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Job summary

Main area
Ophthalmology
Grade
Training Programme Director (TPD)
Contract
Secondment: 13 months (until 31 March 2027)
Hours
Part time - 0.5 session per week (2 hours per week)
Job ref
990-EOE-EC484-E
Employer
NHS England
Employer type
NHS
Site
Victoria House
Town
Cambridge
Salary
In line with TPD sessional payments
Closing
04/03/2026 23:59

Employer heading

NHS England logo

Training Programme Director - Ophthalmology Practitioner Programme

Training Programme Director (TPD)

Our Organisation

The NHS is building a culture that is positive, compassionate and inclusive – and we all have our part to play.

As employers we are committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all our colleagues. This underpins our values as set out in the NHS Constitution and supports us to be an Employer of Choice, while helping our colleagues to deliver high quality services for our patients and communities.

As a flexible employer, we want to support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you. Talk to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time, hybrid working or another flexible pattern. In addition, although the role advertised may have a ‘home’ office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

We are an accredited Living Wage Employer which means that every colleague working for our organisation and third-party contractors will earn a real Living Wage.  We are one of over 15,000 organisations, who voluntarily chose to pay the real Living Wage.

Job overview

The role of Training Programme Director is to work with and support the Postgraduate Dean in leading the delivery of a wide range of functions within their specialty, aligned to the NHS England mandate. 

The demands on TPDs are likely to vary at times and the guidance below should be interpreted flexibly.

Main duties of the job

Ophthalmic Practitioner Training (OPT) is a competency-based training programme founded on the Ophthalmic Common Clinical Competency Framework (OCCCF). It develops non- medical ophthalmic practitioners in secondary care, enabling them to take on extended roles to support the delivery of ophthalmology.

The Ophthalmology Practitioner Programme (OPP) TPD will be responsible for the quality control of the award of the OPT Certificates. They will oversee the OPT Programme and the quality of assessment of its Learners in the East of England in association with the evolving Norfolk Academy for Ophthalmology (being designed to create a seamless blended Ophthalmic Training Program for all those involved in ophthalmic care in the region).

  • Support the enrolment of Learners onto the Programme
  • Help to deliver OPT teaching according to the OCCCF Curriculum
  • Quality control the assessment of Learners to uniform standards
  • Supervise the Ophthalmic Practitioner Training Fellow in each of the 4 key areas (Acute and Emergency Ophthalmology, Glaucoma, Medical Retina and Cataract) 

The OPP TPD will have oversight of 4 specialist trainee OPT fellows, who will help to deliver the training and learning opportunities for the OPT program.

The OPP TPD will also work closely with the TPD for ophthalmic specialist training program to help deliver a portfolio of learning opportunities that will complement both programs e.g. simulation and other training days.

Working for our organisation

Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms — enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

We lead the NHS in England by:

  • Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities
  • Making the NHS a great place to work, where people can develop and make a difference
  • Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
  • Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
  • Delivering value for money

Earlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and waste.

If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

Secondments

Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Membership/Fellowship of a College, Faculty, professional association and/or regulatory body
  • Attendance at courses aimed to support educational development
  • Primary clinical healthcare qualification
Desirable criteria
  • Educational qualification such as postgraduate certificate diploma or masters in medical education

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Considerable experience of working with learners or doctors in training in an educational context
  • Experience of clinical and educational leadership and innovation, including managing a multi-professional team
  • Understanding of developments involving the relevant Colleges/Faculties, professional bodies related NHS organisations and regulatory bodies
  • An understanding of OPT roles within ophthalmic settings from all professional groups (nursing, AHPs and pharmacists)
  • Experience of bringing OPT trainees into an ophthalmic setting
  • An understanding of the educational requirements of OPT trainees in ophthalmology
Desirable criteria
  • Previous or current appointment as a leader in healthcare education
  • Awareness of funding streams for healthcare education
  • Understanding of current health, social care and education policy

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Demonstrable leadership skills and an ability to influence and motivate others
  • Ability to quickly establish personal and professional credibility with colleagues and other key Stakeholders
  • Committed to own personal development and an ability to support others to develop and progress
Desirable criteria
  • Ability to rapidly establish academic credibility

Behaviours and Values

Essential criteria
  • To contribute to the vision of the local NHS and to enhance patient care by providing leadership and direction with respect to the quality of education and training

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoDisability confident committedStep into healthAccredited Living Wage Employer

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Narman Puvanachandra
Job title
Head of School - Ophthalmology
Email address
[email protected]
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