Job summary
- Main area
- Optometry
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 430-CC25-214A
- Employer
- Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Diabetic Retinopathy (Dept)
- Town
- Milton Keynes
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 04/08/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 11/08/2025
Employer heading
Diabetic Eye Screener
Band 4
MKUH staff scored highest for ‘I look forward to coming to work’ (NHS Staff Survey 2023).
You can expect a warm welcome at Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At MKUH we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
- Free on-site parking
- Free refreshments
- Great flexible working opportunities
- Discounted gym membership
- Lease car scheme
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- On site nursery (chargeable)
- Extensive staff health and well-being programme
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.
Job overview
Diabetic Eye Screener
Department: Diabetic Eye Screening
Band 4: £27,485 - £30,162 per annum
Full-time 37.5 hours per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
We are excited to announce a new opportunity for a Screener/Grader in our Diabetic Eye Screening Service. This role is a great opportunity for someone who wants to work in the community, raise awareness & improve patients screening journey.
This position offers an excellent opportunity for career advancement & the chance to make a meaningful impact on patient care within our expanding service. If you are passionate about diabetic eye screening & meet the qualifications, we encourage you to apply and become a valued member of our team.
We are a rapidly growing service, having recently won our tender bid & are committed to providing exceptional diabetic eye screening across the Bedford, Luton & Milton Keynes region (BLMK). Joining our team offers a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative and dynamic service, with significant opportunities for professional growth and development.
The primary location for this role is Milton Keynes Hospital, with travel required to surrounding areas to deliver community-based screening services.
Interview date: W/C 11.08.2025
Main duties of the job
The Diabetic Eye Screener/Grader is responsible for delivering screening clinics and accurately grading Digital retinal images to a secondary level. This role requires strong interpersonal skills and specialist clinical knowledge.
The post holder will carry out a range of clinical tasks including:
- Explaining procedures and obtaining informed consent
- Performing visual acuity tests
- Administering eye drops
- Capturing digital retinal images and OCT scans
- Grading retinal images to detect signs of diabetic retinopathy
- Monitoring grading queues to ensure timely result reporting and appropriate onward referrals
Screeners must hold a full UK driving license and be able to drive and transport screening equipment using their own vehicle to community venues across the Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzard areas. Clinics operate Monday to Friday, with one Saturday clinic and one late clinic (until 19:30) scheduled each month.
The post holder will provide care under the direct and indirect supervision of a Senior Screener/Grader and will be expected to develop proficiency and maintain all required competencies relevant to the role.
Working for our organisation
"We Care We Communicate We Collaborate We Contribute"
"70.2% of this staff group feel they are supported to work as a team as they are given clear feedback from their immediate managers and are equality supported with any problems they face by their managers". (NHS Staff Survey 2024).
You can expect a warm welcome at Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At MKUH we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
- Free on-site parking
- Free tea and coffee
- Great flexible working opportunities
- Discounted gym membership
- Lease car scheme
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- On site nursery (chargeable)
- Extensive staff health and well-being programme
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Main duties and responsibilities:
- Communicate clinic issues promptly with admin staff and the line manager.
- Liaise with IT support, software providers, and camera engineers when technical issues arise, recording and escalating as appropriate.
- Maintain patient confidentiality at all times in accordance with Data Protection legislation and Trust Information Governance policies.
- Provide and receive complex or sensitive information related to patient care, using appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
- Offer clear, empathetic explanations about diabetic eye disease and screening procedures, adapting language to suit the patient’s level of understanding.
- Report incidents, concerns, or accidents using the Trust’s incident reporting system (RADAR).
- Participate in team discussions, teaching sessions, and meetings with other departments.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouraging diversity and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.
MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.
By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.
Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.
Person specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential criteria
- Five GCSEs or equivalent
- Knowledge of photographic techniques
- To have/ work towards Level 3 NVQ or City & Guilds in Diabetic Eye Screening
- Previous knowledge of instilling eye drops, visual acuities and imaging of the eye
- Able to provide evidence of successful completion of substantial Test & Training sets (pass of >80%)
- Able to grade images at primary and secondary level in adherence to national standards
Desirable criteria
- OCT capture qualification
- An understanding of OCT interpretation
Experience
Essential criteria
- Working knowledge of the Diabetic Eye Screening Programme
- Competent in OCT capture.
- An excellent understanding and experience of Diabetic Eye Screening and knowledge of NDESP QA Standards and KPI
Skills
Essential criteria
- Strong analytical skills
- Computer literate, incl. Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook.
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
- Ability to cope with tight deadlines and competing priorities
- Well developed patient focus
- Flexible and pragmatic approach to problems and working practices
- Ability to develop strong working relationships and to motivate staff and others
- High levels of attention to detail
- Ability to deal with difficult/anxious people using tact and diplomacy
- Ability to resolve conflict and to maintain composure during times of extreme pressure
Personal and people development
Essential criteria
- Evidence of Continuous Professional Development
- Ability to build effective working relationships
- Able to cope with the demands of a busy environment
- Documenting actions accurately in clinic fully to allow for any follow up and ensure the safe outcome for the individual
- Able to concentrate for prolonged periods
- Flexible to changing needs of workload and workforce
- To identify own training and development needs
Communication
Essential criteria
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence others
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
Specific requirements
Essential criteria
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Able to obtain good quality OCT scans and retinal images.
- Full Driving Licence
- To work in community locations to deliver screening to the cohort of patients
- To use own car to carry screening equipment to community screening venues
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have regular contact with vulnerable people and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Kirsty Kirby
- Job title
- Programme Manager, Diabetic Eye Screening
- Email address
- [email protected]
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