Skip to main content
Please wait, loading

Job summary

Main area
Ophthalmology
Grade
Locum Consultant
Contract
Fixed term: 12 months (part-time)
Hours
Part time - 6.5 sessions per week
Job ref
213-MED-DH-8355725
Employer
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Queen Mary's Hospital
Town
Sidcup
Salary
£113,565 - £150,569 per annum excl London Zone Allowance.
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
15/11/2026 23:59

Employer heading

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust logo

Locum Consultant Ophthalmologist with Special Interest in Paediatrics

Locum Consultant

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£2.1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 14,000 staff based across 5 main sites in South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King’s College Hospital (KCH) sites at Denmark Hill in Camberwell and at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) site in the London Borough of Bromley.

We encourage all our staff to have a healthy work/life balance. In doing so, you can apply for flexible working from the beginning of your employment. We offer a range of options which are designed to suit different circumstances and priorities in line with service requirements. 

flexible-working

Job overview

This is a replacement Locum Consultant post. The remit of the post holder will be to work within the multi–disciplinary team providing and continuing to develop ophthalmic care for paediatric patients.  The post holder will also be expected to provide care for motility related presentations in both adult and paediatric patients. In addition, the individual will be required to play an active role in the general workload of the Care Group while having a significant commitment to teaching and training of junior staff (medical and non-medical).

Main duties of the job

The post will be primarily based at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup with surgery lists taken place and the Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington, though there is potential to support any of King’s sites as appropriate. Main ROP responsibilities will take place at Queen Elizabeth Woolwich there may also be the requirement to support ROP screening at any of the sites Kings cover (e.g. Kings at Denmark Hill, The Princess Royal University Hospital, University Hospital Lewisham) to cover leave. The proposed Job Plan is attached. This is subject to review within 3 months of the post holder commencing in post.

 

The main remit of this post is to provide specialist Consultant leadership, expertise and support to the paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus services provided at King’s College Hospital’s South Sites. As a tertiary centre the service receives referrals from throughout the region in particular for management of ROP which the post holder will be expected to deliver. There will also be a commitment to developing community based paediatric ophthalmology services, with involvement in training, supervision and virtual case review. In addition the post may involve performing high volume cataract surgery

 

 

Working for our organisation

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. In June 2026, we launched our new strategy for 2026-31. Our vision is to transform healthcare, and we have agreed six strategic ambitions to help us improve care for patients, and the working lives of our staff. 

Our six strategic ambitions are delivering high-quality patient care; creating a great place to work; leading pioneering research, innovation and education; building strong and successful partnerships; providing timely and efficient care; and ensuring long-term financial sustainability. 

We have also agreed four new organisational values – Caring, Collaborative, Inclusive, Innovative – and these underpin everything we do, and how our teams interact with the patients under our care.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

11.            Together with other colleagues, to provide a high quality care service to patients.  This includes all aspects of treatment and relevant management duties for the proper functioning of the Care Group.

22.            Shared responsibility with other colleagues for providing 24 hours, 7 days a week cover for the Unit on a rota basis.  Responsible also for covering colleagues’ periods of annual leave and short-term sickness as detailed in your contract.

33.            Provide clinical supervision of junior medical/dental practitioners as a shared responsibility with other consultant colleagues.

44.            Responsible for carrying out teaching, examination and accreditation duties as required and contributing to CPD and clinical governance initiatives.

55.            Responsible for outpatient clinic commitments in peripheral hospitals as agreed with the Care Group’s management team where part of the service structure.

66.            Contribute to the Care Group’s research interests in accordance with the Trust’s R&D framework.

77.            Contribute to the audit programmes, Morbidity and Mortality, Clinical Governance programmes and Learning from Deaths.

88.            Take an active role in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of the Care Group’s Business Plan.  This may include assisting with discussions regarding service plans and developments with internal and external agencies.

99.            Conduct all activities within the contracted level of service and operating plan for service(s). 

110.          Exercise professional leadership for all staff working in the specialty.  This will include fostering and developing projects focused towards these ends and ensuring that the momentum of post-qualification professional education and other appropriate training is maintained.

 

111.          Work in conjunction with clinical and other professional colleagues to ensure that the productivity of staff within the specialty is maintained and their job satisfaction is enhanced.  This may include involvement in the appraisal process for peers and/or junior colleagues.

112.          Undertake Care Group management duties as agreed with the Care Group/Departmental Manager/Clinical Director.

113.          Be aware of, and comply with, all Trust infection prevention and control policies, to include hand hygiene, personal hygiene, environmental and food hygiene. 

114.          Prepare for and undertake the protective interventions that you are responsible for in a manner that is consistent with evidence-based practice and maintaining patient safety.

115.          King’s is committed to providing Consultant led 7-day services and in the event of future developments the post holder would be expected to contribute equally with other Consultant colleagues.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registerable medical qualification
  • Full Registration with GMC
  • Name on GMC Specialist Register on date of taking up appointment
  • On the day of interview applicants must be within 6 months of CCT, in final stages of their portfolio pathway application, or be fully registered on the GMC Specialist Register. Any applications not meeting these criteria will not be considered.
Desirable criteria
  • Other higher degree or diploma (e.g., MD)

Training and Experience

Essential criteria
  • Wide experience in all aspects of Ophthalmology, culminating in award of Certificate of Completion of Training by GMC, or completed portfolio pathway application
  • Advanced subspecialty training in paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus
Desirable criteria
  • Competence in performing high volume and complex cataract surgery

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Familiarity with information technology and general computer skills
  • Able to demonstrate leadership capability within multi-disciplinary teams
  • Thorough understanding of principles of medical audit.
  • Able to demonstrate an understanding of Kings Values
  • Effective communicator, able to work in a close-knit team and co-operate with all medical and paramedical staff
  • Ability to treat retinopathy of prematurity
Desirable criteria
  • Competence in performing high volume and complex cataract surgery

Administration

Essential criteria
  • Experience in day-to-day organisation of Ophthalmology services in a busy Teaching Hospital
  • Familiarity with information technology and general computer skills
  • Familiar with current structure of UK National Health Service and conversant with recent initiatives and changes

Management and Leadership

Essential criteria
  • Able to demonstrate leadership capability within multi-disciplinary teams
Desirable criteria
  • Management course and/or qualification

Audit and Quality Improvement

Essential criteria
  • Thorough understanding of principles of medical audit.
  • Must have undertaken and completed audit projects.

Research and Publications

Essential criteria
  • Experience of clinical research.
  • Experience of clinical research.
Desirable criteria
  • Relevant research experience in one or more aspects of Ophthalmology

Teaching

Essential criteria
  • Experience of undergraduate and post-graduate teaching and exam preparation.
Desirable criteria
  • Teaching skills course/qualification

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Capital Nurse, LondonApprenticeships logoAge positiveArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Mindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStep into healthOne NHS Finance

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.

Application numbers

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Eoin O'Sullivan
Job title
Consultant Ophthalmologist and Clinical Director
Email address
eoin.o'[email protected]
Telephone number
07715377545
Additional information

Bill Hartigan

Medical Staffing Manager (Ophthalmology)

[email protected]

Apply online nowAlert me to similar vacancies