Band 6 Specialist Orthoptist
Requirements
Applicants must hold a Diploma of the British Orthoptic Council or a degree in Orthoptics, have current Health and Care Professions Council registration, and provide evidence of continuing professional development. The role also requires strong communication, clinical judgment, dexterity, time management, and compassionate, diplomatic patient care; postgraduate experience and specialist testing skills are desirable.
Job Description
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated Orthoptist to join our dynamic Orthoptic Team here at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
The successful candidate will have a varied role working across Heartlands, Solihull and Good Hope Hospitals, as well as undertaking School Vision Screening in the local area.
We provide a full range of sub speciality clinics including Paediatric Ophthalmology, Paediatric Neuro Ophthalmology, Motility, Botulinum toxin, Stroke and Oculoplastics.
The appointed candidate will benefit from working alongside a multidisciplinary team which includes Ophthalmologists, Nurses, Optometrists, Technicians, Administrative staff and Health Care assistants.
We provide an Orthoptic led service with two Paediatric Strabismic Consultants.
This is a fixed term 12-month contract position.
Main Duties, Tasks & Skills Required
As a Specialist Orthoptist you will be responsible for providing comprehensive, high-quality Orthoptic assessments and treatments to both adults & children. You will be working as an autonomous practitioner within a supportive team who can provide advice for more complex cases. You will need to formulate individualised treatment plans using clinical reasoning skills and utilising a range of treatments options to create a programme of care for patients.
You will have the ability to work alongside a multidisciplinary team when working within the subspeciality Consultant led clinics for Ocular Motility, General Paediatric Ophthalmology, Paediatric Neuro Ophthalmology & Oculoplastics clinics.
You will be able to assess patients on the ward including Stroke patients, to enhance rehabilitation and liaise with the Stroke Lead Orthoptist.
You will maintain accurate patient records in line with professional and Information Governance standards.
You will be expected to demonstrate continuing professional development in line with the Health and Care Professions Council. The Orthoptists are expected to attend bimonthly staff meetings and are encouraged to participate in service development and clinical audit within the department.
You should be able to prioritise your own work, balancing professional demands and administrative work during clinical and non-clinical time. You will need to demonstrate excellent communication skills with the ability to convey complex/sensitive clinical information clearly.
About Us
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.
Job Description
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Diploma of British Orthoptic Council or Degree in Orthoptics.
- Health Care Professions Council registration.
- Clinical Education qualification (practice and theory of Orthoptics).
Essential
- Up to date proof of CPD in line with professional body recommendations.
- Post graduate experience.
- Experience in clinical teaching.
- Experience in stroke assessment and detailed knowledge in neuro-ophthalmology.
- Experience with providing primary school orthoptic screening.
- Has intertest in acquiring advance understanding of ophthalmology and orthoptics in order to expand the orthoptic role.
Essential
- Ability to communicate with non- English speaking patients/parents.
- Fine Manual dexterity to enable instillation of eye drops, use of prism car etc.
- Counselling skills in emotional and distressing situations.
- Show discretion, diplomacy and compassion when dealing with staff and patients.
- Ability to communicate with patients of all ages and those with learning difficulties.
- Good understanding of the importance of evidence-based practice and the necessity of regular audits.
- Good communication skills
- Self-motivation
- Punctual
- Excellent time management
- Open to change
- Able to act diplomatically in hostile, antagonistic and emotive situations
- Goldmann/Humphrey visual field testing
- Experience with OCT and fundus photography
- Experience with IOP assessment e.g. Icare
- Car Driver
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
UK Professional Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
For Help With Your Application, Contact
Joanna Innes
joanna.innes@uhb.nhs.uk
01214244450
Pay scheme
Agenda for Change
Band
Band 6
Salary
£39959.00 to £48117.00 Yearly
Contract
Fixed Term
Duration
12 Month(s)
Working pattern
Full-Time, Flexible Working
Reference number
304-9019976
Job locations
Trustwide
Mindelsohn Way
Birmingham
West Midlands
B15 2TH
Attachments
Job Description
Band 6 JD PS.pdf – 499KB Opens in a new window
Education
Skills
About University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) is one of the largest teaching hospital trusts in England, serving a regional, national and international population. It includes Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Solihull Hospital and Community Services, Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham Chest Clinic. We also run a number of smaller satellite units, allowing people to be treated as close to home as possible. We see and treat more than 2.2 million people every year across our sites and our hospitals deliver more babies than anywhere else in Europe. We are a regional centre for cancer, trauma, renal dialysis, burns and plastics, HIV and AIDS, as well as respiratory conditions like cystic fibrosis. We also have expertise in premature baby care, bone marrow transplants and thoracic surgery and have the largest solid organ transplantation programme in Europe. We provide a series of highly specialist cardiac, liver and neurosurgery services to patients from across the UK. We are world-renowned for our trauma care and have developed pioneering surgical techniques in the management of ballistic and blast injuries, including bespoke surgical solutions for previously unseen injuries. As a result of its clinical expertise in treating trauma patients and military casualties, the QEHB has been designated both a Level 1 Trauma Centre and host of the UK’s only £20m National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre (SRMRC). We have over 24,000 members of staff and we are committed to investing in their development and their health and wellbeing. UHB is a Stonewall Diversity Champion and aims to achieve positive change for LGBTQ+ people by creating an inclusive, inspiring and equal environment for both staff and service users.
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