Job summary
This post is for a Specialty Doctor in VR Surgery, this is a 2 year fixed Term post. The post is full-time, 10 PA's per week with associated on-call commitments on a 1 in 8 basis. We are offering an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Medic to join a dynamic, rapidly expanding team delivering multidisciplinary acute care in Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.
This post will support the existing ophthalmic team by undertaking general ophthalmic duties in an outpatient and theatre setting. The post holder is expected to contribute to the ophthalmology out-patient and surgical activities. The starting salary will be commensurate with experience. There will be the opportunity for training in vitreoretinal surgery for interested candidates already proficient in cataract surgery. It is possible that some clinical duties may be job-planned at Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals as a merger is likely this year.
Applicants must be eligible for full Registration with the GMC at time of appointment.
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Main duties of the job
The post holder is expected to contribute to the Ophthalmology out-patient and surgical activities. Four years' experience at post graduate level including at least 2 years in ophthalmology is necessary with the ability to practice independently. Starting salary will be commensurate with experience.
Basic training in vitreoretinal surgery can be provided to interested candidates if already proficient in phacoemulsification surgery. A number of middle-grade doctors have benefitted considerably from the cataract and VR training opportunity offered at this unit and some have successfully moved on to further fellowships.
The Eye Department, which is staffed by 8 Consultants and 7 Middle Grade Staff, is based in the new state of the art St Helens Hospital, and offers up-to-date modern state of the art ophthalmic equipment.
The Trust is committed to the delivery of high quality patient care and the Clinicians are actively involved in the management of the hospital and it's facilitates which creates a sound and friendly working environment.
About us
The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.
From 1st July we have come together as a single organisation under the name Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.
The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.
Our Vision is to deliver 5 Star Patient Care:
- CAREthat is evidence based, high quality and compassionate
- SAFETY that is of the highest standards
- COMMUNICATION that is open, inclusive and respectful
- SYSTEMS that are efficient, patient centred and reliable
- PATHWAYS that are best practice and embedded, but also respect the individual needs of patients
Our achievements include:
- Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Please see our Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our staff benefits. Accessible version available upon request.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Department Facilities
The Ophthalmology Service is based at St Helens Hospital and undertakes the whole range of ophthalmic work. The Ophthalmology Department provides support to the community childrens screening clinics as well as the provision of an orthoptic service.
The Speciality Doctor post will be a middle grade post. The job will involve handling out-patient clinics and undertaking theatre sessions. It will involve 1 in 8 1st on-call duties. The on-call rota is shared with Warrington Hospital .. It is hoped that the successful candidate will maintain an active interest in the speciality and take part in teaching and audit sessions. This is a non-training post but will provide good ab initio training in vitreoretinal surgery. Expertise in phacoemulsification surgery is essential for VR training.
The service is based in the new St Helens Hospital DTC with state of the art ophthalmic equipment.
Facilities of the department currently are:-
a) In-Patient Facilities
There is a Day Surgery Unit within the St Helens Hospital where the majority of ophthalmic surgery is undertaken. The Trust has a dedicated eye theatre team within the Hospital. All current adult ophthalmic surgical work is undertaken in the main theatre, and the following is available:-
2 ceiling mounted Leica operating microscopes with video facilities
3 Phaco-emulsification/ vitrectomy machines (1 Alcon constellation + 2 Centurion)
Foldable intraocular lenses are used routinely and an assortment of accessories for safe and state of the art phacoemulsification procedures.
Children are operated on at the Whiston Hospital Main Theatre Suite.
b) Out-Patient Facilities
The main Ophthalmology Out-Patient Services are provided from the Eye Clinic at St Helens. The full range of equipment in clinic includes:-
Yag Laser - Zeiss
Argon laser HGM PC EDO with indirect facility
Humphrey field analyser x 2
New digitised Fundus camera (Heidelberg HRA2)
Zeiss IOL Master
Auto Refractor/Keratomater (Canon)
B Scanner Biovision
SLT Coherent
SD - OCT Heidelberg new generation
Colour camera Optos
Pentacam-XL
In addition to the out-patient clinics there are also:-
2 Contact lens clinics per month
2 outreach clinics at Newton Community Hospital: further additional sessions envisaged
Nurse led pre-operative assessment clinic
Nurse-led intravitreal injection sessions.
Nurses are being increasingly deployed to carry out other tasks eg OCT/FFA capture, post-op care etc
c) Staffing Of The Department
7 Consultants
1 Associate Specialist
6 Speciality Doctors (F/T) including this post
The clinics are supported by Orthoptists who work as an integral part of the team.
The Hospital has a clearly defined programme of medical audit. All specialities spend 8 sessions on audit annually. Ophthalmology audit meetings are held usually on a Wednesday pm . A medical audit information system has been installed.
1. THE NATURE OF THE JOB
Title Speciality Doctor in Ophthalmology
The post is full-time, 10 PAs per week with 1 in 8 on-call.
Working Relationships
The employer is St. Helens & Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust.
Managerial accountability is to the Clinical Director.
The work of the post-holder will be supervised by a Consultant.
Timetable
The timetable will be in line with the new SAS contract. It is envisaged that the programme will be divided into the following activities (PAs).
6 Out-patient clinics. These can be flexible according to departmental needs and may include sessions at Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.
2 Theatre sessions with a VR consultant.
1 SPA (CPD/Audit, Wednesday pm)
1 Admin/ management
S/he will participate in the regular in-house educational programme. The timetable may include some evening sessions. Surgical training in VR surgery will be provided for candidates already trained in cataract surgery. The job plan will be reviewed after two years and may change depending on the needs of the unit / other doctors at the time.
Principal Accountabilities
The post holder will:
Contribute to the care of both out-patients and in-patients
Help with emergency work during normal hours
Undertake on-call on 1 in 8 rota basis
Assist in the compilation and organisation of audit sessions at St Helens Hospital
Deputise during the daytime for absent colleagues within the agreed rota.
Assist with duties outside those normally rostered but which are judged to be essential for patient care under exceptional circumstances.
Flexibility in working pattern is desirable and expected.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Applicants must hold full registration with the GMC at the time of application
- MB ChB or equivalent medical qualification
- Minimum 4 years post graduate experience with at least 2 years in Ophthalmology
Desirable
- FRCOph or equivalent or any part of the examination leading to the qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Evidence that career progression is consistent with personal circumstances
- Evidence that present achievement and performance is commensurate with totality of period of training
- Evidence of active involvement in quality improvement, audit, research or other activity that focuses on patient safety and clinical improvement and innovation
- Understanding of clinical governance, including the basic principles of audit, clinical risk management, evidence-based practice, patient safety and quality improvement initiatives
Skills
Essential
- Maintaining good medical practice
- Good relationships and communication with patients
Desirable
- Delivery of good acute clinical care
Other
Desirable
- Work with multidisciplinary team
- Ability to practice independently
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website .
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants .
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website .
Employer details
Employer name
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Address
St Helens Hospital
Marshall Cross Road
St Helens
WA9 3DA