East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Senior Clinical Fellow in Ophthalmology

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

The post holder will be expected to work closely with colleagues and management in developing the ability of the department to respond to operational pressures together with clinical governance and longer-term service strategies.

Proposed Outline Job Plan for the post holder will include as a minimum 1 theatre session, 1 admin, 1 audit/study plus specialty/general clinics and laser sessions dependent on your level of competence and the subspecialty.

The successful applicant will be required to participate in medical and clinical audit arrangements in the Trust.

On Call Arrangements

The post holder will be required to participate in a 1 in 7 on call rota.

Administrative Arrangements

The successful applicant will have access to office accommodation and secretarial support.

The post holder will have a named Mentor within the Directorate.

Continuing Professional Development and Research

The post holder would be expected to develop and maintain a programme of continuing professional development in accordance with the recommendations of the NHS and the Royal College of Ophthalmology. The post holder would also be expected to contribute to the research output in the department, and support current ongoing projects during his/her research sessions.

Main duties of the job

Introduction & Background

The successful applicant will join a Consultant led clinical team covering all aspects of Ophthalmology services. This is a fixed term post for 24 months.

The Eye Unit provides a comprehensive Ophthalmology service with a catchment area of approximately 521,000 people.

The service encompasses of outpatient clinics (conducted at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General Teaching Hospitals), an emergency eye service at Burnley General Teaching Hospital and a dedicated twin theatre suite based on the Burnley site. In addition, we have outreach clinics at Accrington, Rossendale and Clitheroe. The medical team includes Consultants, Associate Specialists, Specialty Doctors, Staff Grades and also trainees at ST 1 - 6 level. There is a subspecialty lead structure in place. The current medical staff is as follows:

Mr Bertie Fernando

Clinical Director (Eyelid, Lacrimal and Oculoplastics)

Mrs Rajitha Ajit

Consultant (Eyelid, Lacrimal and Oculoplastics)

Mr Hasan Usmani

Consultant (Glaucoma and cornea)

Ms Salwa Abugreen

Consultant (Medical Retina)

Mrs Mey Mohan

Consultant (Paediatrics)

Mr Chintan Sanghvi

Consultant (Diabetes and Medical Retina)

Mr Philip David

Consultant (Surgical Retina)

Mr Vikas Shankar

Consultant (Glaucoma)

About us

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust was formed in 2003 from the merger of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust and the Burnley Hospitals NHS Trust. East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust provides a caring service to a population of approximately 520,000.

Services are provided from two main sites, the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and Burnley General Teaching Hospital.The Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and Phase V at Burnley General Teaching Hospital are significant PFI developments.

In 2006 a service reconfiguration, 'meeting patients needs' was implemented which resulted in the Blackburn site becoming the centre for all acute services in East Lancashire. The ED at Blackburn is the only ED for East Lancashire and since 2012 has become a Trauma Unit in the Lancashire Trauma network with the trauma centre at the Royal Preston Hospital. The ED is supported by Urgent Care Centres at Blackburn and Burnley and a Minor Injuries Unit at Accrington.

Burnley is the site for the East Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre with an in-patient obstetric unit. There is a midwife led birthing unit off the Hospital site in Blackburn

In 2012 the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital was designated as one of the Lancashire Vascular Centres.

The Trust has close links with a number of Tertiary Centres in Lancashire, Manchester and Liverpool.

Details

Date posted

18 March 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Doctor - other

Salary

£61,825 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

24 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

435-MQ22-25

Job locations

Royal Blackburn Hospital

Haslingden Road

Blackburn

BB23HH


Job description

Job responsibilities

The medical team work closely with the nursing team and also with a range of technical, orthoptic and optometrist staff who offer support with visual field tests, OCT, photography, Glaucoma screening, follow up and other extended clinical roles.

Outpatient Department (RBH)

The outpatient department is a purpose built unit consisting of clinic rooms with state of the art computer and digital dictation equipment. There are dedicated rooms for visual field assessment, orthoptic assessment, OCT, FFA, Pascal, SLT and YAG Laser, Intravitreal injections and Minor Operations.

Clinics

A variety of general and specialist clinics take place. These include Cataract, Medical Retina, Cornea, Diabetic Eye Disease, Macular, Glaucoma, Paediatric Ophthalmology, Oculoplastics and Intravitreal injections. In addition there are Nurse led A&E, Cataract, Glaucoma and Intravitreal injection clinics.

The Unit also runs an emergency service based at Burnley General Teaching Hospital.

Surgery

The Unit performs around 4,686 operations a year of which a significant proportion are Phacoemulsification procedures, the vast majority of which are undertaken under topical anesthesia. In addition there is a well-established Vitreo-Retinal, Oculoplastic, Paediatric and Corneal Transplantation, Glaucoma and medical retina service.

There are two dedicated Ophthalmic theatres with modern microsurgical facilities, two Infinity Phacoemulsification machines and an constellation machine that was recently acquired for Vitreoretinal surgery.

The strategic aims of the Ophthalmology Department are:

  1. To provide up-to-date, friendly and efficient care in areas of general ophthalmology and to facilitate referral to specialist care as appropriate.

  1. To keep waiting times for outpatient and inpatient care within the Trust guidelines.

  1. To work with NICE, CCG, or local guidelines for the best provision of care within established financial boundaries

  1. To meet standards set out in government directives e.g. "Action on Cataracts", and to formulate and follow pathways formulated for such purpose .

Job description

Job responsibilities

The medical team work closely with the nursing team and also with a range of technical, orthoptic and optometrist staff who offer support with visual field tests, OCT, photography, Glaucoma screening, follow up and other extended clinical roles.

Outpatient Department (RBH)

The outpatient department is a purpose built unit consisting of clinic rooms with state of the art computer and digital dictation equipment. There are dedicated rooms for visual field assessment, orthoptic assessment, OCT, FFA, Pascal, SLT and YAG Laser, Intravitreal injections and Minor Operations.

Clinics

A variety of general and specialist clinics take place. These include Cataract, Medical Retina, Cornea, Diabetic Eye Disease, Macular, Glaucoma, Paediatric Ophthalmology, Oculoplastics and Intravitreal injections. In addition there are Nurse led A&E, Cataract, Glaucoma and Intravitreal injection clinics.

The Unit also runs an emergency service based at Burnley General Teaching Hospital.

Surgery

The Unit performs around 4,686 operations a year of which a significant proportion are Phacoemulsification procedures, the vast majority of which are undertaken under topical anesthesia. In addition there is a well-established Vitreo-Retinal, Oculoplastic, Paediatric and Corneal Transplantation, Glaucoma and medical retina service.

There are two dedicated Ophthalmic theatres with modern microsurgical facilities, two Infinity Phacoemulsification machines and an constellation machine that was recently acquired for Vitreoretinal surgery.

The strategic aims of the Ophthalmology Department are:

  1. To provide up-to-date, friendly and efficient care in areas of general ophthalmology and to facilitate referral to specialist care as appropriate.

  1. To keep waiting times for outpatient and inpatient care within the Trust guidelines.

  1. To work with NICE, CCG, or local guidelines for the best provision of care within established financial boundaries

  1. To meet standards set out in government directives e.g. "Action on Cataracts", and to formulate and follow pathways formulated for such purpose .

Person Specification

Registration

Essential

  • Registered with GMC

Education

Essential

  • MB BS or equivalent
  • Specialist Training (or equivalent) in Ophthalmology

Desirable

  • Diploma in Ophthalmology or Higher Degree
  • Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (or equivalent)
  • Experience in glaucoma

Experiance

Essential

  • 2-3 years as an Ophthalmic SHO or equivalent
  • 4 years as Ophthalmic Registrar/ST or equivalent
  • experience of working in an emergency setting/eye clinic
  • Broad general ophthalmic training
  • Good surgical skills including independent cataract surgery

Desirable

  • Research experience
  • Surgical experience at Registrar/ST level
  • Subspecialty interest- glaucoma
Person Specification

Registration

Essential

  • Registered with GMC

Education

Essential

  • MB BS or equivalent
  • Specialist Training (or equivalent) in Ophthalmology

Desirable

  • Diploma in Ophthalmology or Higher Degree
  • Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (or equivalent)
  • Experience in glaucoma

Experiance

Essential

  • 2-3 years as an Ophthalmic SHO or equivalent
  • 4 years as Ophthalmic Registrar/ST or equivalent
  • experience of working in an emergency setting/eye clinic
  • Broad general ophthalmic training
  • Good surgical skills including independent cataract surgery

Desirable

  • Research experience
  • Surgical experience at Registrar/ST level
  • Subspecialty interest- glaucoma

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Royal Blackburn Hospital

Haslingden Road

Blackburn

BB23HH


Employer's website

http://jobs.elht.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Royal Blackburn Hospital

Haslingden Road

Blackburn

BB23HH


Employer's website

http://jobs.elht.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Director for Ophthalmology

Mr Bertie Fernando

bertie.fernando@elht.nhs.uk

01282805252

Details

Date posted

18 March 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Doctor - other

Salary

£61,825 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

24 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

435-MQ22-25

Job locations

Royal Blackburn Hospital

Haslingden Road

Blackburn

BB23HH


Supporting documents

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