Job summary
- Main area
- Optometry
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Fixed term: 12 months (Maternity cover)
- Hours
- Part time - 15 hours per week
- Job ref
- 318-25-T0593
- Employer
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Trustwide
- Town
- Gloucestershire (Gloucester, Cheltenham)
- Salary
- £47,810 - £54,710 (pa pro rata if part-time)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 03/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Specialist Optometrist, Band 7
Band 7
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
Specialist Optometrist, Band 7 (15 hours a week)
A maternity cover post has arisen for a part time specialist optometrist to join the optometry team at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS foundation trust for 12 months. We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced optometrist who are keen to develop their clinical skills and progress their specialist clinical interest in a hospital setting. This post would suit someone who wishes to receive training and experience in both core and advanced hospital clinics with an emphasis on glaucoma and medical retina
Main duties of the job
The post holder will have the opportunity to work in a variety of clinics including medical retina clinics working alongside consultant ophthalmologists assessing and managing patients presenting with a range of conditions including AMD, vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy and CSR, glaucoma clinics and other hospital clinics such as specialist contact lens fitting and paediatric assessment. The role can be adapted to the key clinics interests of the successful applicant.
A flexible approach is essential to work in a fast paced and busy clinics. The successful post holder will need to be familiar with OCT and although full training and support is provided, additional qualifications or previous experience in similar clinics is desirable.
Working for our organisation
We are a friendly and progressive optometry team consisting of over 20 optometrist and 8 optometry technicians. The department works closely with the ophthalmology team and run joint clinics with orthoptists. Although a large department that works across several sites we are still a cohesive and supportive team. We encourage optometrists to pursue their clinical interests and gain further post graduate qualifications to progress their career.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We have a fixed term part time post available (15 hours per week) and are looking for applications from candidates who are looking to develop into hospital optometry role.
Our normal working hours are 9.00am to 5.15pm Monday to Friday but may also include occasional weekend clinics. The post holder will be based either in Cheltenham General or Gloucestershire Royal Hospitals and there may be an option to work at other hospital sites across the county as we develop these clinics in community hospitals.
The post holder will work in both optometry and ophthalmology clinics. Full training will be given for the role. This post is therefore suitable for experienced optometrists without previous hospital experience who wishes to develop their clinical skills as well as optometrists currently working in hospital. The post holder will be expected to contribute to clinical audit for effective clinical governance and take on roles to support clinical lead optometrists and training and teaching within the department. Additional post graduate qualifications are not essential but if successful we would encourage and support the post holder to undertaken further training in their specialist area.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- BSc (Hons) Optometry or equivalent/or MSc Optometry
- GOC registered as qualified Optometrist
Desirable criteria
- 2:1 or higher
- Post graduate clinical qualification (s) or working towards further qualifications
- Member of College of Optometrists
Experience
Essential criteria
- Appropriate Optometry practice experience in clinical setting
- Experience working with patients with complex requirements
- Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team
Desirable criteria
- Clinical experience working within medical retinal clinic
- Experience in clinical research and/or clinical audit
Knowledge / Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent interpersonal skills and professional manner
- Able to communicate complex clinical information with empathy to patients
- Attention to detail and accurate clinical record keeping
- Ability to adapt and work flexibly to suit needs of the service
Desirable criteria
- Experience working with electronic patient records and databases
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr Anna Warner
- Job title
- Professional Lead for Optometry
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 422 2553
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