Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and enthusiastic qualified or newly qualified Orthoptist to join our team in the Eye Treatment Centre at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, where we are offering a preceptorship programme. Are you enthused by developing your experience and help shape the expansion of our team? Our philosophy is to provide services for patients where they are most will become a valued part of our growing Orthoptic and Ophthalmology service, holding your own clinics with the opportunity to develop and carry out a wide range of extended roles such as Glaucoma, Medical Retina, Stroke, Paediatric Refraction, Low Vision Aids, ROP screening and Special School Orthoptic clinics to support our ever-growing patient group. We are a large multidisciplinary team that work very closely together, which includes doctors, Optometrists, Ophthalmic Nurses, Nurse, Ophthalmic Assistants and Care Assistants as well as the those from other specialities such as Neurology, Endocrinology and Elderly Care. The department fully supports Investors for people and continuing professional development. You will be working with a diverse and dynamic team with strong peer support and access to educational opportunities to further your career

Main duties of the job

To be responsible for the Orthoptic assessment, diagnosis and management of patients referred to the Orthoptic Department from various departments, including paediatrics, accident and emergency, maxillo-facial department, endocrinology and neurology under formulate relevant discharge plans and onward referral. This patient group comprises all cases of ocular motility defects and amblyopia. (reduced vision with no pathological cause), complex congenital and acquired cases, including neurological abnormalities, genetic disorders and associated ocular be responsible as an autonomous practitioner for the evaluation of visual acuity in referrals from the specialist services. This includes infants with strabismus (squint) and amblyopia, congenital or developmental abnormalities, genetic referral, adult illiterates, children and adults with significant learning difficulties as well as acute ocular motility defects in both children and be responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring individual Orthoptic treatment plans / care pathways for patients of all ages using advanced clinical reasoning and evidence based practice under minimal Undertake extended roles such as Stable glaucoma clinics, Glaucoma Assessment clinics, IOP and Compliance clinics and Pre-Op cataract assessment including biometry

About us

There's never been a more exciting time to build your career at Frimley Health, one of the country's largest and most respected trusts

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) has an outstanding reputation and a proud record of achievement. We have an ongoing commitment to improving the health and care services for the 900,000 people we serve across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and south Buckinghamshire.

We continue to invest in our services and facilities, including a £10 million upgrade to the hospital maternity unit as well as £49m major new Emergency Assessment Centre on our Wexham Park site. The opening of a brand new £100m state of the art hospital which replaced the existing hospital facility at Heatherwood and are planning to invest further in diagnostics and inpatient capacity at Frimley Park.

We have also made significant investment in our quality improvement and digital programmes to support our vision and we will ensure that we achieve our aim of providing the highest quality healthcare to our patients. Our new EPR - Epic - went live in June and we are already beginning to reap the benefits of this ambitious investment.

Our threecore values, and the behaviours that support them, guide everything we do and set out what we expect of our staff in the way they treat patients, visitors, service users and each other.

If you have a passion for clinical excellence, patient care and your own career development, you'll feel at home at Frimley Health.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Orthoptic Clinical Duties

To carry out Orthoptic assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients referred from outside agencies and to manage, using individual treatment plans, the associated amblyopia (non pathological vision loss) and other visual symptoms. This group of patients includes children with significant sight defects and requires a considerable degree of empathy and family support. In adults the diagnosis of acute onset ocular motility defects require a significantly high level of anatomical and neurological knowledge when there may be the need to make a differential diagnosis between clinical conditions. To formulate individualised management and treatment programmes using clinical reasoning and a wide range of treatment skills. Communicating effectively with patients, & / parents, & / carers those plans and to assess capacity and gain informed consent to those treatment plans. To assess, diagnose and treat patients with special needs. This group of patients can often include assessment of non-seeing babies and specialist communication skills are needed in conveying this information to the parents / guardians. Where clinical signs and symptoms do not always fall into particular categories, & / or where information is limited / unavailable the Orthoptist will be expected to determine the diagnosis, prognosis, management. To liase with the Team Leader Orthoptics regarding problems arising from any Orthoptic treatment. To perform secondary vision screening As an autonomous practitioner the post-holder will be responsible for the decision to instil drops for diagnostic and refraction purposes, the appropriate strength required and to advise patients of the side effects. To undertake pre and post-operative measurements of motility defects. Surgery will be based on the Orthoptic measurements. To identify surgical risks (pre, peri and post surgery) and to discuss these with the patients (parents / carers) and surgeon. To take the lead in the decision and timing of surgery. This requires an up to date knowledge of evidence-based practice. To assess patients post-operative outcome and modify treatment accordingly. To support the Ophthalmologist in outreach clinics. To liase with the visual impairment services team and health professionals regarding the educational and social needs of patients. To work as a part of a multi-disciplinary team consisting of Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Orthoptists, Nurses, and Clerks etc. To assist and provide internal cover for colleagues during periods of annual leave, sickness and vacancies cross-site.

Person Specification

Core Skills

Essential

Degree or Diploma in Orthoptics

Desirable

Clinical teaching qualification To Undertake extended roles

Experience

Essential

Ability to assess, diagnose and treat a full range of Orthoptic cases.

Desirable

Ability to use Humphrey, Goldmann Ability to manage and take responsibility for own workload without direct clinical supervision

Professinal experience

Essential

Works as an active member of a multi-disciplinary team. Able to commute to satellite clinics

Desirable

Experience in extended roles.