra-vitreal injection service through assessment andtreatment of the patient..
- Increase capacity for fluoresceinangiography and fast-track assessment of referrals from primary care.
- Increase treatment capacity byproviding intra-vitreal injections.
- Utilise appropriate clinical skillswhen assessing patients after injection and being aware of the indicationsfor paracentesis .
- Establish a 2 stop assessmentservice for AMD patients with stable disease and monitor the success of theservice.
- Maintain a high standard of patientcare in accordance with Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust guidelines andpolicies.
- Act as a role model for thedevelopment of clinical skills and knowledge within the ophthalmic team.
- Work in partnership with Medicalteam, Matron, Sisters, Charge Nurses in the development of department/wardpractice, reflecting LTHT strategic and workforce delivery plans.
- Set, monitor and seek tocontinuously improve standards and the quality of patient care, includingthose standards defined in the National Benchmarks for Essential Care.
- Analyse and synthesise informationfrom a variety of sources and make recommendations for the clinical area.
- Develop effective networks forsharing information expertise, and good practice, both within and outside theTrust.
- Promote evidence based practice,wherever possible.
- Assist in the implementation ofTrust wide nursing and midwifery policy and practice guidelines.
- Support the development and assistin the review of guidelines, write clinical competencies and work basedlearning packages for use in clinical areas.
- Provide high quality care as anexpert practitioner and act as a role model and resource for advice, supportand guidance.
- Acts in accordance with the Nursingand Midwifery/ Health Professions Council code of conduct.
- Ensure and promote the maintenanceof a safe, clean and secure working environment.
- Support the Clinical Governanceprocesses within ophthalmology. Supports service measures to ensure qualityand standards of the fundamental aspects of care delivered and outcomesachieved.
- Work within The Royal College ofOphthalmologists guidelines for HCPs giving intra-vitreal injections.
- Participate in clinical /peersupervision and monitor personal outcomes of patient interventions.
- Participate in two stop assessmentservice for stable patients inclusive of investigation required to includeextensive slit lamp skills and intra ocular measurement.
- Work in partnership with Medicalteam in the Fast track assessment service, supporting with Fundus fluoresceinangiography and or Indocyanine green.
- Obtaining informed consent frompatients prior to investigations/ treatment.
- Interface with Low vision aidservice and Eye clinic liaison officer.
- Identification of andinterpretation of Optical coherence tomographs.
- Regularly undertake clinical auditand participate in patient experience/ feedback.
Thesuccessful candidate will be expected to support the entire patient pathwayfrom initial assessment and investigation, to treatment with furtherassessment as required. It is therefore envisaged that the successfulcandidate will become involved in fast-track assessment of patients referredfrom the community, fluorescein angiography, intra-vitreal injections andassessment and the provision of two-stop assessment only clinics for patientswith stable retinal disease. A full programme to develop the skillsrequired for intra-vitreal injection will be provided
Person Specification
Skills & behaviours
* Well-developed clinical practice skills
* Capable of lateral thinking
* Evidence of prior independent working and leadership
Qualifications
* Registered Nurse OR Registered ODP OR Registered Optometrist
* Evidence of continued professional development
* Willing to undergo training as necessary
* Recognised teaching/assessing qualification
Experience
* Substantial experience as a staff nurse or other Allied professional
* Experience in clinical speciality including ophthalmic theatres and/or intra-vitreal injections
* Current issues in healthcare
* Understanding of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists guidelines around the use of HCPs in the delivery of intra-vitreal injections
* Understanding of the rationale, benefits and side-effects of intra-vitreal injections
* Local anaesthesia for the eye
* Relevant anatomy of the eye
* Knowledge of ophthalmology, especially common medical retina conditions and the rationale for intra-vitreal injection
* Interpretation of retinal imaging
* Benefits and possible complications of intra-vitreal injection
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.
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