Head of Optometry

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Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.

The Trust comprises of four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel.

Many of our recruitment programmes useValue Based Interviewingto identify those who have the skills we seek, who share our values and who are able to deliver compassionate excellence from the outset. We know that this makes a significant difference to your job satisfaction and above all the outcomes and experience of our patients and their families. For more information about our Values and Value Based Interviewing please visitwww.ouh.nhs.uk/about/vision-and-values

Job overview

Following the retirement of the Head of Optometry within the Ophthalmology Directorate at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, a rare opportunity has arisen for an outstanding Optometrist with exemplary leadership skills and a dynamic approach to apply for the position.

The Head of the Optometry Service is a key role within the Ophthalmology Directorate providing engaging, professional leadership for all optometry staff and accountability for the effective and efficient delivery of core optometry activities.

You will have the opportunity to review and redesign the structure within the service to enhance leadership and clinical accountability within core and extended optometry practice in alignment with the vision for multiprofessional advanced clinical practice within ophthalmology.

The Head of Optometry will provide strong, visible, and professional leadership to the optometry team and provide highly specialist and expert advice for all professional matters within Ophthalmology.

The optometry service comprises c16 registered optometrists, a Pre Registration Optometrist, Telephone Triage Optometrists for the Eye Emergency Service, 3 Dispensing Opticians, an ECLO and Optometry Technicians. The Optometry Service sees XX patients per year delivering core optometry and contributes extended practice to a range of ophthalmology clinics including AMD, Medical Retina, Glaucoma, Paediatrics and Eye Emergencies.

Main duties of the job

As a specialist Optometrist, with an ongoing clinical portfolio, the post holder will need to have significant operational leadership experience and knowledge of the breadth of optometry services as well as an understanding of wider issues within ophthalmology and healthcare provision in both primary and secondary care systems.

The post holder will be required to work collaboratively and effectively with the Ophthalmology Directorate Triumvirate (Clinical Director, Matron and Operational Services Manager), other heads of service and senior clinicians within ophthalmology to contribute to and inform the strategic planning for workforce, training, service delivery, finance, and capital. The post holder will be expected to lead on this for optometry and be accountable for delivering in these areas.

The post holder will be accountable for delivering the clinical governance agenda, ensuring a safe, efficient, and effective optometry service, compatible with professional and national clinical standards and in alignment with Trust policies and procedures.

Working for our organisation

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trustis one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. Find out more here www.ouh.nhs.uk

The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

(Please see Job Description for full details of role and responsibilities)

To be professional and management lead for the Department of Optometry.

To provide leadership for the evolving department restructure, optimising direct line management, accountability, and governance within the team.

To drive the strategic development of the optometry department, working with local and national stakeholders and other professional groups

Responsible for provision and delivery of a broad and comprehensive range of core and highly specialist optometric services at central and peripheral locations.

To plan and implement short term and long-term strategic adjustments to this service provision as needed to meet changing skill mix and demands on service and make adaptations to meet conflicting service requirements as necessary.

To ensure provision and delivery of teaching and training for all members of the Department.

To personally deliver specialist training in area of expertise.

To take full management responsibility for all aspects of the service for the Department including budgetary, human resources, and clinical governance.

To proactively embrace NHS improvement policies, local and national, and instigate change. Work closely with the Directorate Triumvirate, lead Ophthalmologist and other heads of service to provide a flexible and adaptable service that is responsive to changes in requirements.

To build on research relationships within the Oxford Eye Hospital linking with other disciplines, Consultant Ophthalmologists and Eye Research Group Oxford. Encourage research ideas within the department and the presentation and publication of results to relevant national professional forums.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• MOptom (Master of Optometry) specialist optometry degree OR equivalent BSc(Hons) Ophthalmic Optics or Optometry (2i or above), completion of 12 month clinical postgraduate training post
• Registered with the General Optical Council (GOC)
• PhD in field of clinical specialty or equivalent level of expertise from formal qualification compounded by relevant years of clinical practice in area of expertise and advanced clinical training
• Postgraduate qualifications to MSc level embracing extensive theoretical knowledge in a range of highly specialist aspects of clinical expertise
• Registered College of Optometrists Supervisor for pre-registration graduate optometrist training post as required by the GOC

Desirable criteria

• Formal management qualification
• College of optometrists examiner or experience of delivery of teaching to optometry undergraduates and postgraduates in University setting

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience in leadership and line management of groups of staff within an optometry team
• Relevant years of experience in autonomous management a broad range of secondary care and tertiary complex optometric cases in a hospital setting; involving ability to plan appropriate investigations, analyse test results and interpret all data relating to highly complex clinical presentations within area of expertise.
• Advanced theoretical knowledge, skills and clinical experience in specialist areas Previous experience of teaching theoretical knowledge and practical skills in both formal and informal setting
• Previous experience as a Senior Hospital Optometrist in leadership role in provision of specialist optometric service
• Skills and experience in planning improvement to aspects of a service
• Previous budget management experience
• Experience of leading service change
• Experience in design and execution of prospective/ retrospective clinical audit

Desirable criteria

• Familiarity with databases and statistics
• Previous audit experience

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

Essential criteria

• Extensive knowledge/understanding of the wider optometry profession.
• Ability to undertake highly specialist extended clinical role and formulate specialist care plans in areas of expertise.
• Proficient in the use of MS Office (including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint) Keyboard skills
• Ability to demonstrate empathy and professionalism throughout patient consultations and achieve sound clinical outcome, even when receiving/delivering complex or distressing information
• Effective communicator and advisor at all levels with ability to develop constructive relationships at all levels
• A motivator and encourager
• Demonstrates attention and accuracy to detail

Desirable criteria

• Ability to understand and interpret performance and activity data to present reports and determine service strategy

COVID-19: The COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst COVID-19 vaccination is not a condition of employment , we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated there is helpful advice and information at Oxfordshire County Council Website where you can also find out more about how to access vaccination.

Nursing and Midwifery:For candidates applying from outside the UK: Please be advised that we work in partnership with Envertiz who will be managingyour recruitment therefore by applying you are consenting to us passing your contact details and application to Envertiz so they can manage your recruitment and on-boarding. If you do not consent to this, please do not apply.

Probation Period: This post is subject to a 6 month probationary period. If you currently hold a contract of employment with the Oxford University Hospitals, this will not apply. This statement does not apply to Medical staff or Executive Appointments.

Referencing: When providing employment reference details please provide correct work related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your first referee will need to be your line manager, supervisor or clinical lead from your current or most recent post or place of study. Please note that if you have previously worked for the Trust we will require a reference from your last Manager, this information is essential if your offer of employment is to be confirmed.

Next Steps: Please make sure that you read the job description and person specification, and that your supporting statement reflects this as your application will be judged against these criteria. Candidates selected for interview will be contacted after the short-listing process, usually within 2 weeks. (Please note that shortlisting times vary when applying for a Medical position within the Trust). The majority of correspondence will be via the e-recruitment system; therefore you should check your emails regularly including junk mail folders in web-based email products.

No unsolicited recruitment agency telephone calls or emails.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.