Job overview
We are seeking an experienced, motivated and forward-thinking Clinical Nurse Educator to join our Ophthalmology service at Whipps Cross University Hospital. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic nurse leader with a passion for education, clinical development, and improving patient care through high-quality learning.
As part of the senior nursing team, you will support the professional development of nurses and ophthalmic technicians, helping to build a positive learning culture across the Eye Treatment Centre. You will work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to ensure staff are equipped with the skills, knowledge and confidence to deliver safe, effective and compassionate care.
Main duties of the job
The postholder is expected to work independently as an Ophthalmic Nurse Practitioner in the designated subspeciality, including but not limited to Glaucoma, Cornea, Oculoplastic, Cataract, Eye Casualty and Medical Retina. The post holder will work within a multi-disciplinary team to provide high quality patient care and develop new care pathways within the glaucoma service (or designated subspecialty). Furthermore, contributing to a comprehensive Ophthalmic assessment service within their own professional role for patients referred to the Eye Treatment Centre.
Working for our organisation
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain’s leading healthcare providers.
The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.
Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.
We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. First‑level degree (BSc/BA) in Nursing or equivalent relevant professional qualification.
2. Post‑registration ophthalmic specialist qualification, relevant to glaucoma or closely related subspecialties.
3. Evidence of advanced clinical practice development, aligned to Ophthalmic Practitioner Training Level 2 framework.
4. Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to advanced ophthalmology nursing practices.
5. Must hold current professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
Desirable criteria
6. Master’s degree or evidence of working towards a Master’s‑level qualification
7. Leadership or management training relevant to advanced clinical practice.
8. Independent Non‑Medical Prescribing (V300) qualification or evidence of working towards completion.
Experience
Essential criteria
9. Post‑registration experience working within an ophthalmology service, including delivery of autonomous or extended nursing roles.
10. Evidence of managing a defined cohort of patients, such as nurse‑led or advanced practice clinics.
11. Experience of advanced ophthalmic assessment, diagnosis and formulation of management plans within agreed protocols.
12. Experience working independently, demonstrating clinical judgement, accountability, and escalation where appropriate.
13. Evidence of contributing to evidence‑based practice within ophthalmology.
Desirable criteria
14. Experience undertaking intravitreal injections within the scope of practice.
15. Experience working across ophthalmology subspecialties (e.g. glaucoma, cornea, retina, eye casualty).
16. Experience managing or supporting clinical rotas, staffing or resource allocation.
Multidisciplinary Working
Essential criteria
17. Evidence of working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team, including ophthalmologists, optometrists, AHPs and nursing colleagues, to deliver safe and effective patient care.
18. Experience liaising with external services (e.g. optometrists, GPs, community services) to support patient pathways.
Leadership or Supervision
Essential criteria
19. Evidence of taking charge of clinical areas or caseloads, including delegation and oversight of care delivery.
20. Experience supporting, supervising or mentoring staff, including junior nurses, students or extendedrole practitioners.
21. Evidence of acting as a clinical role model, demonstrating professional accountability and leadership behaviours.
22. Ability to recognise and respond to staff performance, skill‑mix or safety concerns, escalating appropriately.
Communication Skills
Essential criteria
23. Evidence of communicating complex clinical information clearly and sensitively to patients, carers, and relatives.
24. Evidence of effective communication with multidisciplinary professionals to support diagnosis, treatment decisions, and care planning.
25. Ability to manage complaints or difficult conversations in line with Trust policy and professional standards.
Organisation and Prioritisation
Essential criteria
26. Evidence of managing and prioritising own and others’ workload in a busy clinical environment.
27. Ability to balance competing demands, including patient flow, clinics, documentation and service pressures.
28. Evidence of effective decision‑making under pressure, maintaining patient safety and care quality.
IT and Digital Systems
Essential criteria
29. Evidence of using electronic patient record systems (e.g. MediSIGHT, Cerner or equivalent) to document, review and manage patient care.
30. Ability to interpret and utilise diagnostic outputs such as perimetry, OCT and imaging systems.
31. Competence in using IT systems to support audit, reporting, and clinical documentation.
Governance and Risk
Essential criteria
32. Knowledge and application of clinical governance principles, including audit, incident reporting and learning from risk
33. Evidence of working within local and national guidelines, including NICE and Trust‑approved protocols.
34. Experience of maintaining infection prevention, health and safety and medication management standards, including PGDs or prescribing where applicable.
35. Understanding safeguarding responsibilities for vulnerable adults and children
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
36. Willingness to undertake further training and development required to meet service needs.
37. Ability to undertake the duties of the post with or without reasonable adjustments, in line with the Equality Act
**Visa Sponsorship Information**
Recent changes to UK immigration policy on the Health and Care Visa and Skilled Worker Visa could mean that this role is not eligible for sponsorship or that you may not meet the eligibility criteria.
Sponsorship can only be offered if this post and any individual offered employment meet all the Home Office’s requirements under the UK Skilled Worker visa scheme.
If you are applying from outside the UK or will require sponsorship, please mention this clearly in your application.
To be eligible for sponsorship, the following conditions must be met:
38. Eligible role: The position must be on the UK Skilled Worker visa list. You can check your eligibility here: -.
39. Salary threshold: The role must meet the minimum salary set by the Home Office. Please note that for roles employed under Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions, the High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) is not included when calculating the basic salary for the purposes of sponsorship.
40. Skill level: The role must meet the minimum skill requirement of RQF Level 6 or above (graduate level).
41. English language: Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency at CEFR level B2 or higher.
42. Other criteria: Applicants must meet all other criteria as set out by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)