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Advanced Orthoptist (Medical Retina)

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Medical Protection Advertisement

Location
Salary
£47,810 - £54,710 Per annum
Profession
Orthoptist
Grade
Band 7
Deadline
29 Jul 2025
Contract Type
Permanent
Posted Date
16 Jul 2025

Job overview

Advanced Orthoptist (Medical Retina)

Department: Orthoptic

Band 7  £47,810 - £54,710 Per annum

Hours: 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working

This is an exciting new role created to support and grow our medical retinal service as it faces the challenges of increasing demand. You will work alongside the medical retinal consultant team delivering comprehensive care to patients attending with a range of medical retinal conditions and includes the delivery of intravitreal injections. The post holder will also support the core Orthoptic service working as part of a friendly and supportive team of 6 Orthoptists.

About you: You are an experienced and skilled Orthoptist with advanced theoretical knowledge in Orthoptics. You can independently assess, diagnose and manage patients presenting to the Orthoptic department and you have clinical experience within medical retina and intravitreal  Injecting.

'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'

Interview 19 August 2025

Main duties of the job

The Advanced Orthoptist (Medical Retina) will work alongside the medical retina team at MKUH delivering comprehensive care to patients attending with a range of medical retinal conditions such as: age related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion and diabetic eye disease. This will include delivery of intravitreal injections.

The post holder will provide comprehensive, high quality Orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner and work as an effective member of the Orthoptic team in the assessment, diagnosis and management of patients with ocular motility disorders and amblyopia; to develop and monitor effective treatment plans using specialist skills based on clinical and analytical reasoning and using evidence based practice.

To act as a source of expertise on the management of ocular motility disorders to patients, other healthcare professionals, GPs and consultants.

Participate in departmental education programme, including the training of Orthoptic undergraduate students, pre-registration Optometrists, junior doctors, Medical students, health visitors, school nurses and others.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main duties and responsibilities

CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES - Orthoptic

1.    Work autonomously, within professional boundaries, taking sole responsibility for the orthoptic assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients referred from ophthalmology including booked urgent service, vision screening, paediatrics, stroke, and maxillofacial services. This will include babies, children and adults with varied complexity of medical conditions and neurological disorders. 2.    Assess and diagnose paediatric and adult new and follow up patients. Develop and manage a specialised programme of care appropriate to the needs of the individual patient. This involves using clinical reasoning and a wide range of treatment skills, communicating effectively with patients and parents / carers. Assess understanding and gaining informed consent to the recommended treatment plan. Adhere to any national and local guidelines.

ADDITIONAL CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties include one or more of the following (depending on specific departmental requirements and training):

1.    Carry out A-scan biometry and contact / immersion measurements using specialised equipment. Perform IOP and keratometry measurements and instil eye drops as required. Liaise with the ophthalmologist regarding accurate power selection of intra-ocular lens implant. Take personal responsibility for correct machine calibration and follow guidelines to minimise possible infection risks.

2.    Undertake specialised assessment of children with special educational needs (SEN).  Liaise with hospital and educational staff to ensure appropriate follow up is arranged and provide information to parents / carers / education / other agencies to enable successful multi-disciplinary working. Develop working relationships with the multi-sensory impairment (MSI) teachers and participate in MDT meetings as applicable, writing EHCP reports when requested.

CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES – Medical Retina

1.    Work within the medical retina team alongside the consultant in charge of the retinal service. 2.    To undertake ocular examinations independently and interpret Ocular Coherent Tomography (OCT) scans.

Communication

1.    To have excellent and highly developed communication skills with all staff, patients, and parents/ carers of patients. 2.    Utilise and demonstrate sensitive communication styles, to ensure patients are fully informed prior to consent for treatment.

Personal Development

1.    Recognise and work within own competence and professional code of conduct as regulated by the HCPC 2.    Understand own role and scope and identify how this may develop over time

Delivering a quality service

1.    Deliver care according to NSF, CQC, NICE guidelines and evidence-based care. 2.    Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultation, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures.

Team working

1.    Actively promote the workplace as a learning environment, encouraging everyone to learn from each other and from external good practice. 2.    Support and encourage colleagues with development and training. Be able to challenge any complacency or actions that are not in the interest of the public and/or users of services.

Please refer to the Job Description for further details

We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouraging diversity and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.

MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.

We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.

By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system.  Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS.   This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.

Upon commencing  employment  with  the  Trust,  all  employees  (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are  subject  to  a probationary period lasting  a  period  of  six  months  with  an  option  to extend  for  a  further  six  months  to  a total of  12 months.