Optometrist Specialist

Job overview

Specialist Optometrist - Band 7

This role is offered on a full or part time basis subject to a minimum of 15 hours per week to a maximum of 37.5 hours per week.

We have a fantastic opportunity at The Great Western Hospitals (GWH) NHS Foundation Trust for an experienced Optometrist looking for a fresh challenge within our busy Ophthalmology department.  GWH is located next to the A419 and M4 providing quick commuting links to London, Reading, Bristol, Cheltenham and Gloucestershire. It is in the midst of beautiful countryside sitting at the foot of the Marlborough Downs and just south of the Cotswolds.

You would be working in a friendly environment where staff pride themselves on supporting each other and delivering the highest quality of service and care.  This is a great opportunity to join a highly regarded organisation who can offer very competitive pay rates, training and development opportunities, and benefits.  At GWH, we are focused on providing the best possible, personalised care to the people of Swindon, Wiltshire and within close proximity to our borders as well as to the wider community.  We believe in treating patients as quickly as possible, helping them to get better faster by offering a range of; outpatient clinics, day case, and in-patient surgery across the whole Ophthalmology arena.

Main duties of the job

The role is to provide core (complex refraction for adults and paediatrics, low vision assessment, medical contact lens management) and extended role (glaucoma, AMD, pre/post operative assessment) optometry services contributing to the clinical management of patients in collaboration with the ophthalmology team in order to improve patient care.

The successful candidate will be proactive in involvement with teaching, research and audit programmes as well as providing operational leadership within the department.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To undertake refractive assessment and ocular examination for paediatric and adult patients including those with significant visual loss and/or communication difficulties.
• To assess for and dispense low vision aids and contact lenses to patients of all ages.
• To work in an extended role capacity in the Glaucoma, AMD and other ophthalmology clinics alongside medical staff.
• To work closely with colleagues in optometry, orthoptics and ophthalmology for the best management of the patient.
• To undertake other clinical duties fundamental to the running of the service.
• To appropriately explain, instruct, motivate and manage patients and the carers during examination and treatment.
• To provide advice and support to patients and those clinical and non-clinical parties affected by the diagnosis and management.

Please see the attached job description for full information