Sessional Optometrist in Stevenage

Role Description
Sessional Optometrist
Location: London School or Schools
Salary: £250 per day + Benefits
Hours: 7.5 - 37.5 hours per week (1-5 days a week )-school term time only
About SeeAbility
SeeAbility is established as the leading national eye care expert for people with learning disabilities.As a Specialist Registered Charityit has over 220 years experience supporting people who have a visual impairment, learning disability, autism or complex support needs.
What you bring
To be a part of SeeAbilitys NHS England commissioned Special Schools Eye Care team in a London school or schools. You will be responsible for regular visits to the same school(s) with a Dispensing Optician partner during school term times only. SeeAbility Special Schools Eye Care team training will be provided to all successful applicants.
Your responsibility:

• Provide specialist eye care and eye care and vision information in schools to meet NHS Englands Special School Eye Care Service Specification
• To undertake SeeAbility Special Schools Eye Care Team training
• Communicate appropriately and confidently with children who have complex needs
• Communicate highly sensitive, potentially distressing information to patients relatives or carers, not infrequently in the presence of significant barriers to understanding learning and physical disabilities
• To manage your caseload of patients using evidence based practice whenever possible
• To be responsible for independent complex decision making in the management of individual clinical cases in areas where expert opinions may differ
• Liaise directly with parents and schools on your caseload of children (using secure NHS mail when indicated and meeting GDPR requirements).You will have the support of SeeAbilitys Special Schools Service Manager and administrators.
• To be responsible for referral of all children needing spectacle correction to the SeeAbility Dispensing Optician (and to provide spectacle dispensing services when required)
• To prescribe and advise on the use of eye drops
• To demonstrate a high degree of physical skill in the manipulation and utilisation of complex diagnostic equipment
• To effect interdisciplinary cooperation with other agencies such as local social services and educational representatives to facilitate the provision of high quality patient care
• To consider the appropriate involvement of other healthcare professionals to benefit patient care. This may include but is not limited to orthoptists, GPs, Ophthalmologists, Paediatricians, Speech and Language therapists, Occupational therapists, Physiotherapists
• To ensure accurate documentation of all interactions with patients, fellow healthcare professionals and other agencies
• Produce for all children written reports of clinical outcomes for parents, teaching staff and other professionals where that information may positively impact their professional management of the child and according to NHS Englands Service Specification and Guidelines. These reports should be produced within 5 working days of a clinical assessment in the absence of exceptional circumstances.
• Share clinical information in the most appropriate and secure way (with administrative support from the practice administrators and/or service manager)
• Where clinically indicated, refer a child for further management to an ophthalmologist, orthoptist or general practitioner.
• Transport notes, laptop and testing equipment between sites as required
• To be accountable for own actions, using initiative and judgement with regard to patients management working within broad health policies but able to act independently in the best interests of patient care
• To ensure a safe clean, therapeutic environment for patients, visitors and colleagues is maintained and ensure that all procedures for infection control are carried out according to policy
  • Frequent manual handling of wheelchair users
  • Regular repositioning of heavy equipment
  • Frequent sitting in restricted positions
  • Prolonged maintenance of difficult postures during the examination of patients whilst simultaneously holding or manipulating instrumentation.
  • Intense concentration, often exceeding 2-3 hrs continuously, required in carrying out unpredictable clinical examinations
  • Frequent interruptions during clinical examination to give advice to other staff
  • Prolonged mental effort in dealing with patients with hearing and/or speech impairment, language barriers and uncooperative and/or challenging behaviour
  • Calculations of mathematical formulae necessary to obtain optical powers, illuminances, working distances, magnifications etc.
  • Informing patients, carer and parents regarding visual loss impacting permanently on quality of life

• To cultivate and sustain good communication channels with other clinical and non-clinical staff within the service to ensure safe and effective collaborative working practices

• To assist the Head of Eye Health in facilitating and undertaking risk assessments to maintain the safety of patients and staff
• In time to mentor new eye care team members as part of SeeAbility/NHSEs training programme
• A requirement to join at least 2 SeeAbility team meetings a year.
• Demonstrate an awareness of and compliance with health and safety regulations/procedures that apply to staff, patients, and visitors within service
• To ensure that all incidents, accidents or near misses involving patients, visitors or staff are accurately reported and investigated as appropriate.
• To promptly report to the Special Schools Service Manager and the Clinical Lead for any absence from work due to sickness.
• Maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate and initiate appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff development and training
• To deliver training sessions to your assigned school annually with support from the Service Manager and Clinical Lead
• Demonstrate a commitment to evidence based practice and clinical excellence and play an active role in the introduction of this evidence to improve patient centred care
• Undertake clinical audit using appropriate research methodologies
• To ensure a working knowledge of the IT systems used by the service
• Ensure clinical records are maintained and stored in line with correct information governance procedures, including the Data Protection Act and the NHS Information Guidance Toolkit
• Support the themes, values and goals outlined in the UK Vision Strategy
• Maintain records and reports as required and ensure they are uploaded to shared information system in a timely way
• Remain up to date on developments in the field of eye health and vision and learning/multiple disability including the implications of legislation and policy
• Strive to ensure that SeeAbility embraces diversity in how it delivers its services and adhere at all times to the requirements of the General Social Care Council Code of Practice and SeeAbilitys Code of Conduct and philosophy.
• Assist in maintaining a safe working environment and to follow the requirements of SeeAbilitys Health and Safety Manual (policies and procedures) and any local codes of set working practices
• To maintain confidentiality at all times and adhere to safeguarding procedures
• To undertake other duties commensurate with the role of optometrist under the instruction of the Special Schools Service Manager and Clinical Lead

For extensive Job description, please see the attached.
Our Benefits
Our colleagues at SeeAbility are extremely valued, and so everyone has access to a fantastic package of benefits.

• Discounts and cashbackat hundreds of shops, restaurants and activities
• Eligible forBlue Light Card discounts
• Save 10%on monthly bus travel
• Pay reviewsand commitment to pay competitive rates
• Employer contributorypension scheme- Support and tools to help you make the right decisions about your future
• Refer a friendand receive £600
• Paid DBSand renewals
• Season ticket loans

Safer Recruitment
SeeAbility is committed to safe and fair recruitment practices,safeguarding and protecting those who we support. It is a condition of employment that perspective employees will be subject to the following:

• A criminal background check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (where appropriate).
• Documentary evidence to confirm your identity, current address, and the right to work in the UK.
• Health Declaration to ensure that you are medically suitable for the role you have been offered.


• References will be obtained to ensuresatisfactory evidence of conduct in current or previous employment concerned with the provision of services relating to (a) health or social care, or (b) children or vulnerable adults.

These checks will be carried out and completed prior offering a date to start employment at SeeAbility s expense.
Diversity
SeeAbility is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from individuals of all identities, including those from underrepresented groups and those who have a disability or neurodivergent condition.
We believe a diverse workforce drives innovation, creativity, and success. Everyones unique experiences and views are appreciated, and their opinion valued.We are happy to offer any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process or the role itself to ensure a fair and equitable experience for all candidates.
In exceptional circumstances, the exempt from the Equality Act 2010 (Schedule 9, Part 1) which provides for the application of a genuine occupational requirement.
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