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Research Optometrist
Closed for applications on: 5-Sept-2024 00:00
Vacancy status: Closed
Closed for applications on: 5-Sept-2024 00:00
Key details
Location
- Site
- St Thomas' Hospital
- Address
- Westminster Bridge Road
- Town
- London
- Postcode
- SE1 7EH
- Major / Minor Region
- London
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Fixed term: 12 months (Tuesday weekly)
- Hours
- Part time - 7.5 hours per week (Tuesday only)
Salary
- Salary
- £51,488 - £57,802 pa inc HCA (pro rata)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (NHS AfC: Band 7)
Specialty
- Main area
- Ophthalmology Research
Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services.
Guy’s is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas’ has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions.
Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients.
In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research.
We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King’s Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King’s College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit.
Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of ‘good’. Our adult community services achieved a rating of ‘outstanding’.
The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients.
We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS.
Job overview
The successful applicant will work within a multidisciplinary team to assist in the eye research clinics.
Advert
The post holder will contribute to a comprehensive and quality ophthalmic research unit while increasing recruitment activity in NIHR CRN portfolio research studies.
Working for our organisation
The Eye Research unit has close links with King’s College London (KCL) has a proven track record of nationally and internationally recognised research focusing on the cause and treatment of eye disease, alongside clinical expertise in the diagnosis and treatment in all sub-specialities of Ophthalmology. The Eye Research Unit has delivered successfully on a number of both commercial and non-commercial portfolio studies and plays a key role in driving and supporting continued recruitment within the Clinical Research Network South London.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Professional Duties
- To be able to work as an autonomous research optometrist as part of the research team
- To provide appropriate care within specialist research clinics and in areas of own expertise. Post holder will be expected to assess, diagnose, formulate and review treatment plans.
- To actively recruit appropriate patients to the research clinics in accordance to the protocol.
- To instruct patients or parents/guardians of patients on a continuous course of treatment
- Liaise with the R&D lead regarding any problems with service delivery.
- To be responsible for administration associated with the research projects
- Responsible for the safe keeping and maintenance of all equipment belonging to the service, including calibration of devices.
- Act as a mentor for other professionals within the service and maintain a high standard of professional care and expertise.
Clinical Duties
- To undertake a comprehensive ophthalmic examination including, Goldmann tonometry, Gonioscopy and disc to ascertain a Glaucoma diagnosis and assess stability of the condition.
- To be able to select the appropriate ophthalmic tests for each patient
- To assess patient results and act when they show instability or new clinical signs.
- To perform investigations and diagnostic tests specified by the consultant in the research clinics to a high quality standard.
- To perform appropriate Perimetry, automated and manual fields within the glaucoma clinics, interpret the results, demonstrate knowledge on glaucomatous progression.
- To demonstrate a high level of expertise on a range of imaging devices for glaucoma within the ophthalmic unit.
- Attend appropriate training events, courses and lectures thereby maintaining up-to-date knowledge and skills.
- To provide appropriate care within the glaucoma clinic and in area of own expertise. The post holder will be expected to assess, diagnose, formulate and review treatment plan.
- To comply with departmental quality procedures, participating in quality management monitoring. This will include audits for hospital ophthalmology services.
- To observe and maintain professional standards at all times.
- To keep and maintain appropriate records at all times ensuring that all paperwork is filed promptly into case-notes.
- To observe safe working practices and equipment procedures, complying with legislative requirements under H&S regulations.
- Assist and provide internal cover for colleagues during periods of annual leave, sickness and vacancies cross-site.
- Respect patient and staff confidentiality at all times.
- Maintain and utilise department and Trust information systems currently in use and ensure the accuracy of information held on the Electronic Healthcare records (EPIC).
- Liaise with other Departments within the hospital (for example, the wards, other specialities, the waiting list office, medical records, outpatients and information systems) and ensure that the Department interfaces efficiently with them
Research and Development
- To be proactive in initiating research ideas/projects in conjunction with the R&D
- To participate in research programmes in collaboration with other medical and research staff.
- To initiate and participate in clinical audit for the Ophthalmology team.
General Responsibilities
- Keep work up-to-date within departmental set standards, notifying line manager immediately if this becomes problematic
- Adhere to appropriate health and safety, fire and statutory regulations and all Trust policies relevant to the post.
- Attend any training that will benefit both the directorate and the individual, as agreed with the Head of Glaucoma Shared Care Service within IPR setting
- Ensure compliance with all Trust policies and follow Trust codes of practice regarding any absence, annual, sick and other leaves.
- Undertake any duties as agreed and delegated by Management
Financial Resources
- To responsibly manage the control of equipment, resources and stock through the adherence of research policies and clinical trials budgets.
Human Resources
- To participate in training programmes and supervision of medical, nursing, optometry and health students and qualified professionals, this can be in a one-to-one situation or a group setting.
- To mentor and provide clinical supervision to newly qualified and junior Ophthalmology staff.
- To participate in in-house training and undertake extended roles where appropriate, as required by service needs.
Applicant requirements
Person specification
Knowledge/Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Bachelor of Science in Optometry or equivalent qualification
- Evidence of continued professional development
- Member College of Ophthalmology (MCOP)
Desirable criteria
- ICHGCP
- Post-graduate qualification in a relevant field
Previous experience
Essential criteria
- Significant post-registration experience including experience in specialist services in glaucoma & visual fields to masters level or equivalent
- Experience of working as part of a team, uni-professional and multi-professional
- Experience of training and supporting junior staff, staff and students
- Developed knowledge of current best practice in Ophthalmology in relevant setting
- Understanding legal responsibilities of the profession and the associated code of ethics
- Audit and research experience
- Demonstrates understanding of clinical governance
Skills
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of MS Office (including Word, Excel and Outlook)
- Specialist clinical skills in all areas of Ophthalmology
- Ability to analyze and prioritize complex medical information to help devise appropriate specialist care plans
- Ability to present information both orally and written in a clear, logical manner
- Ability to demonstrate empathy and professionalism through patient consultations and achieve sound clinical outcome, even when receiving/delivering complex or distressing information
- Ability to pass on knowledge and deliver training
- Autonomous working and use of initiative, guided by broad ophthalmology guidelines
- Time management skills with ability to organize, plan and prioritise workload
- Excellent team working skills and communication skills
Additional Information
Essential criteria
- Flexible and reliable approach to working patterns
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Sheng Lim
- Job title
- R&D Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
No longer accepting applications
Sorry, this vacancy is no longer accepting applications.
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