Clinical Fellow - Ophthalmology

Specialty Trainee (ST6-8) – Main area Ophthalmology (paediatrics). Fixed term 12 months (FTC). Full time 40 hours per week (plus on-call).

Employer: King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Site: Denmark Hill, London. Salary: £73,992 per annum, plus London zone weighting. Salary period: Yearly. Closing date: 10/02/2026 23:59.

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1.8 billion, and more than 15,000 staff across five sites. The Trust provides local hospital services and specialist ophthalmology services from King’s College Hospital (Denmark Hill) and the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH).

We offer flexible working options from the start of employment to support work/life balance. This is a full-time clinical post based at Denmark Hill and Great Ormond Street Hospital, working within a multi-disciplinary team to provide elective and emergency ophthalmology care for paediatric and neuro services. Tenure is 12 months.

This post is suitable for senior trainees with basic subspecialty training in paediatrics and neuro-ophthalmology seeking to broaden experience. Regular access to dedicated theatre lists will be provided.

Qualifications required:

• MRCOphth or equivalent;
• eligible for GMC registration (full or limited) at appointment;
• eligible to work in England.
• Proficiency in independent cataract surgery and prior surgical experience in paediatric surgery are expected.

Main duties of the job:

• Regular clinical duties between King’s College Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital, including management of out-patients and in-patients (ward referrals).
• Participation in the on-call rota at King’s College Hospital, providing ophthalmic care to patients of UHL and QEH.
• Emergency referrals outside normal hours are handled by the on-call team.
• On-call structure includes two on-call trainees (1st and 2nd) with a 1 in 10 rota and internal cover.
• The 1st on-call remains onsite until 10:00 pm.
• The 2nd on-call sees and discusses emergency patients with the on-call Consultant.
• The post is expected to be allocated to the 2nd on-call rota.

Working for our organisation:

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is a large teaching Trust with five sites in South East London. Our vision includes Strong Roots, Global Reach, and a focus on people, care, research, innovation, and education. We strive for sustainable healthcare and have Green Plan targets aligned with Greener NHS aims.

We seek individuals ready to join a professional team and contribute to patient and staff wellbeing. King’s is committed to Sustainable Healthcare for All and aims for net zero carbon targets by 2040 (NHS Carbon Footprint) and 2045 (NHS Carbon Footprint Plus).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

• Provide comprehensive ophthalmology services for paediatric patients in collaboration with the care group.
• Share responsibility for 24/7 cover for the Unit on a rota basis, including covering colleagues during annual leave and sickness.
• Participate in Multi-disciplinary Meetings.
• Contribute to audit and clinical governance programs.
• Manage outpatient clinics and commitments in peripheral hospitals as agreed with Care Group management.
• Contribute to Care Group research interests within the Trust’s R&D framework.
• Contribute to audit programs, Morbidity and Mortality, clinical governance, and learning from deaths.
• Operate within the contracted service level and operating plan for the service(s).
• Collaborate with clinical teams to maintain staff productivity and engagement; may involve involvement in peer/junior appraisal processes.
• Adhere to Trust infection prevention and control policies (hand hygiene, hygiene, environmental and food safety).
• Prepare for and undertake protective interventions in line with evidence-based practice and patient safety.

Person specification:

• MRCOphth or equivalent
• Full GMC registration with Licence to Practice
• Other higher degree or diploma (e.g., MD)
• Wide experience in all aspects of Ophthalmology, with CCT or equivalent
• Specialist training in Paediatric Ophthalmology
• Experience in day-to-day organisation of Ophthalmic services in a busy teaching hospital
• Experience in conducting or supporting clinical research
• Experience in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and exam preparation
• Understanding of current NHS structure and recent initiatives

Skills:

• Effective communicator and team player
• Demonstrated leadership within multi-disciplinary teams
• Strong understanding of medical audit and quality improvement
• IT literacy and general computer skills

IMPORTANT:

• Check email regularly for communications about the application
• Do not delete the job from your accounts if you wish to stay informed
• For application inquiries or changes, contact the named person in this advert
• Provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Review documentation on the recruitment microsite, especially the Trust’s criminal records policy
• All staff have safeguarding responsibilities for children and vulnerable adults
• Closing date is indicative; vacancies may close early if there are many applications