Lead Orthoptist

The role of the Lead Orthoptist is to lead the Orthoptic department and develop comprehensive and quality services for patients within South Warwickshire and Nuneaton. The post holder will provide clinical leadership, professional and personal support to all members of the team, expert personal clinical knowledge skills are vital.

It is imperative that we support services within general Ophthalmology and that this role provides clinical Orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner. Working across both hospital sites, diagnosing, treating and managing adult and paediatric service users referred to the Orthoptic service.

To take clinical responsibility for, and provide highly specialised care to, a caseload of patients attending ophthalmology clinics with sight threatening acute and chronic conditions using advanced clinical knowledge that is evidence based and individualised to the patient’s needs.

Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further. In addition our staff survey results have placed us 4 th in the country for recommended place to work.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.

Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are ‘Trusted to provide safe, inclusive, effective and compassionate care’. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn’t matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

**Key Result areas**:
The post holder will display a high profile, be accessible and responsive as a clinical leader with management responsibility for the Orthoptists and orthoptic service delivery in Warwick Hospital, Stratford Hospital and George Eliot Hospital.

Displaying excellent leadership skills, the post holder will ensure that the department delivers high quality patient experience, care and outcomes.

The post holder will make informed decisions within their own specialty and scope of professional practice, involving the patients and public to ensure agreed standards, targets and objectives.

To work in collaboration with the leads within Ophthalmology, the General Manager and Clinical Director for Ophthalmology ensuring the orthoptic service aligns with the ophthalmology strategy.

Expertise & Excellence in Clinical Practice

To be independently responsible as an autonomous practitioner for the Orthoptic investigation, diagnosis, management, and treatment of complex visual and ocular motility disorders using specialised examination techniques providing specialist advice.

Ensure high quality clinical standards are met and maintained by staff with adherence to professional practice guidelines as determined by the British and Irish Orthoptic Society.

To be clinically accountable for the Orthoptic service and a point of expertise for staff.

To provide a comprehensive examination and diagnosis implementing and monitoring individual treatment plans for a full range of adult and paediatric patients referred from GP’s, paediatricians, community service, High Street Optometrists, pre-school vision screening and stroke and rehabilitation services.

As an autonomous practitioner modify ongoing treatment plans in a manner that reflects the changing clinical outlook instructing patients / carers on home therapies.

To communicate complex diagnosis, treatment, and management plans containing sensitive or contentious information where patients and /or carers may have major emotional, physical and psychological problems.

Provide advanced expertise within paediatric and adult ocular motility clinics working in partnership with Consultants, Doctors and Optometrists.

Recognise and seek appropriate medical staff opinion regarding anomalous clinical responses to treatment.

To take the lead in the discussion and timing of squint surgery.

To assess pre-operative and post-operative patients, give information regarding prognosis and possible complications of surgery and discuss surgical management options with the Ophthalmologist advising them on issues that may influence the successful outcome of the procedure.

To deal sensitively with patients where diagnosis and prognosis may be difficult and / or distressing. This may be the first contact before seeing the Consultant.

Assessing children with special needs and challenging behaviour, making referrals to optometry and ophthalmic colleagues where appropriate.

To provide