Ophthalmic Healthcare Science Advanced Practitioner, Band 7

Join us at an exciting time for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust! We have an ambitious plan for our journey to Outstanding and are looking for aspirational, committed individuals to join us, making a real difference to both staff and patients. As a former winner of England for excellence award: Tourism destination of the year, the beautiful city of Gloucester and the scenic regency spa town of Cheltenham are fantastic places to work and live. As a hospital Trust we are currently involved in over 100 clinical trials and studies, whilst also providing acute elective and specialist services to a population of over 620,000. By joining Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust new colleagues can look forward to a warm welcome and a future full of opportunities and support.

Job overview

The postholder will provide specialist support for the Gloucestershire Research and Education Group, including managerial aspects of the education team and developing and maintaining an educational strategy, in collaboration with the wider education team. They will provide specialist support to research imaging clinics and for other clinical activities within the wider team, as required.

Main duties of the job

• To work with the education team and the University of Gloucestershire to provide BSc level educational content, lectures, seminars and practical education for students studying on the BSc Healthcare Science (Ophthalmic Imaging) programme, delivered by the University of Gloucestershire.
• To provide specialist support for the Gloucestershire Research and Education Group, including management within the Education team and to ensure that a culture of continuous improvement is embedded.
• To collaborate with colleagues to develop and maintain an Education strategy for the Gloucestershire Research and Education Group.
• To provide specialist support for the tendering and retendering of contracts for the Gloucestershire Research and Education Group (GREG).
• To provide specialist support to research imaging clinics and other areas of Ophthalmic Imaging, if required, to maintain clinical and technical skills.
• To train and work as a slit lamp bio-microscopy examiner and undertake specialist clinics interpreting reasons for the images being poor quality in screening services and diagnosing underlying ophthalmic conditions.
• To provide specialist support for grading in Virtual Eye clinics (in HES) and GDESP, where appropriate.
• To develop educational content to support all aspects of the GREG portfolio, including OCT, Digital Surveillance, where appropriate.
• To act as the Lead Specialist for their work area.

Working for our organisation

We take pride in placing people at the centre of everything we do, working together as a united team. Driven by a shared ambition to continually grow, develop, and learn, we recognise and value every contribution. By combining our experience and skills, we not only support our vibrant, diverse communities, but also support one another. With a team of over 9,000 employees, we are proud to be the largest employer in Gloucestershire and rank among the top 10 largest Trusts in the South West region. By joining our Trust, you will benefit from an excellent package that includes exclusive benefits, flexible working opportunities and the chance to gain valuable experience in one or both of our innovative hospitals. As well as generous annual leave allowance, you will have access to the excellent NHS pension scheme, competitive bank rates, discounts at local shops and restaurants, access to two on-site nurseries, discounted public transport, reward and recognition and a range of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Provision of Clinical Services/Clinical Responsibilities

• To provide specialist support in research imaging clinics and other areas of Ophthalmic Imaging, as required.
• To train and work as a slit lamp bio-microscopy examiner and undertake specialist clinics interpreting reasons for the images being poor quality in the screening service and diagnosing underlying ophthalmic conditions (where applicable).
• To provide specialist support for grading in Virtual Eye clinics (in HES) and GDESP, where appropriate.

Professional Development, Education and Training

• To work with the education team and the University of Gloucestershire to provide BSc level educational content, lectures, seminars and practical education for students studying on the BSc Healthcare Science (Ophthalmic Imaging) programme, delivered by the University of Gloucestershire.
• To develop educational content to support all aspects of the GREG portfolio, including OCT, Digital Surveillance, where appropriate.
• To provide supervision and training to staff in their specialist area.
• Demonstrate professional development by achieving Ophthalmic Healthcare Scientist (STP) status either through completion of the STP programme or STP equivalence.

Management and Leadership

• To provide specialist support for the Gloucestershire Research and Education Group, including management within the Education team and to ensure that a culture of continuous improvement is embedded.
• To collaborate with colleagues to develop and maintain an Education strategy for the Gloucestershire Research and Education Group, which will impact on the work of other disciplines within Ophthalmology.
• They will also be responsible for maintaining up to date Standard Operating Procedures and a Resource Directory for educational content for the Ophthalmic Imaging programme at the University of Gloucestershire in line with the standards set by the Clinical Trials Unit at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that is part of the European Vision Institute Clinical Research network.
• The postholder will be responsible for managing a small team of Education delivery staff, providing supervision and training to staff in their specialist area.
• The post holder will be responsible for providing tutor support to students undertaking the BSc Healthcare Science (Ophthalmic Imaging) programme.
• To undertake regular Education activities as a major part of their work.

Planning and Organisation

• The post holder would be able to prioritise workload between the University of Gloucestershire duties and the GREG team to ensure continuity and student experience.
• To provide specialist support for the tendering and retendering of contracts for the Gloucestershire Research and Education Group (GREG).
• To be responsible for the accurate recording of results from imaging clinics that they undertake and for the storage and appropriate use of data within the research environment.

Research and Development

• To undertake a postgraduate qualification in education, in line with the requirements of the University of Gloucestershire.
• To collaborate with colleagues to develop and maintain an education strategy for the Gloucestershire Research and Education Group and to ensure that a culture of continuous improvement is embedded within the research delivery team.

Communications and Working Relationships

• The post holder must be able to communicate at a variety of levels to ensure students and learners achieve learning outcomes; discussions with professional bodies, suppliers and at conferences will also be required.
• To oversee the performance and testing of equipment in the educational environment at Gloucester hospitals and at the University of Gloucestershire.

Other

• To hold a delegated budget for this area of work, including authorising invoices for supplies & equipment.
• The post holder must be willing to travel to multiple sites around the UK to support students and deliver educational content.

General Working Conditions

• To push and manoeuvre equipment to support the research imaging service.
• Concentration will be required for lengthy periods to undertake the imaging of the eye and to provide grading and interpretation of the results from both research imaging and Virtual Eye clinics, with intermittent interruptions for urgent requests.

Person specification

Qualifications & Training

• Must have a Good Clinical Practice (GCP) certificate.
• Trained to master's level or equivalent level of experience.
• Must have a qualification in diabetic retinopathy screening equivalent to the current Diploma Teaching Qualification (PG Certificate in Higher Education).

Knowledge & Skills

• Confidently and independently undertake highly specialist diagnostic tests in imaging.
• Accurately analyse and interpret the results of Ophthalmic images.
• Highly developed organisational and administrative abilities, including report writing skills which influence strategic decision-making.
• Teaching or education experience.

Experience

The post holder needs to have a high-level understanding of ophthalmic imaging healthcare science activities, particularly the use and interpretation of OCT images and diabetic eye screening, by having worked in the NHS for an extensive period of time. Commitment to working within an NHS clinical environment. The post holder needs to have previous experience in research within the NHS.

Personal Attributes

• Very high levels of communication, persuasive and interpersonal skills and able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people from a wide variety of specialist areas both within the UK and Internationally.
• Commitment to travel occasionally anywhere in the UK, for meetings as necessary, to undertake the role effectively.
• A commitment to undertaking training as a slit lamp Biomicroscopy examiner, if this expertise has not yet been acquired.

The health and wellbeing of our staff and patients remains the priority of the Trust. Vaccination remains the best chance we have of conquering COVID and the Trust encourages everyone to take up this offer.

Please note, this vacancy may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received, so please apply as soon as possible if you are interested.

The Recruitment Team are unable to accept any applications after the position has closed on NHS Jobs.

Committed to safeguarding our community. If applicable for the post, all successful candidates will be required to pay for their own Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The cost will be £29 (standard checks) or £46 (enhanced checks), and will be recovered through two instalments from the candidate's salary.

The Trust is a safeguarding employer committed to the safeguarding and promotion of welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The Trust is committed to safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults, and any appointment will be subject to satisfactory clearance.

As part of the organisation's commitment to Safer Recruitment, candidates may request copies of relevant policies and procedures by contacting the Recruitment Team.

Committed to supporting service personnel. As part of our commitment to support Service Personnel, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with the Career Transition Partnership, offer a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for all qualifying Service and Ex-Service Personnel. To qualify for a guaranteed interview, candidates must meet the essential criteria for the post and be either a current member of the Armed Forces, or be within the two year period of resettlement.