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Job summary

Main area
Ophthalmology
Grade
Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
203-EL1024
Employer
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Warwick Hospital
Town
Warwick
Salary
£55,690 - £62,682 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
29/01/2026 23:59
Interview date
09/02/2026

Employer heading

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust logo

Lead Optometrist

Band 8a

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust is one of the top performing organisations within the NHS. Our staff think this is a great place to work and we hope you will agree. We have recently been rated as 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following our most recent inspection.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the whole county. This includes our Community Teams in North Warwickshire.

We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity. Over 6000 people work for the Trust and many of them have been here a long time. People find they don’t need to go elsewhere to find a fulfilling career in healthcare. 

The first thing you will notice about us is how we take our values seriously. We believe that our values underpin everything we do. If you are interested in a role with us you need to make sure our values match your own.

Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are ‘Trusted to provide inclusive, safe, effective and compassionate care’. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn’t matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks

Many of the roles we advertise have a requirement for a DBS check to be carried out. If you are successful for a role and it requires a DBS check the Trust will carry out the initial check and subscription to the DBS Update Service, however successful candidates will be expected to cover the associated costs . Details of this will be sent to successful candidates in their offer letter.

Probationary Period

All new staff to the Trust will be subject to a standard 6 month probationary period, the details of which will duly follow in your contract of employment.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust is committed to creating and sustaining a positive and inclusive working environment for all our employees. Our aim is to ensure that employees are equally valued and respected and that our organisation is representative of all members of society. We define diversity as valuing everyone as an individual – we value our employees, job applicants, students, patients and visitors as people. This is reflected within our values of being Inclusive, Safe, Effective, Compassionate and Trusted.

As part of our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion we encourage all applicants to complete a short survey. This can be accessed via the link below:

https://forms.office.com/e/ahWY3eAGM2

We appreciate you completing the survey.

Agile and Flexible Working

All our staff will have a work base. However the Trust operates as an Agile Working Team therefore staff may be working from home on a regular basis as required by the service. However, occasionally travel around Warwickshire and into your base will be required so access to your own transport would be helpful.

The Trust also welcome staff to work flexibly and we would welcome the conversation at interview regarding flexible working.

Staff Benefits

The Trust offer a wide range of additional benefits to staff. Anyone who joins us on a substantive basis can assess things such as the Lease Car Scheme, Electronics Scheme, Discounted Leisure and Travel, Cycle to work scheme amongst many others available. 

Car Parking

The Trust currently have limited availability of car parking spaces, as such are operating a waiting list for new starters joining the organisation. 

To keep up to date on our latest recruitment activity follow us on twitter @swftrecruit or look us up on Facebook (Recruitment - South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust).


Job overview

We’ve got an exciting new opportunity for a Lead Optometrist to guide and inspire our teams across South Warwickshire University Foundation Trust (SWFT) and George Eliot Hospital (GEH). This role has been created to strengthen leadership and redesign services so we can keep delivering the very best care for our patients.

We’re looking for someone who’s:

  • Passionate about eye care and ready to lead from the front.
  • Innovative and proactive, with a knack for solving problems and improving services.
  • Supportive and approachable, helping our team feel valued and empowered.

What you’ll be doing

  • Leading the Optometry department and shaping services for patients in South Warwickshire and Nuneaton.
  • Using your clinical expertise to provide specialist care for adults and children.
  • Working closely with colleagues and partners to plan and develop services for the future.
  • Representing Optometry and Ophthalmology at key meetings across the Trust and the wider Coventry & Warwickshire community.

This is a chance to make a real impact—on patients, on services, and on the people you work with. If you’re ready to take the next step and help us build something great, we’d love to hear from you!

Main duties of the job

To take clinical responsibility for, and provide highly specialised care to, a caseload of patients attending ophthalmology clinics with sight threatening acute and chronic conditions using advanced clinical knowledge that is evidence based and individualised to the patient’s needs.

 

 

Working for our organisation

Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further. In addition our staff survey results have placed us 4th in the country for recommended place to work.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.

Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are ‘Trusted to provide safe, inclusive, effective and compassionate care’. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn’t matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

As part of our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion we encourage all applicants to complete a short survey. This can be accessed via the link below:

https://forms.office.com/e/ahWY3eAGM2

We appreciate you completing the survey.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will display a high profile, be accessible and responsive as a clinical leader with management responsibility for the Optometrists and optometry service delivery in George Eliot, Warwick and Stratford Hospitals.  

Displaying excellent leadership skills, the post holder will ensure that the department delivers high-quality patient experience, care and outcomes.  

The post holder will make informed decisions within their own specialty and scope of professional practice, involving the patients and public to ensure agreed standards, targets and objectives. 

To work in collaboration with the leads within Ophthalmology, operational teams and medical and nursing leads, ensuring the optometry service aligns with the ophthalmology strategy.  

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registered Optometrist with General Optical Council (GOC)
  • BSc in Optometry or equivalent qualification
  • Masters degree or equivalent advanced training in a relevant subject
  • Independent / non-medical prescriber qualification
  • Management qualification completion of management programme
Desirable criteria
  • Teaching and assessing qualification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Significant experience at Band 7 or above
  • Highly developed Specialist experience across a wide range of Ophthalmic case mix
  • Evidence of organisational and leadership skills
  • Documented evidence of continuing professional development
  • Experience in change management and problem solving
  • Working across organisational boundaries
  • Team building and staff development
  • Experience of clinical leadership and operational management experience
  • Experience in budget management
  • Portfolio of evidence showing A) Achievements in Specialist practice B) Research & audit experience C) Team leadership experience D) Financial awareness E) Experience of assessing mental capacity F) Experience of service development
Desirable criteria
  • Evidence of lecturing / presenting and clinical teaching experience
  • Lead in audit or research projects

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Detailed knowledge of current best practice in relevant clinical areas
  • Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and its application
  • Understand team dynamics with an ability to influence the building of effective relationships between staff, lead and motivate the team
  • Highly developed analytical and judgement skills
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Negotiation and diplomacy skills
  • Ability to work autonomously, plan, organise, prioritise and delegate
  • Ability to work under pressure and cope in a stressful environment and with emotional / aggressive patients / carers
  • Ability to understand and analyse professional and ethical issues and apply them to service development

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria
  • Ability to work autonomously
  • Practical and calm under pressure
  • Motivated and enthusiastic
  • Adaptable and flexible
  • Innovate and intuitive
  • Able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team
  • Ability to manage and lead a team
  • Excellent role model
  • Able to express self clearly and confidently – verbal and written
  • Demonstrates commitment and ability to teach others
  • Able to work under pressure and adapt to changing circumstances
  • Able to achieve personal objectives

Other Job Requirements

Essential criteria
  • Excellent communication skills – written and verbal
  • Ability to influence and negotiate at all levels
  • Independent means of transport
  • Non smoker in work hours
  • Flexible to meet the needs of the service
  • Aware of current NHS issues and priorities

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Care quality commission - OutstandingStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into healthArmed 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
Sineade Gutzmore
Job title
Operational Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01926 495321
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