Job summary
Are you a Medical Retina Specialist Practitioner and/or Intravitreal therapy injector looking for the next step in your career?
The Ophthalmology service at Hywel Dda has opened its first Band 7 Medical Retina Specialist Practitioner post aimed at Nurses, Optometrists or Orthoptists who already have some experience and interest in the field, to develop further and support the development of the service.
This role will involve some direct management elements, providing scope for development in that field as well. The successful applicant will also play a role in the development of regional services, helping to shape the excellent services we aspire to provide as a South West region in the future.
The successful candidate will be expected to travel across the Health Board on a regular basis to support the service where it is delivered.
Main duties of the job
For a comprehensive list of what the role entails, please review the attached job description. Please note these duties are an aspiration as to what the successful candidate will be doing as part of their role, not what they are already able to deliver at the point of the interview. Training will be supported as part of the job.
The role includes:
Use specialised motor skills in the assessment of ophthalmic conditions, including the use of slit-lamp to examine the anterior and posterior segments of the eye (e.g. fundoscopy, Goldmann applanation tonometry, gonioscopy). This will require a high degree of precision and hand-eye coordination in a timely manner in busy ophthalmology settings.
Use specialised motor skills to deliver treatments in the form of eye injections andinjectable implants.
Use specialist knowledge to interpret a variety of macular scans, such as ocular coherence tomography scans, fluorescein angiograms, fundus auto-fluorescence, etc.
Identify patients in need of referral onto other specialty clinics when ocular co-morbidities are noted, e.g. glaucoma team, orthoptic team, vitreoretinal team, corneal team.
Act as an advocate for the patient providing support and advice to patients and family/carer.
Provide expert advice to colleagues, patients and carers as required, aiming to promote health and independence, and prevent disease.
About us
Hywel Dda University Health Board is the planner and provider of NHS healthcare services for people in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and its bordering counties. Our 12,000 members of staff provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services to almost 400,000 people across a quarter of the landmass of Wales. We do this in partnership with our three local authorities and public, private and third sector colleagues, including our volunteers, through:
Four main hospitals: Bronglais General in Aberystwyth, Glangwili General in Carmarthen, Prince Philip in Llanelli and Withybush General in Haverfordwest.
Five community hospitals: Amman Valley Hospital and Llandovery Hospital in Carmarthenshire, Tregaron Hospital in Ceredigion and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Pembrokeshire.
Two integrated care centres (Aberaeron and Cardigan, Ceredigion).
Community facilities, including:
48 General Practices (GP surgeries), 49 Dental Practices, 98 Community Pharmacies (chemists), 44 General Ophthalmic Practices (including eye health and low vision services), 38 sites providing mental health and learning disability services, care within your own homes
Highly specialised and tertiary services commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, a joint committee representing seven health boards across Wales.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Interviews will be held on 23/06/25
The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.
The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Interviews will be held on 23/06/25
The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.
The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Degree or equivalent in nursing, orthoptics or optometry.
- Current registration with relevant professional body (NMC, HCPC, or GOC, respectively).
- Post Graduate Certificate in Medical Retina or Advanced/Specialist Practitioner Portfolio
- Evidence of training to Master's level.
- Knowledge of the research process
Desirable
- Independent prescriber qualification
- Management qualification
- Teaching and assessing qualification or equivalent
- Supervisory qualification or experience
- Leadership experience/qualification
Experience
Essential
- Experience working in a medical retina / intravitreal therapy clinic setting
- Ability to diagnose, assess and manage medical retina patients using highly specialised equipment.
- Ability to work autonomously
- Ability to deal with own highly complex caseload
- Ability to provide supervisory management.
- Experience of supervising junior staff
- Ability to conduct clinical audits.
Desirable
- Able to perform fundoscopy independently
- Experience of participating in service development
- Evidence of participation in research
- Managerial experience
- Experience in extended roles, such as laser treatment provision
- Experience participating in recruitment and selection.
Language skills
Desirable
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Degree or equivalent in nursing, orthoptics or optometry.
- Current registration with relevant professional body (NMC, HCPC, or GOC, respectively).
- Post Graduate Certificate in Medical Retina or Advanced/Specialist Practitioner Portfolio
- Evidence of training to Master's level.
- Knowledge of the research process
Desirable
- Independent prescriber qualification
- Management qualification
- Teaching and assessing qualification or equivalent
- Supervisory qualification or experience
- Leadership experience/qualification
Experience
Essential
- Experience working in a medical retina / intravitreal therapy clinic setting
- Ability to diagnose, assess and manage medical retina patients using highly specialised equipment.
- Ability to work autonomously
- Ability to deal with own highly complex caseload
- Ability to provide supervisory management.
- Experience of supervising junior staff
- Ability to conduct clinical audits.
Desirable
- Able to perform fundoscopy independently
- Experience of participating in service development
- Evidence of participation in research
- Managerial experience
- Experience in extended roles, such as laser treatment provision
- Experience participating in recruitment and selection.
Language skills
Desirable
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).
