# Deputy Head of Optometry > NHS job listing from Job Clerk for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. ## Canonical URLs - **HTML:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/deputy-head-of-optometry/89a7e148-0e74-41d3-8f4f-0791ada5d794 - **Markdown:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/deputy-head-of-optometry/89a7e148-0e74-41d3-8f4f-0791ada5d794.md ## Summary - **Status:** Live - **Employer:** Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust - **Location:** St James's University Hospital - **Workplace type:** onsite - **Profession:** Head of service - **Grade:** Band 8 - **Salary:** £66,582 to £77,368 a year - **Contract type:** Permanent - **Employment type:** Full-time - **Closing date:** 2026-09-16T23:59:00.000Z - **Posted:** 2026-09-02T14:48:55.382Z - **Source information URL:** https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9298-26-0881 - **Application URL:** https://vacancies.leedsteachinghospitals.jobs/Job/JobDetail?jobid=1796&source=JobtrainNHSJobs - **Employer website:** https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk ## Job Content ### Job summary This is a leadership role within Optometry in the Head and Neck clinical service unit, at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. As Deputy Head of Optometry, you will assist in leading the operational delivery, professional standards and strategic direction of a Leeds wide Optometry service in acute and community pathways, while also maintaining an expert clinical role within a highly specialised service. The post is primarily based at St Jamess University Hospital and works across multiple sites and partner settings. ### Main duties of the job We are looking for an experienced hospital optometrist with the clinical authority and management capability to help lead service improvement, manage and develop staff, and work effectively with senior clinical and operational colleagues. This role will suit someone who wants to combine expert practice with strong team leadership skills, values high standards, and is motivated to assist in expanding and shaping services for patients across a large teaching Trust. ### About us The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is committed to delivering the highest quality and safest treatment and care to every patient, every time. Our vision is to provide the highest quality specialist and integrated care. We will do this through delivery of our multi-year goals and strategic priorities, which you can read about on this page. Central to it all is The Leeds Way our values and behaviours that are at the heart of everything we do. ### Details - Date posted: 02 September 2026 - Pay scheme: Agenda for change - Band: Band 8b - Salary: £66,582 to £77,368 a year - Contract: Permanent - Working pattern: Full-time - Reference number: 001794 - Job locations: St James’s University Hospital, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS9 7TF, United Kingdom ### Job responsibilities Shortlisting Date: 16.09.26 Interview Date: 01.10.26 Why you should join our Team The Optometry service is part of a major Ophthalmology Department within one of the largest teaching hospital trusts in the NHS. The team delivers highly specialised core and enhanced Optometry patient services across paediatric and adult pathways, supports tertiary work, contributes to teaching and clinical research, and plays an important part in wider service development across Ophthalmology. This is a large enthusiastic team of 18 optometrists, a dispensing optician manager and optometry administration staff, with a strong professional identity, a broad clinical scope in core and enhanced services, and a clear commitment to evidence-based practice, education and continuous improvement and development. You will work alongside experienced optometry, ophthalmology, orthoptic and operational colleagues, contribute to business planning and strategic decision making, and help shape how services develop for the future. It is an excellent opportunity for a highly experienced hospital optometrist who aspires to combine an expert clinical role with optometry leadership and management. What you will bring to the role - BSc (Hons) in Optometry and GOC registration - Minimal of six years experience within Hospital Optometry - Post-graduate higher clinical optometry qualifications, preferably including Independent Prescribing - Expert knowledge and experience in core and enhanced services within Hospital Optometry and Ophthalmology - Leadership experience in Hospital Optometry with the ability to manage staff and be responsible for the co-ordination and delivery of optometric services - Experience of clinical teaching and supervision of pre-registration and newly qualified optometrists - Experience of research, audit and evidence-based practice - Excellent communication skills - The ability to work autonomously while providing visible professional leadership to others Please see the attached job description for further information about this vacancy. About Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust Our Trust values The Leeds Way is working together to support each other and deliver the best possible care to patients. We are. Responsible Open and Honest One Team Kind Our Trust priorities Our purpose: Excellent, safe and sustainable care for every patient every time Our priorities: People Improvement and Innovation Partnerships Outcomes To comply with UK Government regulations on Skilled Worker sponsorship, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust is unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or the salary threshold concessions set out under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please take this into consideration before submitting your application. Full guidance on these concessions, including details of who may qualify, can be found here. We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications. ## Person Specification ### Training **Essential** - A willingness to undergo training to carry out the job. **Desirable** - Willingness to specialise and to learn new skills to extend the role of the optometrist ### Experience **Essential** - Minimal of six years previous hospital work and registered at least eight years. - Managing staff and co-ordinating optometry services - Complex contact lenses including paediatric contact lenses - Low Vision work - Working with the elderly - Working with children - Experience of working in sub-specialty clinics such as glaucoma, cataract, anterior segment, acute referral, medical retina, vitreoretinal or neuro-ophthalmology - Pre-registration optometrist supervision - Experience of postgraduate teaching - Experience of research and audit **Desirable** - EDTRS LogMAR acuity testing - Peli Robson Contrast sensitivity - Toxic screening - Experience of examining pre-registration optometrists - Managing a clinical service - Financial responsibility ### Qualifications **Essential** - BSc (Hons) degree in Optometry - General Optical Council registered - Post-graduate higher clinical optometry qualifications (e.g. College of Optometrists professional certificates/diplomas in independent prescribing, glaucoma, contact lens practice, medical retina, low vision or paediatric eye care) **Desirable** - Inclusion on GOC Independent Prescribing specialty register - European Computer driving licence - Examiner/Assessor for the College of Optometrists - Registered pre-registration supervisor with the College of Optometrists ### Practical Skills **Essential** - Precise manual dexterity skills including handling contact lenses and removing eye lashes - Performing practical refraction, contact lens fitting and low vision aid dispensing skills on adults and children. - Performing contact tonometry on adults, children and babies. - Use of Volk and gonioscopy lenses. - Binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy - Instillation of ophthalmic drugs in adults and children **Desirable** - Removing corneal or conjunctival sutures - Contrast sensitivity assessment ### Special Knowledge **Essential** - Complex refraction - Practical working knowledge of fitting complex rigid, soft and scleral contact lenses including paediatric contact lenses. - Practical working knowledge of low vision aids - Optometric paediatric assessment - Glaucoma assessment and monitoring - Interpretation of glaucomatous visual fields - Interpretation of corneal topography/tomography and retinal imaging. - Pre and postoperative cataract assessment - Management of anterior segment disease - Medical retinal assessment and monitoring - Ophthalmic drugs used in optometric practice and in the treatment of anterior segment disease and glaucoma - Knowledge of computer systems and keyboard skills. - Research and Audit **Desirable** - LogMAR acuity testing - Peli Robson Contrast sensitivity assessment - Published articles - College of Optometrists council member or AOP Hospital Optometry Committee member - Member of the local LOC - Financial awareness relating to department budget ### Other Requirements **Essential** - Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post (with reasonable adjustments if necessary), including clearance on blood borne viruses in compliance with Trust Policy ### Intellectual Skills **Essential** - Well-developed interpersonal mental and emotional empathy skills where barriers exist because of age, special needs, physical or language difficulties - Good written and verbal communication skills - Managing people - Able to work independently upon own initiative and take a lead role in the department. ### Circumstances – Personal **Essential** - Ability to work in a busy environment. Flexibility with working hours, especially finishing time. ### Disposition – Adjustment/Attitude **Essential** - Professional attitude to work. - Patient - Willingness to manage staff and help others in a team. - Willingness to be responsible for the delivery and development of optometric services **Desirable** - Leadership qualities ## Documents - [Job Description (PDF, KB)](https://vacancies.leedsteachinghospitals.jobs/Job/GetJobAdvertDocument?Id=3457&JobId=1796) ## Agent Notes - This Markdown page is generated from the same Job Clerk job record as the HTML job detail page. - Use the canonical HTML URL for user-facing references. - Use the application URL when the user wants to apply on the source NHS site.