NHSJobs.com

Job overview

We are looking to appoint a Full time Oculoplastic Consultant who will be keen to strengthen and expand the Ophthalmology department and meet the increasing demand in eye care around the Fylde Coast.

Applicants must be on the GMC Specialist Register or be within 6 months of gaining CCT. FRCOphth or equivalent and relevant experience, or fellowship in the relevant speciality is expected.

Blackpool is Britain’s premier holiday resort with a 333,000 resident population and up to 16 million visitors per year. Surrounding the town is the rural Fylde, with excellent housing and schools. There are good motorway, rail and air links to Manchester, Liverpool and the English lake District which are all within a 1-hour drive and London and Scotland within 3 hours.

As well as being the local general hospital, the Trust includes the Lancashire Cardiac Unit, a tertiary referral centre. This district has the highest elderly population (21.4% of local population 65 or over) in the North-Western Region, leading to a corresponding preponderance of age-related eye disease viz: cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. A sub-regional AMD treatment service is provided (PDT and anti-VEGF).

Main duties of the job

The post will be based on the following: -

7 FIXED DCC PAs, 2 SPAs, 1 Admin session, 2 Operating Lists, 2 General Outpatient clinics, 2 Specialist clinics and 1 Laser clinic.

The clinical commitments of this post will include responsibility for inpatient and outpatient care at Blackpool Victoria Hospital (BVH). There is also a commitment to give opinions on ophthalmic problems in peripheral hospitals: This commitment is not onerous. 

Outpatient work will be conducted at BVH in a dedicated Ophthalmic Suite in the main outpatient department and within the Ophthalmic Surgical Unit and Medical Retina Unit. 

A community visual screening programme for children is carried out in the district by Orthoptists. There is close and active liaison with the Diabetic Eye Screening programme and a dedicated diabetic service is being developed within our Medical Retina Unit. 

There is a close association with local optometrists who deliver enhanced services including post cataract surgery review, glaucoma referral refinement, review of glaucoma suspects and ocular hypertensives and a low visual aid service. An independent sector provider delivers a stable glaucoma review and minor eye condition service.

Working for our organisation

As one of the United Kingdom’s largest coastal resort, Blackpool has plenty to offer its residents – it’s not just a good place to work; it’s a great place to live. In addition to its bustling centre and historic seafront, the town is world famous for its many attractions, including the famous Blackpool Tower. Blackpool also offers a number of scenic cycling routes round our local parks and across the surrounding countryside, as well as boasting panoramic views of the coast on its picturesque Promenade. Further afield, Blackpool also benefits from less than three-hour connections via rail to Edinburgh in the north and London in the south. 

In 2022, we launched our new five-year strategy, our vision is:

“To improve the lives of people who live, work and volunteer on the Fylde Coast and beyond. To achieve our vision we will focus on, our people, our population, our responsibility”.