Job summary
- Main area
- Ophthalmology
- Grade
- NHS Medical & Dental: Junior Clinical Fellow
- Contract
- 12 months (Fixed term)
- Hours
- Part time - 16 hours per week
- Job ref
- 318-25OPH
- Employer
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Cheltenham General Hospital
- Town
- Cheltenham
- Salary
- Dependant on experience
- Closing
- 23/07/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Clinical Research Fellow in Ophthalmology
NHS Medical & Dental: Junior Clinical Fellow
At Gloucestershire Hospitals, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the largest employer in the county, we’re proud to provide outstanding acute, elective, and specialist services to over 650,000 people across our county. Whether you’re just beginning your NHS journey or taking the next step in your career, this is an exciting time to join us. We’re investing in innovation, research, and transformation, with over 100 active clinical studies and major developments underway across our two district hospitals.
You can expect a welcoming and supportive culture and you’ll be supported by passionate colleagues who care deeply about teamwork, development, and delivering exceptional care. We offer structured development programmes, mentoring, and leadership opportunities to help you grow in your career. Gloucestershire has the perfect mix of culture, countryside, and community. With excellent schools, transport links, and access to award-winning green spaces, it’s a great place to live and work.
We value the diversity of our workforce and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels they belong.
Be part of Gloucestershire Hospitals, explore your future with us today.
Job overview
Applications are invited for this non-training research fellow post specialising in Medical retina research to join the Ophthalmology Team at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
This position is 12 months in the first instance. The Medical Retina fellow will be expected to fully participate in departmental clinical research, help run trials, from setting up trials, help in patient recruitment, coordination and smooth delivery of trials. Other duties involve data gathering, analysis and help write up of publications and presentations. They will also help in departmental Audits ensuring completion of audit cycles.
Main duties of the job
We submit high quality grant applications which are often successful and we need assistance with writing the applications, preparing the trust and ethical committee approval applications via IRAS and then in overseeing and managing the delivery of the grants and the writing up of the studies.
The initial planned timetable will be for the research fellow to be based in the Gloucestershire Retinal Research Group offices at Cheltenham General Hospital on Wednesdays and on Thursdays with occasional sessions spent at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital or in Cheltenham General.
There may be some service commitment within the two days working and so there would need to be some flexibility about the day worked. Any service commitment is likely to be infrequent and would be at Cheltenham General Hospital or Gloucestershire Royal Hospital between Tuesday and Friday. We would aim to give at least 4 weeks notice if a request was made to cover a clinic on a Tuesday or a Friday. The research fellow may occasionally be asked to present at a departmental audit meeting on a Friday pm.
Working for our organisation
Gloucestershire Eye Unit provides ophthalmic services for the population of 652,475 in Gloucestershire as well as caring for patients from surrounding counties and beyond. Medical staff include: 19 Consultants, 9 four Specialty Doctors, three fellows, 4 Specialist Trainees and 2 Trust Doctors. The department consists of a dedicated day-case unit (Eyeford ward), two fully equipped ophthalmic theatres at Cheltenham General Hospital and a third theatre in Tewkesbury where day case cataract surgery is performed, and independent outpatient facilities.
Gloucestershire Retinal Research Group (GREG) employ 13 staff with a 2017-21 and currently oversee 10 Interventional, 6 Non-Interventional Trials, 2 Epidemiology, 3 Reading Centre studies, 1 funded project and 4 National audits.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. Clinical Responsibilities/Key Responsibilities
· To fully participate in departmental clinical research, help run trials, from setting up trials, help in patient recruitment, coordination and smooth delivery of trials
· To participate in some clinical activities required within the portfolio of research studies
2. Professional Development, Education and Training
· To participate in teaching activities when needed
· To keep up to date with the latest research and development within the work remit
3. Planning and Organisation
· To identify sources of funding and contribute to process of securing funds
· To collaborate with the team to plan, design, and implement research projects to ensure each project is delivered successfully
4. Research and Development
· To participate in audits and research activities within the medical retina service including help with research trials
· To write or contribute to publications or distribute research findings
· To prepare and submit applications and progress reports to funding bodies that support research projects
5. Communications and Working Relationships
· To collaborate with colleagues and participate in meetings and research group activities.
· To present work at seminars and conferences as appropriate to enhance the profile of the research group.
· To work together with other research partners and colleagues to ensure the projects run smoothly
6. Clinical Governance
· To assist in departmental Audits ensuring completion of audit cycles.
Person specification
Essential
Essential criteria
- Medical degree
- Registered with the GMC with a Licence to practice
- Studying for FRCOphth part 1 or MRCOphth equivalent
- Completion of foundation years training or equivalent
Desirable criteria
- Good Clinical Practice certificate
- Research Experience
- Previous experience of submitting abstract or papers
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have regular contact with vulnerable people and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Peter Scanlon
- Job title
- Professor of Ophthalmology
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 03004 222851
List jobs with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Medical and Dental or all sectors