Specialist Orthoptist

Job overview

South Warwickshire University Foundation Trust and George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust are recruiting an Orthoptist to join our friendly team who deliver orthoptic services across Warwickshire. You will be supported by the team to deliver high quality orthoptic services and will include a varied orthoptic caseload.

The Orthoptic team supports adult motility services for the whole of Coventry and Warwickshire including assisting with Botox and adjustable sutures. The Orthoptic team also support paediatric services including ROP screening, urgent care clinics, Consultant clinics, joint optometry clinics and Orthoptic clinics.

As an AHP at South Warwickshire and George Eliot you will join a network of supportive and forward thinking AHPs across the trust who will support you in your role and who champion the work and development of the AHP community.

The department is committed to providing opportunities for continuous professional development and is active in audit and service improvement.

This role is Band 6 and so is most suited to an orthoptist with post qualification experience.

Main duties of the job

To provide specialist comprehensive, high quality Orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner and to work as an effective member of the cross-site Orthoptic team in the assessment, diagnosis and management of patients with ocular motility disorders and amblyopia; to develop and monitor effective treatment plans using specialist skills based on clinical and analytical reasoning and using evidence based practice.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Result Areas:

Clinical and Professional:

To take responsibility for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of Orthoptic patients referred to the Eye Clinic as a member of the Orthoptic team, using current evidence based practice. This requires knowledge and interpretation of professional guidelines and includes inpatients and outpatients attending the Orthoptic clinic and:

Patients with cerebral palsy, chromosomal abnormalities, benign intracranial hypertension, autism, learning difficulties, speech and language disorders, neurofibromatosis and referrals from the Special Care Baby Unit

Orthoptics of neurology, stroke and endocrine disorders, including Myasthenia Gravis, Thyroid Dysfunction, Diabetes, head injuries and maxillo-facial injuries

Pre- & Post-operative clinics

To ensure that each patient is seen professionally, efficiently and effectively

To ensure that each patient receives the highest standard of care, taking into account the interpretation of a broad range of specialised clinical options, working as an autonomous practitioner

To provide a specialist service that enables each patient to obtain the best visual function including: visual acuity, binocular vision, ocular movements and ocular cosmetic appearance as appropriate.

To determine the diagnosis, prognosis and management of Orthoptic cases where clinical signs and symptoms are highly complex, may be sensitive and emotive, and do not always fall into particular categories and/or where information is limited or unavailable and there may be significant barriers to acceptance and understanding

To undertake pre- and post-operative measurements of motility defects. Significant hand-eye co-ordination, manual dexterity and speed will be required, especially in infants, to ensure accurate results of eye surgery. Surgery is based on the Orthoptic measurements

To identify risks from surgery, and to advise the patient (parents/carers) and surgeon of these risks providing patients with information to allow them to give informed consent

To advise the Consultant Ophthalmologist in the decision and timing of surgery. This requires an up to date knowledge of evidence based practice.

To assess patients post-operative outcome and modify / implement treatment accordingly.

To assist the surgeon with adjustable suture strabismus surgery. This requires taking accurate measurements to assist the surgeon with ocular alignment while the patient is under local anaesthesia.

To assess pre-verbal and/or mentally and physically disabled patients, some of whom will present with very challenging behaviour e.g. physically/verbally abusive.

To contribute to the multidisciplinary Stroke Team, advising the patient and stroke team of visual findings, implementing treatment plans, and advising of how this will affect the patient’s overall rehabilitation. These patients frequently have highly complex ocular motility disorders, are frail and have communication difficulties. Their accurate diagnosis and treatment require highly developed skills.

To participate in the provision of an effective Orthoptic-Led Vision Screening Programme through providing training and observation sessions for school screening personnel when required

To participate in the delivery of Pre-School Orthoptic Secondary Screening in community clinics across the county

To undertake assessment of visual fields using the Goldmann field analyser

To liaise with the Head Orthoptist regarding any problems arising from Orthoptic treatment

To work flexibly and provide internal and cross-site cover for colleagues when required during periods of annual leave, sickness, vacancies etc.

To attend appropriate training events, courses and lectures thereby extending and maintaining up to date knowledge and clinical skills

To maintain documentary evidence of Continuing Professional Development, attend and contribute to the departmental meetings

To participate in research projects which the department may be involved with, recruiting and assessing patients in line with a research protocol and recording results

To observe and maintain professional standards at all times using advanced theoretical and practical specialist knowledge, accumulated over a significant period

To keep and maintain appropriate records at all times, ensuring that all paperwork is filed promptly into in to case-notes in line with CNST standards, and to create and make use of databases where appropriate

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.