Specialist Orthoptist

**The closing date is 19th Mar 2025**

**Job summary**:
The Orthoptics service in Somerset is growing and developing making it a really exciting time to join our team. We are creating new services following the merger of two trusts to create Somerset NHS Foundation Trust creating a growing team of orthoptists working in diverse roles both autonomously and as part of multi disciplinary teams in Paediatric ophthalmology, Neuro ophthalmology, Adults Strabismus, Stroke, Glaucoma and Ocular plastics. We have reception aged school vision screening and are a clinical placement site for student orthoptists.

Orthoptists with an interest in Stroke are especially welcome to apply.

**Main duties, tasks & skills required**:
To provide Orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner. To assess, diagnose and manage patients referred to the Orthoptic Department providing a comprehensive service. The post holder will work within a multi-disciplinary team within the ophthalmology department to provide and develop these services within the Trust.

**About us**:
At **Somerset NHS Foundation Trust**, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

- ** Flexible working options** to help you balance work and life
- ** NHS pension scheme** for long-term financial security
- ** Generous annual leave allowance** to recharge and relax
- A strong focus on **career development** to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our **Blue Light Card**, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

**Why Somerset?** Somerset offers the perfect blend of **idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty**, and **breathtaking coastlines**, with vibrant cities like **Bristol**, **Bath**, and **Exeter**just a short drive away - and only two hours to **London**.

The region is home to excellent **educational facilities**, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

**Somerset truly has it all** - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

**Job description**:
**Responsibilities**:
Communication and Key Working Relationships

To liaise with the Consultant Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Health Visitors/School nurses, parents, patients and teachers of visual impairment using verbal and written correspondence.

To be aware of barriers to communication and be able to overcome them effectively for example: with children, people with learning disabilities, where English is not the first language, with patients with expressive language difficulties (stroke).

To participate in an annual appraisal (Developmental Review).

To participate in the teaching of undergraduate orthoptists on placement from universities as well as medical students, junior doctors and pre-registration optometrists.

Planning and Organisation

To be responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring individual Orthoptic treatment plans / care pathways for patients of all ages, using advanced clinical reasoning and evidence based practice to decide the most appropriate treatment from a range of available options.

To take the lead in the decision and timing of surgery using an up-to-date knowledge of evidence based practice.

To discuss surgical options with the surgeon and make recommendations regarding surgical procedures.

To attend and contribute to Orthoptic departmental meetings.

Responsibility for Patient / Client Care, Treatment & Therapy

To be responsible as an autonomous practitioner for the evaluation of visual acuity and visual behaviour in referrals from the specialist services. This includes infants with strabismus (squint) and amblyopia, congenital or developmental abnormalities, genetic referral, adult illiterates, children and adults with significant learning difficulties as well as acute ocular motility defects in both children and adults.

To be responsible for the Orthoptic assessment, diagnosis and management of patients referred to the Orthoptic Department from various departments, including paediatrics, accident and emergency, maxillo-facial department and the child development centre.

To take sole responsibility to formulate relevant discharge plans and onward referral. This patient group comprises all cases of ocular motility defects and amblyopia, complex congenital and acquired cases, including neurological abnormalities, genetic disorders and associated ocular abnormalities.

To assess, diagnose and treat patients with special needs in specialist children's clinics. This group of patients can often include assessment of non-seeing babies, specialist communication skills will be needed when conveying this information to the parents/guardians.

To decide, plan and organise pati