Orthoptist

1.To perform and be responsible for a broad range of expert skills, complex,comprehensive investigative, diagnostic and therapeutic Orthoptic procedures on all patients regardless of physical and mental disabilities including language barriers.2. To formulate treatment plans and instruct patients and carers on continuous courses of home therapies.3. Independently implement, review and alter treatment, based on Orthoptic assessment, interpretation and evaluation of a wide range of conditions.4. To act as a source of expert clinical knowledge for consultants, clinicalcolleagues, patients and carers for routine and as part of a leading team ofspecialists.5.

Work in partnership with consultants, optometrists, doctors and other medical professions, diagnose and treat and recommend further treatment options to other medical professionals.6. To provide highly specialised expertise within specialist clinics: Macularclinics, Stroke Unit, A&E Primary Care, Adjustable Squint surgery, Adult ocular motility and Botulinum Toxin.7. To independently assess, diagnose and where possible treat A&E PrimaryCare walk in patients and Ophthalmic outpatients as first expert practitioner.8. To perform additional specialised skills of visual and ocular assessment: Colour vision, contrast sensitivity and visual field analysis.9.

Collect, interpret and evaluate information and maintain accurate patient records.10. To be the sole provider of the Orthoptic service as part of a multi-disciplinary team/ and in co-ordination with other health professionals across the trust.11. To diagnose, treat and manage new patients referred to the Orthoptist as the initial assessment in the ophthalmic clinic and specialist clinics.12. To communicate complex diagnosis, treatment and management planscontaining sensitive or contentious information where patients and/or carers may have major emotional, physical and psychological problems.13.

To co-ordinate and participate in complex tests with other professions.14. Manage frequent, unpredictable, verbal immediate referrals from own and other directorates on a daily basis. Clinical Governance / Quality1. Attend regular Ophthalmology audit meetings and contribute as necessary.2.

Follow department policies and work within professional code of practice and use knowledge and experience to formulate own treatment/management plans3. To take an active role in clinical audit and research and disseminateaudit/research findings to own and other medical professionals through presentation and publication.4. To contribute to the development and instigation of new protocols within own area and the Ophthalmology Directorate.5. To take responsibility for own continued professional development andidentify own development needs.6.

Attend and contribute to postgraduate training programmes/courses toenhance current knowledge and skills to enable expansion into further roles/duties.7. Collect, compile and maintain statistics for studies, audits and data collection using both paper and computer based system. Education and training development1 To supervise undergraduate Orthoptic students, pre-registration optometrists and other medical staff.2. Take part in the organisation and implementation of specific, dedicatedteaching and training sessions.