Job summary
- Main area
- Optometry
- Grade
- Band 7 (Indicative)
- Contract
- Fixed term: 9 months (Maternity Cover)
- Hours
- Part time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 265-7741159-SUR
- Employer
- Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Northampton General Hospital
- Town
- Northampton
- Salary
- £47,810 - £54,710 per annum / pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/03/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Specialist Optometrist
Band 7 (Indicative)
Job overview
We are looking to hire a Specialist Optometrist to join our team for a fixed contract to cover maternity here at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust. This is a part-time position, working 15 hours per week.
You will work closely with other Optometrists and Health Care Professionals in order to deliver and develop a comprehensive range of core optometric services to the highest standards of quality and care.
Work as an autonomous practitioner in providing optometric and ophthalmological assessment, diagnosis and management of patients of all ages, and those who have varying communication skills.
There will opportunity and support for professional and career development within the hospital setting.
Main duties of the job
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To work closely with the Ophthalmologists and Orthoptists to develop and deliver core and specialist optometry services to the highest standards of quality and care.
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To maintain and manage own caseload of complex patients
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Undertake clinical audit and research in line with clinical governance standards.
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Provide clinical supervision to medical students, junior doctors and postgraduate and undergraduate optometry students within the department.
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Provide postgraduate teaching and training for multiple disciplines within the ophthalmology department
Working for our organisation
Please submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close adverts once we have received sufficient applications
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust is on an exciting journey with all of our divisions committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN). As part of this collaborative approach, there may be a requirement for you to work across both the Kettering and Northampton hospital sites, depending on the needs of the service.
Our Excellence Values
- Compassion
- Accountability
- Respect
- Integrity
- Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across UHN and help to unleash everyone's full potential.
UHN encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Silver Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for UHN.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical
1. To work with the Paediatric Ophthalmology clinics, working with patients of all ages and abilities including those with additional needs, making appropriate management and prescribing decisions in the patients’ best interests. These clinics include performing cycloplegic refractions and routine ophthalmoscopic assessments, using specialist equipment such as head-mounted biomicroscopes.
2. To preform accurate subjective refraction for paediatric and adult patients and adult patients of all ages and abilities including patients with additional needs, making appropriate management and prescribing decisions in the patients’ best interests to support other clinics, such as corneal specialities and when managing refractive outcomes of other forms of surgery.
3. To work alongside consultants in specialist clinics such as blurred disc, glaucoma, eye casualty and paediatric ophthalmology clinics in the assessment of pathology. This includes being able to conduct thorough and comprehensive assessments, interpret a range of clinical data and develop management plans for the best treatment and/or intervention required.
4. To perform corneal topography on patients when required, be able to interpret results and initiate onward referral if required.
5. To work independently in hospital and community based paediatric clinics providing specialist optometric care, management and primary diagnosis of a range of paediatric ophthalmic conditions and refractive presentations imparting difficult news to parents and relatives in a sensitive manner.
6. To undertake extended role clinics requiring specialist knowledge, experience and further qualifications to comply with local and national guidance and to manage own caseload of patients within these roles. This will involve working under the guidance of a specialist and acquiring skills beyond the scope of practice of a primary care optometrist.
7. To support the delivery of virtual clinics for the relevant specialties.
8. To effectively and professionally carry out management plans for patients, including dictation of referral and discharge letters to other specialties and professionals.
Audit and Teaching
1. To complete mandatory training and organisation of nationally approved training sessions to provide CPD necessary for registration.
2. To undertake clinical audit of optometry services and be responsible for implementing improvements recommended.
Professional
1. To maintain own professional (GOC) registration and participate in accredited CPD programmes to allow this.
This job description outlines the current main responsibilities of the post. However the duties of the post may change and develop over time and this job description may, therefore be amended in consultation with the post holder.
Person specification
Educations, Training and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Degree/Diploma in Optometry
- Registered with GOC
- Competencies in Paediatrics
Desirable criteria
- Member of College of Optometrists
- Minimum of 2 years demonstrable post-qualification experience (in any setting) in line with industry requirements for undertaking independent qualifications, should the candidate with to pursue this.
- Masters/Phd in Optometry
- Accredited teaching qualification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience and interest in carrying out paediatric cycloplegic and subjective refractions and fundus examinations
- Knowledge of a range of ophthalmic conditions treated in paediatric ophthalmology
- Substantial demonstrable previous clinical experience with highly complex paediatric cases
- Hospital Optometry Experience
- Managerial experience, clinical/administrative duties
- Unsupervised work
- Evidence of Professional Development
- Hospital Optometry Experience, including experience in medical contact lenses
- Experience of working with patients with special needs
Desirable criteria
- Previous work with students/ mentorship
- Participation in department research and audit
- Service development
Skills
Essential criteria
- Good communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills with particular ability to liaise effectively with multidisciplinary team members
- Must be able to work effectively in a team environment
- Must be self-motivated and have the ability to analyse clinical data and formulate management plans
- Dealing with angry upset patients in a non-confrontational manner
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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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
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Vicki Sandford
- Job title
- Head Orthoptist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01604 545471
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