Job summary
- Main area
- Ophthalmology
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (May be required to work extended weekday hours / saturday according to service demand.)
- Job ref
- 287-OPHT-16-25
- Employer
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Aintree University Hospital
- Town
- Liverpool
- Salary
- £53,755 - £60,504 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 25/03/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Clinical Lead Optometrist
Band 8a
Job overview
An opportunity arises to recruiting for a full time Clinical Lead Optometrist (Band 8A) to be based at Aintree University Hospital, Elective Care Center.
The post holders will actively participate in delivery and management of direct patient care, and will undertake clinical audit, research and teaching / training as necessary. Successful candidates are likely to have significant hospital experience, and higher qualifications relevant to role. They will report to the Principal Optometrist and form part of our team of 4 Clinical Lead Optometrists and 20 Specialist Optometrists.
This post is based at the Aintree University Hospital, and may also involve working at other Trust sites as necessary.
Main duties of the job
St Paul's Eye Unit is a Division within Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We are a tertiary referral centre with around 370 staff including 44 Consultant Ophthalmologists. We delivery eye emergency and general ophthalmology services along with all subspecialty services including ocular neurology, ocular plastics and ocular oncology.
In addition to core optometry activities hospital optometrists are involved in: eye emergency, cornea, cataract, glaucoma, diabetic, medical retinal and clinical research activities.
The post holder will personally deliver patient care in at least one subspecialty, deliver research activity & clinical audit as required, and coordinate their service responsibilities ensuring that delivery of timely, safe, quality care is maintained.
Working for our organisation
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.
UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.
For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.
Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women’s Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK’s largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.
For roles at Liverpool Women’s, visit their careers page.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
An opportunity arises to recruiting for a full time Clinical Lead Optometrist (Band 8A) to be based at Aintree University Hospital, Elective Care Center.
The post holders will actively participate in delivery and management of direct patient care, and will undertake clinical audit, research and teaching / training as necessary. Successful candidates are likely to have significant hospital experience, and higher qualifications relevant to role. They will report to the Principal Optometrist and form part of our team of 4 Clinical Lead Optometrists and 20 Specialist Optometrists.
This post is based at the Aintree University Hospital, and may also involve working at other Trust sites as necessary.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Registered Optometrist
- Higher degree or postgraduate qualification in Optometry
- Independent / non-medical prescriber qualification
Desirable criteria
- Management qualification completion of management programme
- Teaching and assessing qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Highly developed Specialist experience across a wide range of Ophthalmic case mix
- Documented evidence of continuing professional development
- Portfolio of evidence showing achievements in Specialist practice
- Portfolio of evidence showing Research & audit experience
- Portfolio of evidence showing Team leadership experience
- Portfolio of evidence showing Financial awareness
- Portfolio of evidence showing Experience of assessing mental capacity
- Portfolio of evidence showing Experience of service development
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of lecturing / presenting and clinical teaching experience
- Lead in audit or research projects
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Detailed knowledge of current best practice in relevant clinical areas
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and its application
- Understand team dynamics with an ability to influence the building of effective relationships between staff, lead and motivate the team
Skills
Essential criteria
- Highly developed analytical and judgement skills
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Negotiation and diplomacy skills
- Ability to work autonomously, plan, organise, prioritise and delegate
- Ability to work under pressure and cope in a stressful environment and with emotional / aggressive patients / carers
- Ability to understand and analyse professional and ethical issues and apply them to service development
Other
Essential criteria
- Committed to training and development
- Flexibility in clinical case mix
- Vision to develop the service
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
- Andrew Tompkin
- Job title
- Divisional Head Ophthalmology Support Services
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0151 706 3901
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