Diabetic Retinal Screener

Job overview

Are you interested in joining a progressive successful team in the NHS delivering a Public Health Service for people with Diabetes to help prevent blindness? If so, Midlands Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust has a vacancy at an entry level Band 3 for a Retinal Screener and we would welcome your application to join our screening team.

You would deliver a service in various locations traveling across Staffordshire & Shropshire such as health centres, community centres, GP practices and prisons. At times, you will be required to drive Trust vehicles, therefore access to your own vehicle and a full UK driver’s license will be essential.

You will be using the latest technology to screen patients with Diabetes. You will see patients in your clinic, complete a basic vision test, dilate their pupils and take retinal images using our specialist equipment. Full training will be given.

You will be required to undertake a Level 3 Diploma in Health Screening which can take up to 2 years to complete.

The post holder will have a high degree of individual responsibility. You will be required to work innovatively whilst being part of a team supporting your colleagues.

This is a service user focused role and experience of customer services or dealing with people in a health setting would be beneficial.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as part of a team reporting to the Team Leaders. You will be first point of contact for patients in clinic and responsible for Pre-screening and Screening patients as appropriate and in accordance with National Screening and local policies, protocols and procedures. The Diabetic Eye Screening Programme offers eye screening for all people with diabetes over the age of 12 years.

The service operates using mobile screening, visiting GP surgeries and static screening locations in Health Centres and Hospitals across Staffordshire.

You will provide support to your patients to deliver an efficient, patient centred well delivered service.  You will ensure patient confidentiality, use your initiative and have a flexible approach.

Good communications skills are essential.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: •  Be the responsible person for transporting, maintaining and operating digital retinal cameras and associated software and equipment. Equipment is often bulky and all manual handling rules and health & safety apply. •  Knowledge of the screening software to ensure patient information is recorded accurately and in accordance with National and local protocols. Accuracy required for updating the patients screening records to reflect current information is essential. You will frequently be required to concentrate, especially in a busy working environment. Your workload will be planned and predictable however you should be prepared for short notice changes which are unpredictable. •  Pre-screen patients recording all essential information such as patient consent, ethnicity, diabetes status, and ocular history. Patients can be concerned and require careful considerate management to deal with ocular problems. Exposure to distressing/emotional circumstances are rare. •  Prepare patients for screening by performing visual acuity measurement and instillation of medical eye drops to dilate the pupils. Record the results accurately on bespoke software provided. Understand the implications of dilation drops and when it is not appropriate to use them. •  Capturing digital retinal images according to National Quality Assurance criteria and following local policies standards and protocols. Patients can often be wheelchair users or physically disabled and require assistance in positioning at the camera which will require physical effort for the screener to assist. •  Excellent communication and customer care are essential elements of the post. You should use your skills to communicate eye screening information to patients, which can often be complex ensuring the patients understanding of the pathway, especially for urgent referable disease. •  Recognise the priority required for each image set taken and triage appropriately ensuring senior colleagues are informed of urgent pathology for their intervention when required via the internal software alert system. •  Working independently in screening locations following set policies and procedures keeping delays to a minimum. This may involve multi-tasking, for example, booking ambulance transport for patients whilst still delivering the service to other patients. •  Delivering a flexible screening service in NHS Health Centres, Hospitals, GP Practices, and Community Centres across Staffordshire & Shropshire. Promptness and timekeeping are essential elements in service delivery. •  Adhere to all Polices and Protocols and escalate all images showing concern or abnormality as appropriate to a senior member of staff to agreed timescales. •  Assist the Service Management Centre team with patient registrations, managing screening clinics, appointment bookings patient cancellations and Did Not Attends as and when required. •  Work as part of a team to increase screening activity across Staffordshire & Shropshire, directly influencing patients to attend, especially in areas of deprivation and with minority groups. •  Discuss and communicate with clients the importance of Diabetic Eye Screening. Follow-up patients where necessary, in particular for those patients with a referable eye condition ensuring the patients understands the priority of the appointment and the need to attend Hospital Eye Services where necessary. •  Travel to clinical locations across Staffordshire & Shropshire arriving in time to set up equipment and check location ensuring the Health and Safety of patients, colleagues and self. •  Provides advice to new or less experienced colleagues in own work area. •  Undertakes surveys or audits, as necessary to own work. •  IT literate using bespoke software, Laptop computers and use of Microsoft packages to a reasonable level of competency. •  Responsible for all retinal screening equipment and Laptop computers issued to you.