Job summary
- Main area
- Orthoptics/Ophthalmology
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Compressed hours
- Job ref
- 396-NN-6913903-AHP-Y
- Employer
- Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Kingston Hospital
- Town
- Kingston Upon Thames
- Salary
- £51,883 - £58,544 per annum inclusive of HCAS Outer
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 30/01/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 12/02/2025
Employer heading
Advanced Orthoptist with Interest in Stroke & Education
Band 7
Home, community, hospital
Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust offers a range of fantastic opportunities to grow your career across both hospital and community settings in south London. Whether you're looking to build new skills or take your experience to the next level, we are uniquely placed to provide the right environment to support your professional development. With colleagues working in people’s homes, in community clinics, and in our two hospitals, we have an outstanding breadth of knowledge and experience to draw from.
Our commitment to exceptional care is reflected in being the first trust of our kind in London to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the CQC for both overall quality and leadership. We exist to provide the best possible care for our patients and we do that by giving our colleagues what they need to be their best at work. We have won numerous awards from the HSJ and Nursing Times for the way we support our colleagues across all our services.
We are proud to be recognised for our outstanding cancer care, children's services, pioneering surgical teams, and exceptional rehabilitation services. Our maternity services have been rated the "Best in London" by women surveyed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with parents travelling to Kingston to take advantage of our considerable experience and expertise.
Our Trust values
These words are important reminders, but it’s our behaviours that tell people who we are. We expect all colleagues to bring our values to life in their work.
- Compassionate: We provide care with kindness, understanding, and empathy for all.
- Inclusive: We embrace diversity and respect the unique contributions of every individual.
- Collaborative: We foster teamwork across all levels, working together and with our partners to deliver the best outcomes.
- Inspiring: We are committed to continuous improvement and excellence in patient care, staff development, and innovation.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly experienced Orthoptist to join our friendly, supportive Orthoptic team on a permanent basis. You will be responsible for the Stroke screening service within the department and act as joint lead clinical tutor for undergraduate Orthoptic students. You will also have a shared responsibility to deputise for the Head Orthoptist when required.
We support four paediatric consultants who also specialise in adult motility and neuro-ophthalmology and two paediatric Optometrists. The Royal Eye Unit is a large, modern Ophthalmology unit with 14 consultants and an Acute Referral Clinic.
The caseload of patients is varied and challenging. Some work outside of core working hours may be required but only on prior agreement. We encourage and support continued professional development, funding and time to attend study days is available.
Main duties of the job
To assess, diagnose and plan the management and supervise treatment of Orthoptic patients. To support the consultants in dedicated clinics, including motility, neuro-ophthalmology and botox which requires specialist Orthoptic knowledge. To lead the Stroke screening service within the Hospital and support other members of staff in management of these patients if necessary. To act as mentor to junior members of staff proving support and guidance when needed. To work both as an autonomous practitioner and as part of a multi-disciplinary team. To assess patients of all ages, referred from the Ophthalmologist, and other departments within the trust such as, Paediatrics, Neurology, Maxillo-facial, Accident and Emergency. To have a shared responsibility to deputise for the Head Orthoptist when required.
Working for our organisation
The Trust has four core values that all colleagues are expected to demonstrate in the way they work.
Shaped by staff, patients and partners, our values are the guiding principles that together define who we are, what we do and what’s most important to us. These are:
Compassionate - we treat everyone with kindness, understanding and empathy
Inclusive - we are respectful, fair and open, embracing everyone’s unique contribution
Collaborative - we work together across our teams and with our partners and are helpful, positive and supportive
Inspiring - we strive for the best for patients, staff and partners and are always learning and improving
Our training, policies, procedures, and practices are all intended to support behaviours in line with our values and all staff are expected to uphold these by 'Living Our Values Everyday'
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please ensure that you have read the job description and person specification and your supporting statement reflects these, as your application will be assessed and scored against these criteria.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Degree or Diploma of the British and Irish Orthoptic Society
- State registration with the HCPC
- Lead Clinical teaching qualification
- Competencies in Stroke (STARS)
Desirable criteria
- Member of the British and Irish Orthoptic Society
- Experience in extended role for education/stroke
- Leadership/managerial qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Clinical teaching experience
- Previous experience of working with stroke patients
- Experience of working in single handed clinics
- Experience of working with children with additional needs
- Experience in research and audit
Desirable criteria
- To have 5 years post graduate Orthoptic experience
- Managerial experience/leadership experience
- Experience of prioritising/analysing referral letters
- Experience of working in specialist ocular motility clinics using botulinum toxin procedures, paediatric clinics and neurology clinics
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent time keeping skills and ability to prioritise workload
- Excellent communication skills verbally and in writing
- Enthusiastic, friendly and flexible
- To be tactful and efficient with patients especially those who are elderly, anxious or have additional needs
- To have good IT skills
- Ability to organise own workload and clinical schedule
- Active involvement in teaching
- Ability to work as a team and show initiative
Your application: Please ensure your supporting statement aligns with the job description and person specification, as your application will be assessed against these criteria.
References: Please provide 3 years of employment/educational history with professional email addresses (not personal ones like Hotmail or Gmail). If you cannot supply these, inform the interviewers to avoid delays in pre-employment checks.
Closing date: To keep our recruitment process efficient, some vacancies may be capped and closed early once we receive a sufficient number of applications.
Shortlisting: You will only be contacted by email or SMS from the SWL Recruitment Hub if you are successfully shortlisted. Please check your registered Trac email regularly.
DBS: We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults at risk of harm. For roles involving direct access to these groups, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required. All employees, however, hold a responsibility to safeguard children and vulnerable adults as part of their duties and to understand the specific safeguarding responsibilities associated with their role.
Telephone: 02082963786
Text: 07501066267
Email: [email protected]. Employer certification / accreditation badges
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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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Laura Copeland
- Job title
- Head Orthoptist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 020 8546 7711
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