Consultant in Ophthalmology with a sub-specialty interest in Crewe

Applications are invited for a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. You will join a team of nine Consultant Ophthalmologists based at Leighton Hospital in Crewe. This is a replacement post. You will be required to participate both in General Ophthalmology and have a complimentary sub-specialty interest in Paediatrics.

Applicants must have full registration with the GMC including a License to Practice and be on the Specialist Register (or be within six months of obtaining their Certificate of Completion of Training). The post is offered based on 10 Programmed Activities per week, however the Trust would welcome discussion with individuals looking for a more flexible working pattern to support a different work-life balance. These types of arrangements are already supported within the department for some of the team.

The proposed AAC date is 10.04.2026.

Main duties of the job

The post will be based at Leighton Hospital and involves clinics at Victoria Infirmary in Northwich. You will join a team of Consultants providing comprehensive Ophthalmic services to the local population. Current sub-specialty expertise includes Medical Retina, Glaucoma, Oculoplastics, Anterior segment and Paediatric Ophthalmology. The on-call commitment is anticipated to be 1 in 9.

You will also be required to participate fully in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and will be expected to promote Clinical Governance within the department. The department is well supported by nine Specialty Doctors. There are currently three trainees of varying levels and experience on rotation from HEENW, new rotations of trainee doctors join every six months. These trainees require close clinical supervision from the Consultants who are actively involved in their training and development, both in clinic and in theatre.

The department is also supported by two Ophthalmic Advanced Nurse Practitioners, nine Ophthalmic Technicians, two Ophthalmic Photographers and comprehensive Orthoptic and Optometry departments. We have a large nursing team comprising of thirteen qualified nurses, and eighteen Health Care Assistants, as well as three members of the Ophthalmic triage team supporting our casualty referral service.

Working for our organisation

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (MCHFT) provides good quality, safe and effective healthcare to the people of Cheshire and beyond. The Trust, which manages Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford, was established as an NHS Trust in April 1991 and became a Foundation Trust in April 2008.

We employ almost 5,000 members of staff, provide around 540 hospital beds, with a range of services including accident and emergency, maternity, outpatients, therapies, and children's health. The Trust is also part of Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership (CCICP), a unique local health partnership that provides a range of community services for people across South Cheshire and Vale Royal.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, the Trust was recognised nationally for its ‘Be Safe Be EquiPPEd’ campaign, which aimed to make the Trust as safe as possible for staff and patients, through supporting the correct use of PPE. The results in the 2020 national NHS Staff Survey showed improvements in all elements of the safety culture theme, with 92% of respondents feeling their role made a difference to our patients. We were also recognised nationally for our workforce health and wellbeing initiatives.

At Mid Cheshire, we value our staff and appreciate that in order to give our patients the best quality, compassionate care, we also need to look after our colleagues.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This post is for a Consultant Ophthalmologist with a sub-specialty interest in Paediatrics. The job plan will be based on 6.5 Programmed Activities per week. The successful candidate will contribute to the overall delivery of the Ophthalmology service.

The non-resident on-call rota frequency is determined by the number of consultants on the rota. The frequency has varied between 1:8 to 1:10 over the last 2 years. The expectation is that the on-call is shared fairly across all consultants and altered through job planning, as required when recruitment allows. The current anticipated frequency is 1:9.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Full GMC Registration with license to practice
• MBBS and FRCophth or equivalent
• Entry on the GMC Specialist Register via: CCT (proposed CCT date must be within 6 months of interview), CESR or European Community Rights
• PhD, MD or other high degree

Experience

• Clinical training and breadth of experience equivalent to that required for training UK CCT Ophthalmology
• Extensive experience in management of ophthalmology conditions with a subspeciality interest and training in Paediatric Ophthalmology, eg. ASTO / TSC training.
• Ability to offer expert clinical opinion and management on a wide range of problems, both emergency and elective, within the subspecialty and general ophthalmology, at a consultant level. This includes the surgical management of paediatric strabismus patients and leading the Retinopathy of Prematurity screening service
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for the clinical care of patients.
• Recognised fellowship training in Paediatric Ophthalmology.
• Experience and expertise in the management of adult oculo-motility disorders including running outpatient clinics and undertaking surgical intervention.

Ability

• Proven ability to conduct clinical and operative ophthalmology in all areas of the specialty.
• Commitment to effective departmental management
• Able to demonstrate a broad awareness of service management issues.
• Demonstrates awareness of skills required for effective change processes to work.
• Demonstrates ability to lead a team by positive example and effective organisational skill
• Understanding of business planning and contracting
• Proven experience in leading / facilitating a change of process

Audit and research

• Proven involvement in clinical audit
• Proven track record of ophthalmology research with evidence of publications
• Proven track record and evidence of publication in the area of sub specialist interest

Teaching and Education

• Evidence to allow accreditation as a Consultant Clinical Supervisor for trainee doctors with the GMC
• Evidence to allow accreditation as a Consultant Educational Supervisor for trainee doctors with the GMC

Other

• Ability to communicate effectively with staff at all levels and with patients
• Commitment to clinical risk management and clinical governance
• Ability to establish good working relationships with other members of the MDT.
• Flexible and adaptable to competing demands
• Commitment to modern practices.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems.

Key Messages

Not all NHS roles are eligible for sponsorship. Candidates that require sponsorship to work in the UK are strongly advised to check the Government website for up to date and job specific information. The salary threshold for sponsorship is £25,000 for Health and Care Visas and £41,700 (with limited exceptions) for Skilled Worker visas. The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet these immigration rules.

Please let us know if you require an adjustment to our recruitment process and we will be happy to discuss this with you. We actively promote flexible working so please discuss any requirements you may have with us. Secondments will be considered for fixed term positions when both parties agree. Candidates should seek approval from their current line manager before application.

All correspondence will be sent via the email address you have registered as your TRAC account. Selection is based on the Trust's values, and the criteria outlined in the Job Description for the role. Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the entry point (bottom) of the pay band. Appointments are subject to a 6-month probationary period. LED Doctors are subject to a 3-month probationary period. You are required to pay for a DBS disclosure where the post requires one, and we encourage applicants to join and remain registered with the DBS update service. We do not reimburse travel to interview expenses.

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.