Clinical Fellow in Medical Retina & Surgical Retina

Job overview

The Clinical Fellow in Medical Retina and Vitreoretinal Surgery is a one-year post within the Ophthalmology Department at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The role provides specialist experience in medical retina and vitreoretinal surgery while supporting the delivery of safe, high-quality general ophthalmology services.

The post holder will undertake subspecialty outpatient clinics, participate in at least one theatre list each week and contribute to the 1:8 on-call rota. Responsibilities include diagnosing and managing common ophthalmic conditions and emergencies, supporting junior trainees, teaching healthcare professionals and working closely with consultants, nursing staff, theatre teams and the wider multidisciplinary team.

The Fellow will also participate in clinical audit, research, education, governance and service improvement, helping to improve patient safety, experience, efficiency and clinical outcomes. The role requires flexible working across Ashford Hospital, St Peter’s Hospital, Woking Community Hospital and other sites where required. Applicants must have full GMC registration, appropriate ophthalmology qualifications and broad clinical experience, including cataract surgery, medical retina, surgical retina and eye casualty.

Main duties of the job

The Clinical Fellow in Medical Retina and Vitreoretinal Surgery will provide high-quality clinical care across medical retina, vitreoretinal surgery and general ophthalmology services. The post holder will undertake specialist outpatient clinics, participate in regular theatre sessions and contribute to the ophthalmology on-call rota, managing a wide range of ophthalmic conditions and emergencies.

The role involves working closely with consultants, trainees, ophthalmic nurses, theatre teams and multidisciplinary colleagues to deliver safe, effective and patient-centred care. The Fellow will support and teach junior doctors and other healthcare professionals, participate in departmental education programmes and maintain continuing professional development.

The post holder will contribute to clinical audit, research, quality improvement and governance activities, ensuring compliance with Trust policies, professional standards and patient safety requirements. They will help identify opportunities to improve services, patient experience and clinical outcomes while supporting the delivery of departmental objectives and performance standards.

The role requires flexible working across Ashford Hospital, St Peter’s Hospital and Woking Community Hospital, with responsibility for maintaining clear communication with patients, carers and colleagues, providing accurate clinical documentation and supporting the continuous development of ophthalmology services across the Trust.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Clinical Fellow in Medical Retina and Vitreoretinal Surgery is responsible for delivering high-quality, patient-centred care across medical retina, vitreoretinal and general ophthalmology services.

The post holder will undertake specialist outpatient clinics, participate in at least one vitreoretinal theatre list per week and contribute to the ophthalmology on-call rota, providing assessment and management of a wide range of ophthalmic conditions and emergencies.

Working closely with consultant ophthalmologists, specialty trainees, ophthalmic nurses, theatre teams and multidisciplinary colleagues, the Fellow will support the delivery of safe, effective and timely patient care across Ashford Hospital, St Peter’s Hospital and Woking Community Hospital. Responsibilities include clinical decision-making, accurate documentation, communication with patients and carers, and ensuring high professional standards are maintained at all times.

The post holder will actively contribute to teaching, training and supervision of junior doctors, trainee optometrists and other healthcare professionals. They will participate in departmental educational activities, continuing professional development, clinical audit, research and governance programmes, helping to improve quality, patient safety and service performance.

The role also requires participation in service improvement initiatives, compliance with Trust policies and regulatory standards, and flexible working to meet the needs of the Ophthalmology Department. The Fellow will support the achievement of departmental objectives while contributing to the Trust’s vision of delivering excellent, joined-up patient care.

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.