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Job summary

Main area
Orthoptics
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Fixed term: 5 months (All existing NHS staff will only be considered on a secondment basis. Role can be job shared.)
Hours
  • Part time
  • Job share
30 sessions per week (Specified days in line with service need.)
Job ref
190-1941-DIR
Employer
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Town
Sheffield
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 pa/pro rata for part time staff
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
04/10/2026 23:59
Interview date
13/10/2026

Employer heading

NHS

Highly Specialist Orthoptist

NHS AfC: Band 7

We are committed to helping our staff balance their work and home lives and ensure they feel supported, valued and appreciated so whilst you care for our patients and clients, we’ll take care of you. We offer many different ways of helping staff including career development opportunities, flexible working, good annual leave and pension schemes , health and wellbeing packages and financial support systems. Joining the Trust also allows you access to a number of saving options via our salary sacrifice schemes and a wide range of discount opportunities with retailers and service providers.

Job overview

Join our team and play a key role in delivering and developing our specialist Neuro-Orthoptic Service, providing expert, evidence-based care to complex patients while supporting, leading and developing colleagues within a friendly, collaborative and forward-thinking Orthoptic team.

Main duties of the job

To lead and deliver a high-quality, evidence-based Neuro-Orthoptic service, providing highly specialised assessment, diagnosis and management to patients across a wide range of complex ophthalmic, neurological and medical conditions, including tertiary referrals. The role provides clinical and professional leadership to the Neuro-Orthoptic team, including training, supervision, audit and quality improvement, while supporting the Orthoptic Professional Service Manager with the operational management and development of the wider Orthoptic service. The postholder works autonomously and collaboratively with Ophthalmologists and the wider multidisciplinary team, provides specialist clinical advice, manages dedicated Neuro-Orthoptic clinics, and contributes to extended roles within the scope of practice and Agenda for Change banding.

Working for our organisation

You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its employees. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.

This vacancy is advertised on a fixed term contract basis for a period of a maximum of five months due to maternity leave of the substantive post holder. The fixed term contract status of the post holder will be reviewed in accordance with the Trust's legal obligations regarding fixed term contracts and statutory maternity provisions.

Please note all existing NHS staff will only be considered on a secondment basis. This must first be agreed with your current line manager.

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.

When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.

Person specification

Education & Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Orthoptics BMedSci OR . BSc (Hons) Orthoptics OR . Orthoptics BSc (Hons) OR . Diploma from British Orthoptic Council (DBO)
  • To be registered with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Postgraduate plus further training relevant to sub-specialist practice e.g. higher degree e.g. MSc OR . Relevant short courses and experience to a Masters level
  • Accredited clinical tutors’ course
Desirable criteria
  • Role of clinical advisor or active involvement in a BIOS extended role clinical advisory group
  • Post masters experience in specialist area developing advanced clinical skills and leadership
  • Leadership qualification
  • Medical exemptions for Orthoptists

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Advanced clinical practice, both in theory and practical knowledge in a range of clinical areas, particularly in neuro-orthoptics
  • Knowledge and experience of clinical matters beyond direct clinical role
  • Significant advanced clinical experience in assessment & management of patients with active and sight-threatening disease across multiple areas of specialist clinical practice
  • Evidence of on-going commitment to continuing professional development following BIOS/HCPC guidelines.
  • Visual field examination and interpretation
  • Experience of clinical teaching of Orthoptics.
  • IT skills

Skills & Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • To be approachable and maintain an excellent rapport with colleagues
  • Good verbal and written communication skills with adults, carers, parents and children, students and all staff disciplines.
  • Evidence of working successfully as part of a multidisciplinary team and independently.
  • Ability to produce written reports
Desirable criteria
  • Skilled in use of slit lamp, optic disc imaging and interpretation of visual fields results, or other ophthalmic investigations usually carried out by specialist medical staff
  • Experience of research and development activities
  • Experience undertaking and presenting audit

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria
  • Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills; ability to communicate complex, sensitive and potentially conflicting information to patients and other stakeholders in an appropriate manner independent of their level of understanding
  • Leadership, organisational and negotiating skills
  • Ability to use initiative and quickly interpret complex and potentially conflicting clinical information
  • Capable of performing sustained high intensity work in a pressurised clinical environment
  • Skills of persuasion
  • Possesses precise, fine-motor physical examination skills
  • Works well autonomously
  • Self-motivated
  • Conscientious
  • Enthusiastic
  • Excellent time management

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - SilverMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStep into healthStonewall Proud Employers Accreditation is a benchmarking scheme that helps employers assess and improve LGBTQ+ inclusion at work. Trailblazer status recognises organisations leading change with outstanding commitment and impact.

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
Martin Rhodes
Job title
Orthoptic Professional Service Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
0114 2712965
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