Principal Optometrist - North Division

at  Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

We are looking for highly skilled and motivated optometrists for a principal Optometrist post working within our Northwick Park, Brent Cross, Potters Bar sites in the North West Division and the Stratford and St Ann’s sites in the North East Division. The posts will consist of delivering highly specialist clinical care. Applicants need to have prior experience working in the hospital service and already have the relevant higher qualifications from the College of Optometrists or be working towards them (see Person Specification).
The successful applicants will be joining an enthusiastic and friendly team of consultants, optometrists, orthoptists, ophthalmic nurses and technicians working within the hospital. As well as joining the largest hospital optometry department that delivers sub-speciality care, research and education within the optometry sector. Moorfields provides high quality ophthalmology services across the full range of sub-specialities in hospital and community settings.
To be the lead optometrist in the designated clinic/service for the Optometry Department.
To develop the role of optometrists within the service in conjunction with the Consultant Ophthalmologists within the clinics and the Service Lead and Head of Optometry.
To represent the hospital and the optometric profession in the teaching the management of conditions, by developing UK wide models of eye care.
To have overall responsibility for the clinical care and supervision of patients seen in the clinic.
To undertake highly specialist clinical activity requiring extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in management that includes a high proportion of tertiary referrals.
To have overall responsibility of the clinical supervision of clinical staff; To supervise all patient examinations carried out by the support/resident/placement/new to clinic Optometrist unless/until such time that the support/resident/new to clinic
To provide expert opinion to optometric and non-optometric colleagues on the management of complex cases within the designated Clinics and the Optometry Department.
This post will be based at our Northwick Park, Brent Cross, Potters Bar, Stratford & St Ann’s sites.
At Moorfields, we provide more than just an excellent career and great colleagues to work with. We also offer:
Salary including High-Cost Area Supplement
Opportunity to join the NHS Pension Scheme
Free 24/7 independent counselling service
Learning and development opportunities
Easy and quick transport links
A range of attractive benefits and discounts
Access to Blue Light Card and other NHS Discount Schemes
Free Pilates classes
Full support and training to develop your skills
Flexible working friendly organisation
And so much more! To see the full range of benefits we offer please see our Moorfields benefits document.
To deliver highly specialist clinical patient care requiring extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in management that includes a high proportion of tertiary referrals. This activity requires regular use of a wide range of advanced clinical techniques requiring dexterity, precision and intense concentration; and the judgement, analysis and interpretation of the complex clinical findings with a range of management options.
Patient examinations will be comprehensive and commensurate with clinical experience beyond Masters Level (i.e. College of Optometrists Diploma in Glaucoma, College of Optometrists Diploma in Independent Prescribing). Skills and knowledge are commensurate with those of sub-specialty medical ophthalmology staff.
To make independent, patient-centred clinical decisions on management in the presence of uncertainty (for example where patients are unable to cooperate fully in clinical assessments or the evidence for management options is unclear).
To be autonomously responsible for medical treatment (including prescribing) and management of patients. To recognise when patient clinical findings require Consultant Ophthalmic opinions (eg regarding surgery). To refer patients with ocular comorbidity to other ophthalmological services appropriately.
As Clinic Lead in Optometrist-, to supervise all patient examinations carried out by the support/resident/placement/new to clinic Optometrist unless/until such time that the support/resident/new to clinic Optometrist has attained the appropriate College of Optometrists certificate or completed their competency sign off. To review all prescribing decisions unless the prescribing optometrist has the correct qualifications together with The College of Optometrists Diploma in Independent Prescribing and their scope of practice /area of prescribing is in that service.
To organise the session by reviewing all clinical records at the start of an Optometrist-led clinic to determine necessary additional clinical tests (eg: visual fields, imaging, auto-refraction) utilising the different staff groups efficiently (admin, technical, optometric).
To provide expert opinion to optometric and non-optometric colleagues on the management of complex cases within the designated Clinics and the Optometry Department.
To undertake a comprehensive range of complex optometry services at Moorfields and out-reach clinics. These include refraction (complex, diagnostic and paediatric), low vision clinics (paediatric, complex, employment). The post holder maintains a personal clinical workload within these services.
To refer patients for appropriate appliances (contact lenses, spectacles, low vision aids) and provide appropriate advice to patients on needs, treatment and corrective aids

Please refer the Job description for details