Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Highly Specialist Optometrist to join our busy Eye team at Hillingdon and Mount Vernon Hospitals together with community clinics. We are seeking an experienced, highly motivated and proactive individual to work as autonomous practitioners to assess, diagnose and manage any patient referred to the Optometry department.

The post-holder will be required to undertake refraction, medical contact lens assessment and fitting, and low vision aid assessment, in both our paediatric and adult ophthalmology clinics.

The post-holders will also be required to work as part of the multi-professional team one or more or the  sub-specialised glaucoma, cataract, medical retina, research and paediatric ophthalmology clinics, undertaking “extended role” optometry work. Previous experience preferred but training will be provided as required.

A comprehensive ophthalmology service is provided by 11 Consultant Ophthalmologists, 5 part-time Optometrists, 4 Orthoptists, 5 Ophthalmic Photographers and an Eye Clinic Liaison Officer  with general and speciality clinics including Paediatrics, Ocular-motility, Botulinum Toxin, AMD, Diabetic, Glaucoma, Medical Retinal, Oculoplastic and Corneal.

The post-holder will provide supervision and education of pre-registration optometry students and participate in educational activities run by and for the Ophthalmology Department.

Willingness to work across sites is essential. Job share considered.

Main duties of the job

Optometry Clinical Responsibilities

•  To be responsible as an autonomous practitioner prioritising workload and legally and professionally responsible for all aspects of own work for the evaluation of visual acuity, visual function and visual behaviour of all patients.

§  To be responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring individual optometric treatment plans/care pathways for patients of all ages using advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice. These may vary from several months to several years. Treatment plans will need to be re-assessed and re-evaluate on return appointments.

•  To undertake objective and/or subjective refraction and perform the necessary numeric calculations to provide an accurate glasses prescription for the patient.
•  To accurately assess and compare spectacle prescriptions using automated and manual focimetry.

• Assessment of the fundus and media using direct ophthalmoscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, or high-powered lenses at a slit lamp. This may be to detect and diagnose any ophthalmic conditions in new patients or to monitor stability and detect change in patients under review. In both situations the optometrist will need to make onward referral to ophthalmology advising administrative staff of the urgency of the referral or discharging patients.

Working for our organisation

The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the only acute Hospital in the London Borough of Hillingdon and offers a wide range of services including accident and emergency, inpatient care, day surgery, outpatient clinics and maternity services. The Trust’s services at Mount Vernon Hospital include routine day surgery, delivered at a modern treatment centre, a minor injuries unit and outpatient clinics.

The safety and well-being of our patients and of our staff is paramount and we are making urgent improvements to address this – particularly in infection prevention and control. We are making progress and going forward by working in partnership with local GPs, charities,
community services, academic partners, our local authority, neighbouring hospitals and the wider North West London Integrated care system, and ensuring that we listen and work in partnership with our local population. We are absolutely focused on ensuring that our hospitals
provide high quality, safe and compassionate care, while drive forward the building of the new Hillingdon Hospital.

We have over 3,500 members of staff that are proud to care for nearly half a million people, with a vision to be an outstanding provider of healthcare through leading health and academic partnerships, transforming services, to provide the best care where needed.