Job summary
We are looking to recruit a Full Time, PERMANENT Band 7 Orthoptist (Lead for Adult Orthoptic Services) at the United Bristol and Weston Hospitals Trust.
This presents a great opportunity for you to progress your career in a large teaching Eye Hospital. Flexible hours offered as a 9 day fortnight.
The successful applicant will be an experienced Orthoptist at Band 6 or 7 who will join a highly motivated team of 14 Orthoptists at BEH . Bristol Eye Hospital is a teaching and research hospital with strong links to the University of Bristol and is a tertiary referral centre for the South West in many ophthalmic sub specialities.
The post holder will work at both main hospitals and will also travel to community sites and assessment centres in and around Bristol. The workload at the Eye Hospital and Weston General Hospital will include specialist paediatric and paediatric neuro ophthalmology clinics, motility and adnexal clinics, adult neuro ophthalmology, stroke and brain injury assessments and on site adjustable suture assessments. The department is also actively supports extended roles in the skull base neuro-ophthalmology and Paediatric primary care. We have an SEN speciality service with close links to the Vision Support Service and the Community Paediatricians. We also have an Orthoptic-led stroke service with a separate stroke Lead.
Main duties of the job
Band 7 Orthoptist-Full time Permanent Orthoptist at United Hospitals Bristol and Weston Hospitals Trust.
- All advanced Orthoptic services
- Involvement in departmental audit and research
- All necessary activities to ensure safeguarding of children and adults in your care
- Presenting at Grand Rounds, Paediatric teaching sessions and case discussion meetings
- All necessary admin and planning associated with peripheral clinics
- Following Trust Paediatric DNA policy and procedures
- Actively participating in departmental development and smooth running
- Maintaining own CPD in line with HCPC standards
- Being a part of the team here at UHBW
- A degree or Diploma in Orthoptics and registration with the HCPC are essential requirements
We are a recognised Orthoptic student placement centre and you would ideally have your clinical tutors qualification and teaching experience with Orthoptic, Medical or Optometry staff. We actively encourage audit, research and further education to improve our service and have protected CPD time.
For informal enquiries please contact Helen McCarthy or Julie Parker at Bristol Eye Hospital Orthoptic Department.
About us
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Degree or Equivalent in Orthoptics
Desirable
- Training or advanced qualification in NHS audit. R and D or Clinical Governance
- oMasters or Equivalent by extensive (at least 5 years) experience in advanced clinical practice or a specialist area of Orthoptics
- Clinical Tutors Course
Aptitudes
Essential
- To equally balance responsibilities of clinical and managerial responsibilities
- oDisplay both excellent organisational and leadership skills to promote and improve the Adult Orthoptic Services
- Highly effective communicator both clinically when delivering bad news regarding loss or damge to vision and managerially when encouraging and assisting colleague
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- To formulate individualised management and treatment plans, using clinical reasoning that is evidence based, and requires a wide range of treatment options.
- Assess and interpret complex results of clinical investigations, form an accurate diagnosis informed from knowledge base and current research findings.
- Screen and prioritise referrals to the service accurately identifying those which are of a sight or life threatening nature and arranging urgent assessment at appropriate hospital site.
- Proficiency in all types of visual field testing, an ability to work comfortably with a number IT and hospital based systems.
- Manual dexterity and observational skills for observing fine eye movement disorders and for highly accurate measuring skills for squint surgery and adjustable suture procedures.
- To apply a high level of understanding to the rehabilitation requirements following loss of vision due to stroke or double vision and to advise on lifestyle changes and adaptations to patients social and physical environment.
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- As an autonomous practitioner to undertake the investigation, diagnosis & management of patients of all ages and abilities including the very young and the elderly referred to the Orthoptic Department at Bristol Eye Hospital. This will include a wide range of complex cases referred from clinics including paediatrics, motility, neurology, maxillo facial, glaucoma and accident and emergency that are referred locally & from other centres in the South West of England
- Highly advanced (to a masters level equivalent) level of knowledge and extensive experience in highly specialized clinics namely neuro/skull base, paediatric cataract, functional vision, special schools, complex needs and stroke.
- To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good practice in these highly specialised clinical area, demonstrating an advanced level of knowledge of particular conditions and current treatment therapies including prism therapy and rehabilitative scanning therapies through specialist training, continued professional development (CPD) and experience equivalent to master's level.
- Evidence (portfolio) of extended and substantial self-study equating to a master's level in the area of highly specialised Orthoptics.
- Have the ability to critically appraise and reflect own performance to maintain own CPD and to participate in internal and external development and training opportunities recording learning outcomes in own portfolio.
Desirable
- To have undergone training in audit methodology and have written and presented audit previously.
- BIOS Clinical Tutors course must have been completed or significant experience in tutoring and in the development and improvement of the student placement offer within the department, creating and developing the clinical placement teaching material.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Degree or Equivalent in Orthoptics
Desirable
- Training or advanced qualification in NHS audit. R and D or Clinical Governance
- oMasters or Equivalent by extensive (at least 5 years) experience in advanced clinical practice or a specialist area of Orthoptics
- Clinical Tutors Course
Aptitudes
Essential
- To equally balance responsibilities of clinical and managerial responsibilities
- oDisplay both excellent organisational and leadership skills to promote and improve the Adult Orthoptic Services
- Highly effective communicator both clinically when delivering bad news regarding loss or damge to vision and managerially when encouraging and assisting colleague
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- To formulate individualised management and treatment plans, using clinical reasoning that is evidence based, and requires a wide range of treatment options.
- Assess and interpret complex results of clinical investigations, form an accurate diagnosis informed from knowledge base and current research findings.
- Screen and prioritise referrals to the service accurately identifying those which are of a sight or life threatening nature and arranging urgent assessment at appropriate hospital site.
- Proficiency in all types of visual field testing, an ability to work comfortably with a number IT and hospital based systems.
- Manual dexterity and observational skills for observing fine eye movement disorders and for highly accurate measuring skills for squint surgery and adjustable suture procedures.
- To apply a high level of understanding to the rehabilitation requirements following loss of vision due to stroke or double vision and to advise on lifestyle changes and adaptations to patients social and physical environment.
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- As an autonomous practitioner to undertake the investigation, diagnosis & management of patients of all ages and abilities including the very young and the elderly referred to the Orthoptic Department at Bristol Eye Hospital. This will include a wide range of complex cases referred from clinics including paediatrics, motility, neurology, maxillo facial, glaucoma and accident and emergency that are referred locally & from other centres in the South West of England
- Highly advanced (to a masters level equivalent) level of knowledge and extensive experience in highly specialized clinics namely neuro/skull base, paediatric cataract, functional vision, special schools, complex needs and stroke.
- To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good practice in these highly specialised clinical area, demonstrating an advanced level of knowledge of particular conditions and current treatment therapies including prism therapy and rehabilitative scanning therapies through specialist training, continued professional development (CPD) and experience equivalent to master's level.
- Evidence (portfolio) of extended and substantial self-study equating to a master's level in the area of highly specialised Orthoptics.
- Have the ability to critically appraise and reflect own performance to maintain own CPD and to participate in internal and external development and training opportunities recording learning outcomes in own portfolio.
Desirable
- To have undergone training in audit methodology and have written and presented audit previously.
- BIOS Clinical Tutors course must have been completed or significant experience in tutoring and in the development and improvement of the student placement offer within the department, creating and developing the clinical placement teaching material.
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.
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 (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional 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.
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 (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
Address
Bristol Eye Hospital
Lower Maudlin Street
Bristol
BS1 2LX
Employer's website
https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
