Job summary
- Main area
- Orthoptist Band 7- Lead for Audit
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- 12 months (Fixed term)
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 387-S1255-NG
- Employer
- University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Bristol Eye Hospital
- Town
- Bristol
- Salary
- £47,810 - £54,710 pa
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 16/11/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Senior Orthoptist- Lead for Audit
Band 7
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We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.
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Job overview
We are looking to recruit a Band 7 Lead Orthoptist at the University Bristol and Weston Hospitals Trust. The post is full time, fixed term to cover maternity leave for 1 year from December 2025
This presents a great opportunity for you to come to come and get some Band 7 experience for one year in a large teaching hospital and to expand your knowledge and skills. The vacant post is our lead for audit and research, so any research experience will be an advantage. Flexible hours offered as a 9 day fortnight.
The successful applicant will be an experienced Orthoptist at Band 6 or 7 who will join a highly motivated team of 15 Orthoptists at Bristol Eye Hospital, a teaching and research hospital with strong links to the University of Bristol and is a tertiary referral centre for the South West in many ophthalmic sub specialities.
The post holder will work at both main hospitals and will also travel to community sites and assessment centres in and around Bristol. The workload at the Eye Hospital and Weston General Hospital will include specialist paediatric and paediatric neuro ophthalmology clinics, motility and adnexal clinics, adult neuro ophthalmology, stroke and brain injury assessments and on site adjustable suture assessments. The department is also actively supports extended roles in the skull base neuro-ophthalmology and Paediatric primary care We have an SEN speciality service with close links to the Vision Support Service and the Community Paediatricians.
Main duties of the job
Band 7 Orthoptist-Full time, Fixed Term maternity leave cover at United Hospitals Bristol and Weston Hospitals Trust.
- All advanced Orthoptic services
- Lead for audit; giving guidance and advise and leading the departmental audit programme.
- All necessary activities to ensure safeguarding of children and adults in your care
- Presenting at Grand Rounds, Paediatric teaching sessions and case discussion meetings
- All necessary admin and planning associated with peripheral clinics
- Following Trust Paediatric DNA policy and procedures
- Actively participating in departmental development and smooth running
- Maintaining own CPD in line with HCPC standards
- Being a part of the team here at UHBW
- A degree or Diploma in Orthoptics and registration with the HCPC are essential requirements
We are a recognised Orthoptic student placement centre and you would ideally have your clinical tutors qualification and teaching experience with Orthoptic, Medical or Optometry staff. We actively encourage audit, research and further education to improve our service and have protected CPD time.
For informal enquiries please contact Helen McCarthy or Julie Parker at Bristol Eye Hospital Orthoptic Department.
Working for our organisation
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as ‘Good’ overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Person specification
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- To formulate individualised management and treatment plans, using clinical reasoning that is evidence based, and requires a wide range of treatment options.
- Assess and interpret complex results of clinical investigations, form an accurate diagnosis informed from knowledge base and current research findings.
- Screen and prioritise referrals to the service accurately identifying those which are of a sight or life threatening nature and arranging urgent assessment at appropriate hospital site.
- Proficiency in all types of visual field testing, an ability to work comfortably with a number IT and hospital based systems.
- Manual dexterity and observational skills for observing fine eye movement disorders and for highly accurate measuring skills for squint surgery and adjustable suture procedures,
- To apply a high level of understanding to the rehabilitation requirements following loss of vision due to stroke or double vision and to advise on lifestyle changes and adaptations to patients social and physical environment.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- As an autonomous practitioner to undertake the investigation, diagnosis & management of patients of all ages and abilities including the very young and the elderly referred to the Orthoptic Department at Bristol Eye Hospital. This will include a wide range of complex cases referred from clinics including paediatrics, motility, neurology, maxillo facial, glaucoma and accident and emergency that are referred locally & from other centres in the South West of England
- Highly advanced (to a masters level equivalent) level of knowledge and extensive experience in highly specialized clinics namely neuro/skull base, paediatric cataract, functional vision, special schools, complex needs and stroke
- To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good practice in these highly specialised clinical area, demonstrating an advanced level of knowledge of particular conditions and current treatment therapies including prism therapy and rehabilitative scanning therapies through specialist training, continued professional development (CPD) and experience equivalent to master’s level
- Evidence (portfolio) of extended and substantial self-study equating to a master’s level in the area of highly specialised Orthoptics.
- Have the ability to critically appraise and reflect own performance to maintain own CPD and to participate in internal and external development and training opportunities recording learning outcomes in own portfolio
Desirable criteria
- To have undergone training in audit methodology and have written and presented audit previously
- BIOS Clinical Tutors course must have been completed with significant experience in tutoring and in the development and improvement of the student placement offer within the department, creating and developing the clinical placement teaching material
Aptitudes
Essential criteria
- Display both excellent organisational and leadership skills to promote and deliver an effective Audit Programme to given deadlines
- To equally balance responsibilities of clinical and managerial responsibilities
- Highly effective communicator both clinically when delivering bad news regarding loss or damge to vision and managerially when encouraging and assisting colleagues
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria
- Degree or Equivalent in Orthoptics
Desirable criteria
- Training or advanced qualification in NHS audit. R and D or Clinical Governance
- Masters or Equivalent by extensive experience in advanced clinical practice or a specialist area of Orthoptics Evidence of relevant CPD
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Helen McCarthy
- Job title
- Head Orthoptist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01173429150
- Additional information
Julie Parker; Deputy Head Orthoptist
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