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Job summary

Main area
204065 Retinal Screening
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 3-4
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Some evening and weekend shifts.)
Job ref
262-A-24-6251664
Employer
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Westmorland General Hospital
Town
Kendal
Salary
£22,816 - £27,596 per annum, pro rata. Start B3 on completion of Diploma B4.
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
23/07/2024 23:59

Employer heading

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust logo

Retinal Screener / Grader

NHS AfC: Band 3-4

Job overview

Retinal Screener / Grader 37.5 hours per week 

The role will start on Band 3 salary whilst working to obtain the mandatory Health Screeners Diploma. On completion the salary will be moved to Band 4. 

The Cumbria Diabetic Eye Screening Programme screens over 26,000 patients each year in various community and acute locations throughout Cumbria. Screening is performed in static and mobile sites - transporting mobile screening units throughout the county. The service delivers routine annual screening and digital surveillance (closer monitoring for early sight threatening diabetic retinopathy). 

The role of a Retinal Screener/Primary Grader is a key function of the department, screening patients including taking detailed images of the retina as well as grading these images for diabetic eye disease. The post includes the requirement to obtain a Level 3 diploma in Health Screening. From commencement of the post until the completion of the diploma, the salary will be based on a reduced rate and increased once the diploma is obtained. 

Requires the ability to be flexible to cover sites throughout Cumbria. Applicants must hold a full valid UK driving licence to be able to transport the mobile screening equipment to clinics. Please disclose this information in your application. If it is not disclosed then the NCIC Recruitment team will contact you for this information. We can not unfortunately interview any applicants unless this information is received.

Main duties of the job

To contribute to the efficient and effective management of the Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme. The post holder will provide a service to help prevent the development of blindness through the early detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy by providing a high quality systematic screening and grading service throughout Cumbria.

If not already obtained, the post requires the candidate to obtain a  Level 3 diploma in Health Screening. If not held then from commencement of the post until the completion of the diploma the salary will be based on a reduced rate (Band 3) and increased once the diploma is obtained (Band 4).

 

Working for our organisation

At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding hospital and health services to half a million people. Established on 1st October 2019, the Trust is creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout north Cumbria and beyond. We’re responsible for delivering over 70 services across 15 main locations and we employ more than 6,500 members of staff.

Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of ‘safe, high quality care every time’.
•    Being a clinically led organisation
•    Quality and safety at the heart
•    A positive patient experience every time
•    A great place to work
•    Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. There is an expectation for all staff to support this by familiarising yourself with the Trust’s sustainability initiatives such as waste and recycling, going paperless, videoconferencing, sustainable transport and others.

We encourage you to think about what you can do as an individual and within your team to contribute in to embedding carbon reduction into the everyday running of our organisation. 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

 

The essential criteria for this role includes the requirement to have a care certificate or the willingness and ability to undertake this.  For further information, please see the additional information link which can be viewed under the “read this before applying” section.  

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL).  Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

 

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

 

Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts.  Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.

•    Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.
•    If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.
Important Information
Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.
For candidates applying using a Hotmail account or have strict firewall settings please ensure the following:
•    Junk Mail is checked regularly
Disclosure and Barring Service: 
On 28 November 2020, the new Disclosure and Barring Service filtering rules will come into effect.
The changes mean that:    
•    youth cautions, reprimands and final warnings will no longer be subject to automatic disclosure
•    the multiple conviction rule has been removed, meaning that if an individual has more than one conviction, regardless of offence type or time passed, each conviction will be considered against the remaining rules individually, rather than being automatically disclosed.
If you are unsure about whether you need to disclose certain criminal record information, free confidential advice may be sought from one of the charity bodies listed below. These bodies can advise you on what you are legally required to declare and may also be able to advise you on how you can disclose criminal record information to a prospective employer and your legal rights when doing so.
Nacro – Tel: 0300 123 1999, or email: [email protected]
Unlock – Tel: 01634 247350, email [email protected] or complete the online form on the Unlock website

The Trust is committed to safeguarding adults and children therefore if the post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended) the successful candidate(s) will be subject to a criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:

Standard Check: £18 + Administration cost of £3.85 = £21.85. Deducted at £6.85 from 1st month salary and £5 deducted from salary over following 3 months.
Enhanced Check: £38 + administration cost of £3.90 = £41.90. Deducted at £11.90 from 1st month salary and £10 deducted from salary over following 3 months.

As part of the one of the largest employers in the UK NCIC future employees will have also access to the following benefits.

A lease car may be available for this position; further details will be provided upon appointment if applicable.

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years 
Flexible working Scheme 
Excellent opportunities for development 
Competitive NHS Pension scheme
Access to NHS discounts with retailers and leisure companies
EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

These schemes are subject to availability

 

Person specification

Other requirements

Essential criteria
  • Willing to undertake training as required
  • Support and promote equality and value diversity
  • Ability to travel independently around the region
Desirable criteria
  • Full UK driving licence

Experience and Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Experience of working in a clinic setting, dealing with patients within the NHS
  • Computer literate.
  • Knowledge of diabetic retinopathy
  • Knowledge of Diabetes and risk factors
Desirable criteria
  • Previous experience in retinal screening and grading
  • Knowledge of Hospital Eye Service functions and processes
  • Experience of working within the NHS

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Good standard of education.
  • Health Screeners Diploma in Diabetic Retinopathy Screening or prepared to undertake qualification.
Desirable criteria
  • Level 3 Health Screener Diploma

Personal Requirements

Essential criteria
  • Professional attitude
  • Confident
  • Self-motivator
  • Enthusiastic
  • Prioritise own workload
  • Good time management

Skills and Aptitudes

Essential criteria
  • Good communicator
  • Good organisational ability
  • Attention to detail
  • Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
  • High concentration levels
  • Ability to work in isolation but part of a team

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Mindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerBetter Health - SilverFair Train Silver StandardStep into health

Applicant requirements

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.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Jo Kissock
Job title
Cumbria Diabetic Eye Screening Programme Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01539 716598
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