Job overview

Applications are invited for a  Consultant post that will enhance the service of our large department that covers a population of approximately 1.2 million. We are looking for a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon with a sub-specialist interest in Oculoplastic surgery to deliver outstanding patient care at our forward-thinking organisation.

The successful candidate will join an active Oculoplastic service which covers all sub-specialty conditions including lid malpositions, lacrimal disorders, periocular tumours and orbital disease, with dedicated thyroid eye disease clinics. All oculoplastic surgical areas are covered, including joint lacrimal lists with ENT, apart from orbital surgery which is referred to tertiary referral centres. A joint Oculoplastic/ENT clinic is being set up, and we are also developing a facial skin cancer pathway with ENT and a joint operating list with general Plastics. The team comprises 3 Oculoplastic consultants (including this post), an Oculoplastic fellow/ST7 and an Oculoplastic nurse specialist.  

 MTW is responsible for the provision of ophthalmology services for the people of Mid and West Kent. General and sub-specialty ophthalmology services are provided at the Eye, Ear, and Mouth Unit (EEMU), a modern, purpose-built facility attached to Maidstone Hospital, with further outpatient facilities provided at the Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury, Medway Maritime Hospital and Sevenoaks Hospital in a “hub and spoke” model. 

Main duties of the job

To provide a high standard of care to any patient for whom you have clinical responsibility.  This will include any patients cared for by you personally.

To participate in clinical and other service activities and developments with the aim of ensuring a high standard of patient care.

To take equal share in providing sub-specialty cover and covering for colleagues during period of absence. This will include electronic triage of referrals.

To work in close co-operation with other medical, professional and managerial colleagues, both within and outside the specialty, to provide high quality health care to the Trust’s patients, and to make a contribution to future thinking about the Trust’s strategic direction.

To ensure at all times that you comply with the General Medical Council’s published guide “Good Medical Practice” including the Duties of a Doctor.

The post holders will be required to also perform duties in occasional emergencies and unforeseen circumstances at the request of the Clinical Director or General Manager for Ophthalmology.

Working for our organisation

In this year's NHS staff survey, our employees voted to recommend us as an employer, positioning us as the second most recommended  NHS Trust in the South East.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is a large acute hospital Trust in the county of Kent.

The Trust provides a full range of general hospital services and some areas of specialist complex care to around 760,000 people living in the south part of West Kent and the north part of East Sussex.

The Trust’s core catchment areas are Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells and their surrounding boroughs. We work from two main clinical sites: Maidstone Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury. Tunbridge Wells Hospital opened in 2011 and provides single rooms with en-suites for all in-patients – the first of its kind in the country.

We employ more than 7,000 full and part-time staff in a huge range of clinical and non-clinical roles across both of our hospital sites.

Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.