Deputy Head Orthoptist

Job overview

Deputy Head Orthoptist

Department: Orthoptic

Band  7: £49,387 - £56,515 per annum pro rata

Hours: 32  per week , all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working

About the role: This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Orthoptist to take on a key leadership role within a busy and evolving Orthoptic service. As Deputy Head Orthoptist, you will support the Head Orthoptist in the operational management, service development, clinical governance, and education of the Orthoptic team. You will combine advanced clinical practice with leadership responsibilities, contributing to high quality, patient centred care across a range of ophthalmic subspecialties while helping the service respond to increasing demand.

About you: You are a highly skilled and experienced Orthoptist with advanced theoretical knowledge and well developed clinical expertise. You are able to independently assess, diagnose and manage complex Orthoptic conditions and provide clinical leadership and support to colleagues. You have experience of service development, supervision, and supporting education and training, and you are motivated to contribute positively to team development and service improvement.

For more details about the post please look at the full job description.

About the department: The MKUH Ophthalmology Department is based in a new Community Diagnostic Centre in the city centre, located five minutes away from the main hospital site. The department includes dedicated orthoptic rooms, consulting rooms, optometry rooms, treatment rooms and a theatre. Supporting a wide range of ophthalmic services within a modern and well equipped environment.

Interview date:15 June 2026

Main duties of the job

Allied Health Professionals experience a high diverse and equal work environment, supporting this with 8.33 out of 10.''NHS Survey, 2024''

'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'

To take the lead and manage the operational element of the Orthoptic service.  To deputise for the Head Orthoptist in their absence for other managerial elements of the service. To provide clinical and professional leadership to the Orthoptic service, deputising for the Head Orthoptist when necessary. To provide Orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner, working within professional guidelines and policies, to provide a comprehensive and competent Orthoptic service to both paediatric and adult patients within the hospital and other locations as required. To provide assessment, diagnosis, management and treatment of patients presenting with a wide range of ophthalmic and ocular motility disorders. Undertake one or more specialised Orthoptic clinic roles such as Stroke, Orthoptic screening lead, intravitreal injections, ECLO, biometry clinics and assessment of children with additional needs (special educational needs/ visual impairment/ specific learning difficulties) To independently assess and manage complex neurological patients, referring on to the Consultant Ophthalmologist as required. Participate in departmental education programme, including the training of Orthoptic undergraduate students, pre-registration Optometrists, junior doctors, Health Visitors, School Nurses and others. To act as a source of expertise on the management of ocular motility disorders to patients, other healthcare professionals, GPs and Consultants

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Join #TeamSurgery at Milton Keynes University Hospital

The surgery division at MKUH, which covers specialties including theatres and the Intensive Care Unit, offers a variety of roles and opportunities, both clinical and non-clinical. The division are looking for passionate, enthusiastic and forward-thinking professionals to join the team.

MKUH is one of the leading hospitals in Europe for implementing robotics to assist in surgery, becoming the first in the continent to use the CMR Versius robot for gynaecological surgery. Since its introduction in 2019, the theatres team have completed over 500 surgical cases, the first hospital in the UK to reach this milestone, achieving this in March 2023.

As well as being an innovator in robotics, the Trust is proud to be part of the New Hospital Programme, with plans to expand and increase our surgical capacity to meet the health needs of our communities now and in the future.

With a leading benefits package, and a growing hospital estate to meet one of the fastest growing populations in the country, it is a great time to join MKUH.

Find out more about working in #TeamSurgery at MKUH from the people who work across the division in the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mYel-Y9nrU

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.

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.

Please refer to the attached Job Description for further information