Address: Optometry Department, Sandford Road, Cheltenham, GL53 7AN
Telephone: 08454 222553
Contact: Miss Lisa Collins, Countywide Head of Optometry
No. of posts: One
General
The two principal ophthalmology departments are based at Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal hospitals, with 16 consultants providing a comprehensive ophthalmology service across the county. Clinical specialities include: vitreo-retinal, glaucoma, cornea and anterior segment disorders, paediatric ophthalmology, oculo-plastics, primary care, medical retina and diabetes. The optometry department comprises of 8 full time optometrists (including pre-reg), 8 part-time optometrists, one contact lens optician and 4 optometry technicians. The pre-reg will be based in Cheltenham General Hospital, however, the opportunity to provide clinical sessions at the purpose-built ophthalmology department, at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, will be a part of their timetable. The optometry staff are very friendly and approachable and include a number of experienced, specialist optometrists who are actively involved in the training and supervision of the pre-reg optometrist.
Job Description
The pre-registration optometrist is involved in the optometry outpatient clinics for approximately seven sessions a week. These sessions involve all aspects of hospital optometry, including refraction - paediatric, cycloplegic, routine pre- and post-operative cataract and graft, visual field assessment, including Goldmann perimetry, comprehensive contact lens and low vision services and colour vision analysis. Our pre-registration optometrist will participate in the optometry-led post-operative cataract and glaucoma shared-care clinics, including visual fields, volk 90D disc assessment, anterior segment slit lamp examination, applanation tonometry and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (HRT 3) of the optic nerve head. The optometry department also provides corneal topography, ocular B-scan ultrasound, optical and ultrasound biometry assessments, OCT and anterior segment imaging. Optometrists are involved in extended roles within ophthalmology including retinal, diabetic, macular treatment (anti-VEGF/Lucentis), cataract and glaucoma clinics.
A weekly session is organised for observing ophthalmology clinics. Additionally, half a day a week is arranged in a local community practice to gain experience in spectacle dispensing and primary eye-care examinations. There are numerous opportunities for examining orthoptic patients under supervision of the orthoptists and also to observe specialist optometric and ophthalmic clinics, eye casualty and theatre. The pre-reg is encouraged to attend ophthalmology teaching and audit sessions on a Friday afternoon and to participate in departmental audit and research activities. The pre-reg normally attends a refresher course and is given optometry tutorials and practical clinical assessments to support their training period and to preparae for the final assessment.
Contract
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Agenda for Change Terms, conditions & salary - Band 4, GBP18,402 per annum (as at 2011/12).
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Accommodation: Normally available in hospital staff accommodation.
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Contract: Start date July 2013 for 13 months, allowing for one month overlap with pre-reg.
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Study leave will be given for attendance at the final assessment examinations.
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Annual leave entitlement - 38 days for 13 month period (inclusive of bank holidays).
Interviews
