Staff Optometrist in Manchester

We have vacancies in the following sectors

Select below to see the jobs in that sector

Main area Optometry Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Some Saturday work) Job ref 349-SHCG-8336107-RL4

Site Manchester Royal Eye Hospital Town Manchester Salary £39,959 - £48,117 Per Annum (Pro Rata) Salary period Yearly Closing 15/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

This post is an ideal opportunity for an enthusiastic optometrist to join our large, friendly and supportive team.

Manchester Royal Eye Hospital is a leading teaching hospital and centre of excellence for ophthalmic care, with around 50 consultant ophthalmologists working in a range of ophthalmic sub‑specialities. The optometry team consists of over 40 optometrists who work within the multi-disciplinary team to deliver outpatient care. Core optometry services include refraction, complex medical contact lens management and low vision rehabilitation. Optometrists also contribute towards clinical activity by way of extended roles (including cataract, glaucoma, macular treatment and acute services).

Optometrists may also have the opportunity to undertake research, clinical audit and engage in teaching. The department has strong links with optometry and medicine at the University of Manchester.

Previous hospital optometry experience is desirable, although not essential, as ongoing in‑house training is provided by our highly experienced optometrists. You must be registered with the GOC and hold a degree in Optometry.

We have a strong track record of supporting professional development opportunities. To support you, you will undergo an induction programme within core services and paediatrics. Following this, there will be opportunities to develop your role within extended services.

Main duties of the job

To work closely with the experienced senior Optometrists within the team to deliver high quality optometric services within the Optometry Department. To participate in the delivery of a comprehensive range of core optometric services within MREH and its community clinics, with the potential to develop skills for extended roles.

To undertake a range of core optometry services at MREH and community clinics. These include refraction (routine, diagnostic and paediatric), specialist contact lens management and visual impairment rehabilitation. The post holder maintains a personal clinical workload within these core services. This includes dedicated clinics for children in out‑reach community clinics.

To prescribe appropriate patient appliances (spectacles, contact lenses, low vision aids) and provide appropriate advice to patients on needs, treatment and corrective aids.

Working for our organisation

Join Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and become part of a 30,000 plus strong team, delivering exceptional care to over 1 million people every year. As the largest provider of specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester, the largest health academic campus in Europe, we are forward‑thinking, committed to clinical excellence and driven to deliver innovation, and continuous improvement.
Whether you’re beginning your career or taking the next step, MFT offers a stimulating and supportive environment where your contribution truly matters. Our Hive Electronic Patient Record system enables safer, smarter, and more efficient ways of working - empowering you to deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients.
You’ll be part of a collaborative, multi‑disciplinary community, working alongside professionals from a wide range of clinical backgrounds. Together, we push boundaries, share knowledge, and deliver care that transforms lives.
At MFT, you’ll find a workplace where everyone is respected, supported, and encouraged to thrive. We offer clear clinical pathways for professional development, helping you grow your skills and achieve your ambitions.
Your journey at MFT is more than a job - it’s an opportunity to make a lasting impact. We’ll support you as you shape the future of healthcare, one patient at a time.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need for this role, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the ‘Documents to download heading.

Explore ‘Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place’

To help you feel confident, prepared and fully informed before you apply, we invite you to explore Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place. This welcoming one‑stop hub gives you a real sense of who we are, what we stand for, how we reward and support you, and the many ways we care for you as you care for others. You’ll also find practical hints and tips for submitting a great application, along with the essential information you need to know before you apply.

To access ‘Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place’, simply click on the relevant PDF document under the ‘Documents to download heading.

We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application

Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we’re proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU, for our patients, our communities, and each other.
As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application, especially personal statements and responses to role specific questions is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.

Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

As part of our commitment to safeguarding patients and staff, many roles at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This is a standard process across the NHS and helps us ensure a safe environment for everyone.

What is a DBS Check?

A DBS check is a background check that reveals any criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands, or warnings. The level of check required depends on the role:

Standard DBS : Checks for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings.

Enhanced DBS : Includes the above, plus any additional information held by local police that’s considered relevant to the role.

Enhanced with Barred Lists : Includes all of the above, plus checks against the children’s and/or adults’ barred lists.

Who Needs a DBS Check

Most roles involving direct patient contact, working with children or vulnerable adults, or access to sensitive information will require a DBS check. The job advert and recruitment team will let you know if this applies to your role.

The Costs for a DBS

At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), roles that require a DBS check are subject to a cost recovery policy. This means that the cost of submitting and processing a DBS application if you are successful and join us, will be deducted from your salary within the first three months of employment. If, however, you withdraw from a conditional offer after the DBS process has begun, you will still be liable for the cost incurred.

Candidates are also expected to register with the DBS Update Service which must be completed within 30 days of the certificate being issued. This helps streamline future employment checks and supports safer recruitment practices. For more information, please visit the DBS Update Service.

Person specification

Qualifications

• BSc (Hons) Optometry

Knowledge

• Ability to competently undertake routine core optometric functions
• Experience working with visually impaired patients
• Experience working with patients with learning disabilities and autism.
• Ophthalmic drugs used in Optometric practice
• Postgraduate clinical Experience, preferably in a hospital setting
• Experience of postgraduate teaching
• Experience of research and audit

Skills

• Clinical skills required to undertake the job include:
• Pre and post-operative refractions
• Specialist contact lens fitting
• Low vision rehabilitation
• Paediatric refraction and retinal examination
• Ability to effectively communicate complex information e.g. clinical information to patients.
• Ability to effectively communicate where there are barriers to understanding e.g. young children, patients with learning disabilities and other sensory impairments
• Ability to convey unwelcome/bad news in a sensitive manner
• Ability to operate a range of complex ophthalmic instrumentation.
• Fine motor skills e.g. inserting contact lenses, performing contact examination techniques, instillation of ophthalmic drugs
• Ability to independently assess and make clinical decisions.
• Good written communication skills for writing clinical case notes and reports.
• Contact Tonometry

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

#J-18808-Ljbffr