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Job summary

Main area
Orthoptists
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Contract
Fixed term: 12 months (Maternity cover)
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
37.5 hours per week (Mon to Fri 8.45 - 17.00 (minimum 4 days working week))
Job ref
273-DC-7417720
Employer
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Town
LONDON
Salary
£64,156 - £71,148 per annum incl. HCAS
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
31/08/2025 23:59
Interview date
15/09/2025

Employer heading

NHS

Orthoptist Principal - Site Lead

NHS AfC: Band 8a

 

YOU MAKE US MORE

Join Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

At Moorfields, people’s sight matters—and so do the people who make it possible.

For over 200 years, Moorfields has been at the forefront of ophthalmic care, research, and education. With more than 2,300 dedicated team members and over 700,000 patients seen annually across our City Road site and 22 networked sites, we are proud to be a global centre of excellence.

We're also a vibrant community where kindness, equity and excellence shape every aspect of our work. Whether it’s pioneering research through our partnership with UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre or training the next generation of global eye care leaders, we’re united by one mission—delivering world-class eye health, sustainably and at scale.

And we’re just getting started.

Construction is well underway on our groundbreaking new centre in Camden, a joint initiative between Moorfields Eye Hospital, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity This modern, flexible facility will bring together eye care, research, and education under one roof—enabling transformative innovation and collaboration like never before.

Could you be part of this future? Make us more.

Job overview

Are you a forward-thinking and dynamic Orthoptist ready to make take that next step? We're seeking a talented individual to join our team and help shape the future of Orthoptic services at Moorfields Eye Hospital.

As an Orthoptist with us, you'll have the opportunity to support our Ealing clinical site teams while contributing to the growth and development of Orthoptic services across our organisation. This is a fixed term role covering maternity leave (anticipated start date Jan 2026). 

Working closely with the Orthoptic senior leadership team and under the guidance of the Head of Orthoptics, you'll play a pivotal role in overseeing clinical, managerial, and governance processes.

Alongside these responsibilities, you'll also maintain a highly specialised clinical role, allowing you to continue use your high developed clinical skills while making a difference in the lives of our patients.

Main duties of the job

  • The Orthoptist Principal is responsible for the day to day running of the Orthoptic service including community clinics at Moorfields Eye Centre at Ealing Hospital as part of the overall Orthoptic strategy for the trust.
  • The post holder will conduct the appraisals for the Orthoptic staff based at Ealing
  • The post holder will develop the role of the Orthoptist at that site and will be responsible for the development of services provided by the Orthoptic service in collaboration with the Head Orthoptist, operational and divisional management team at that site.
  • The post holder will personally deliver a wide range of highly specialised clinical services as an autonomous practitioner and to participate in clinical audit, teaching and research.

Working for our organisation

At Moorfields, we provide more than just an excellent career and great colleagues to work with.  We also offer:

  • Salary including High-Cost Area Supplement
  • Opportunity to join the NHS Pension Scheme
  • Free 24/7 independent counselling service
  • Learning and development opportunities
  • Easy and quick transport links
  • A range of attractive benefits and discounts
  • Access to Blue Light Card and other NHS Discount Schemes
  • Free Pilates classes
  • Full support and training to develop your skills
  • Flexible working friendly organisation

And so much more!  To see the full range of benefits we offer please see our Moorfields benefits document.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

There is a full job description and specification attached to this advert. 

Clinical leadership, responsible for:

  • For the delivery and management of the Orthoptic service at Moorfields Eye Centre, Ealing Hospital ensuring the delivery of high quality, timely care.
  • Constantly strive to improve levels of clinical productivity and support local and organisational performance targets.
  • Support improved partnership working between external and internal agencies to deliver common patient / client pathway.
  • Maintain a daily, high clinical profile supporting core and specialist services within the Orthoptic department.
  • Provide clinical leadership for Orthoptists working across a comprehension range of core services at Ealing Hospital.
  • Line manage Orthoptists to include annual appraisals, in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.
  • Work collaboratively with Head Orthoptist, divisional team, service directors and local operational manager in the development and implementation of the strategic direction of the clinical speciality and the Trust shared objectives.
  • Ensuring the implementation of local, national and Trust quality improvement initiatives and the Trusts quality prioritises.
  • Accountable for ensuring that Specialist and Advanced Orthoptist adhere to their lead roles and responsibilities at Ealing site in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.

Person specification

Clinical experience and knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Significant postgraduate experience in core and sub-speciality clinics
  • Advanced theortical knowledge and managing patients
  • Knowledge and experience of clinical matters beyond direct clinical care

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Orthoptic degree / diploma recognised by HCPC
  • Post-graduate training plus further training relevant to sub-speciality practice
  • Teaching qualification

Audit experience and knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Ability to plan and organise complex activities e.g. supervise and present clinical audits
  • Ability to provide education, teaching and training in research and audit across a range of stakeholders

Experience & Skills

Essential criteria
  • Highly organise with the ability to manage conflicting deadlines and workload
  • High degree of understanding statistical processes and outputs
  • Ability to work independently
  • Ability to communicate across a wide spectrum of stakeholders e.g. patients, relatives, staff at all levels
  • Excellent communication skills - written, verbal and in electronic form
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of line management e.g. conducting appraisals, leading a team, mentoring, supervision

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Capital Nurse, LondonVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peoplePathway to excellenceCare quality commission - GoodMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident committedRNIBArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Kelly MacKenzie
Job title
Head of Orthoptics
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
077 5209 6761
Additional information

Emma Bock

Principal Orthoptist - Site lead for Ealing

Tel: 020 7566 2163

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