Job summary
We would like to invite applications for the post of Consultant in Ophthalmology. This is a replacement post and applicants will be expected to have broad general ophthalmology experience with a complementary sub-specialty interest, preferably in surgical and/or medical retina .
This is an exciting opportunity to join an innovative and evolving department at St Helens Hospital where clinicians actively shape services, we are the only Acute Trust to perform above the national average in every CQC indicator for quality of care and services. You will be joining a dynamic team of 7 ophthalmology consultants (including this post) and work in purpose built, well equipped, state of the art facilities. You will help us build on our excellent reputation for delivering high quality patient care and you will be instrumental in enhancing our capacity to deliver world-class Ophthalmology services.
Applicants are required to hold Membership of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (UK or equivalent qualifications), to be fully registered with the General Medical Council, and to be on the Specialist Register or due to obtain their CCT within six months of the date of interview. CESR candidates must have written GMC confirmation of successful application.
Interviews will take place on Wednesday, 15th March, 2023
Main duties of the job
This will be a full time 10 Programmed Activities contract based on:
Direct Clinical Care (DCC) 7.5 Programmed ActivitiesSupporting Professional Activities 2.5 programmed Activities
This post has an out of hour's on-call commitment to provide an emergency Ophthalmology service. Currently there is a 1:14 consultant on-call rota which is shared with the Ophthalmology colleagues at Warrington.
The Ophthalmology Department provides a comprehensive ophthalmology service and benefits from excellent supporting services. It is based at St Helens Hospital serving the town and its surrounding catchment area, for ophthalmology, this represents a population of approximately 340,000. The department has access to dedicated Outpatient and Day Case facilities. A triage service operates from the Outpatients department accepting direct referrals from GP's and optometrists. All sub-specialties are represented including glaucoma, cornea, paediatric ophthalmology, oculoplastics, medical retina and vitreoretinal surgery. The wet-AMD service is well established, rapidly expanding and attracting increasing referrals from further afield.
About us
St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is the only acute Trust in Cheshire and Merseyside, and one of the few in the entire country, to achieve the title of OUTSTANDING, rated by the Care Quality Commission.
We provide a full range of acute adult services to our local population of circa 360,000 and provide tertiary services across a much wider area in the North West, North Wales and Isle of Man. We are a Major Trauma Unit and the Mersey Regional Burns Unit.
Our '5 Star Patient Care' strategy is at the heart of all that we do; supporting our vision to provide world class services for all our patients by getting it right for every patient, every time.
Our latest achievements include:
- Acute Trust of the Year - HSJ Awards November 2019
- Trust rates Outstanding by the CQC - Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers and Health Service Journal)
- Best acute Trust in the North West for quality of care (NHS Staff Survey 2021)
- Best place to work in the North West (NHS Staff Survey 2021)
In the NHS Staff Survey 2021 the Trust scored the highest marks in the North West for the following areas:
- Standard of care
- Best place to work
- Care of patients being the Trust's priority
- Staff engagement
- Staff morale
- Compassionate and inclusive
- Providing a safe environment for staff
Job description
Job responsibilities
For more information regarding the main responsibilities and requirements essential for this role please refer to the supporting documents heading and review the job description and person specification which will outline the duties of the role including a proposed job plan.
St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
A £338 million (PFI) investment has re-built and modernised both Whiston and St Helens Hospitals, resulting in modern state of the art health care facilities for the treatment and care of patients. St Helens Hospital was completed in 2008 and Whiston Hospital in 2010. The hospitals include 887 inpatient beds with state-of-the-art CT and MRI facilities existing on both hospital sites. CT and MRI scanners at St Helens have also recently been upgraded including installation of a high field 3 Tesla MRI scanner. The DEXA scanner is also located at St Helens Hospital.
The Trust provides a full range of acute inpatient, outpatient, day case and emergency services to local communities of St Helens, Knowsley, parts of Halton and Liverpool. The Regional Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit also extends its services to the whole of Cheshire, Merseyside, North Wales, and the Isle of Man.
As a Trust, our aim is to provide a high-quality service to all patients. We strive to meet the best standards for professional care whilst being sensitive and responsive to the needs of individual patients. Our valued workforce is recognised for their unique skills and talents with our teams of experts winning national awards on a regular basis.
Whiston Hospital
Whiston Hospital a busy teaching hospital which provides a comprehensive range of acute Medical and Surgical Services, Emergency Services, Maternity Services, Paediatrics and Medicine for Older People. The Regional Burns and Plastic Surgery Units are also based on this site. There is a Critical Care Unit consisting of ICU, HDU, CCU and an onsite Cardiac Catheter Laboratory. The stroke consultants deliver 24/7 thrombolysis to eligible patients presenting with acute stroke. There is a 30-bed Stroke Unit which accommodates both acute stroke patients and those with rehabilitation needs.
St Helens Hospital
St Helens Hospital is an Ambulatory Care Centre providing Intermediate Care and Day Surgery. Rheumatology, Dermatology and Diabetes services are based on this site and within easy reach of other acute specialties at Whiston Hospital.
Life in Merseyside
Merseyside, which includes the great city of Liverpool, is within easy reach of North Wales, the Lake District and the Peak District and provides an interesting mix of rural and urban life.
Liverpool is a vibrant, music city which has undergone a renaissance in recent years and has recently been named European City of Culture.
High quality schools are available in Liverpool, Wirral and Rainhill areas. The area has many sports facilities including championship golf courses, several sailing clubs and one of the finest windsurfing venues in Britain. Merseysiders are renowned for their friendliness and quick-witted humour and the region sports two of the finest football teams in the Premier League.
The town of St Helens is renowned for its glassworks and rugby. The district has a population of around 340,000 and is of mixed residential, industrial, and rural character. It is situated on the edge of Merseyside, between the open countryside of Cheshire to the south and Lancashire to the north.
Manchester City Centre is a short 23 miles from Whiston Hospital; accesses to motorway networks are a short 5-minute drive (including M62 and M6).
Both Whiston and St Helens Hospitals are within easy reach of the City of Liverpool (20 minutes by car), and access to motorway networks (including M62, M6, M57 and M58) is also convenient.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For more information regarding the main responsibilities and requirements essential for this role please refer to the supporting documents heading and review the job description and person specification which will outline the duties of the role including a proposed job plan.
St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
A £338 million (PFI) investment has re-built and modernised both Whiston and St Helens Hospitals, resulting in modern state of the art health care facilities for the treatment and care of patients. St Helens Hospital was completed in 2008 and Whiston Hospital in 2010. The hospitals include 887 inpatient beds with state-of-the-art CT and MRI facilities existing on both hospital sites. CT and MRI scanners at St Helens have also recently been upgraded including installation of a high field 3 Tesla MRI scanner. The DEXA scanner is also located at St Helens Hospital.
The Trust provides a full range of acute inpatient, outpatient, day case and emergency services to local communities of St Helens, Knowsley, parts of Halton and Liverpool. The Regional Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit also extends its services to the whole of Cheshire, Merseyside, North Wales, and the Isle of Man.
As a Trust, our aim is to provide a high-quality service to all patients. We strive to meet the best standards for professional care whilst being sensitive and responsive to the needs of individual patients. Our valued workforce is recognised for their unique skills and talents with our teams of experts winning national awards on a regular basis.
Whiston Hospital
Whiston Hospital a busy teaching hospital which provides a comprehensive range of acute Medical and Surgical Services, Emergency Services, Maternity Services, Paediatrics and Medicine for Older People. The Regional Burns and Plastic Surgery Units are also based on this site. There is a Critical Care Unit consisting of ICU, HDU, CCU and an onsite Cardiac Catheter Laboratory. The stroke consultants deliver 24/7 thrombolysis to eligible patients presenting with acute stroke. There is a 30-bed Stroke Unit which accommodates both acute stroke patients and those with rehabilitation needs.
St Helens Hospital
St Helens Hospital is an Ambulatory Care Centre providing Intermediate Care and Day Surgery. Rheumatology, Dermatology and Diabetes services are based on this site and within easy reach of other acute specialties at Whiston Hospital.
Life in Merseyside
Merseyside, which includes the great city of Liverpool, is within easy reach of North Wales, the Lake District and the Peak District and provides an interesting mix of rural and urban life.
Liverpool is a vibrant, music city which has undergone a renaissance in recent years and has recently been named European City of Culture.
High quality schools are available in Liverpool, Wirral and Rainhill areas. The area has many sports facilities including championship golf courses, several sailing clubs and one of the finest windsurfing venues in Britain. Merseysiders are renowned for their friendliness and quick-witted humour and the region sports two of the finest football teams in the Premier League.
The town of St Helens is renowned for its glassworks and rugby. The district has a population of around 340,000 and is of mixed residential, industrial, and rural character. It is situated on the edge of Merseyside, between the open countryside of Cheshire to the south and Lancashire to the north.
Manchester City Centre is a short 23 miles from Whiston Hospital; accesses to motorway networks are a short 5-minute drive (including M62 and M6).
Both Whiston and St Helens Hospitals are within easy reach of the City of Liverpool (20 minutes by car), and access to motorway networks (including M62, M6, M57 and M58) is also convenient.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Full GMC registration and on Specialist Register or within six months of receipt of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or equivalent at time of interview CESR candidates must have written GMC confirmation of successful application
- Medically qualified and possess FRCOphth or equivalent qualification
- MD/PHD or equivalent medical qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Broad experience of general ophthalmology
- Proficiency in small incision cataract surgery
- Fellowship experience in VR and/or MR
Other
Essential
Desirable
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Full GMC registration and on Specialist Register or within six months of receipt of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or equivalent at time of interview CESR candidates must have written GMC confirmation of successful application
- Medically qualified and possess FRCOphth or equivalent qualification
- MD/PHD or equivalent medical qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Broad experience of general ophthalmology
- Proficiency in small incision cataract surgery
- Fellowship experience in VR and/or MR
Other
Essential
Desirable
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
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).
