Band 8a - Advanced Care Practitioner - Ophthalmology in Watford

An exciting opportunity has become available at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospital NHS Trust to join our team as an ACP for Ophthalmology. We are seeking an experienced and motivated Ophthalmology ACP to lead and develop Ophthalmology services. The successful candidate will work closely with medical and nursing colleagues to provide expert nursing care for patients. This role will deliver a combination of rostered and supernumerary clinical activity to support urgent eye provision. This is a full-time job, working Monday to Friday.

Main duties of the job:

• The post holder will provide expert Ophthalmology care for all Ophthalmic pathways.
• This includes managing your own clinic profile within designated nurse-lead clinics, carrying out face to face clinics in the emergency eye pathway and triage.
• This role requires the postholder to function as an independent practitioner using advanced ophthalmic skills.

Working for our organisation:

With a new hospital planned for Watford, work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital and plans for a neighbourhood healthcare centre in Hemel Hempstead, this is an exciting time to join us. We are building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imagining models of care, working closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare. Staff wellbeing and development are a priority, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience. Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive.

Person specification:

• Current and relevant NMC registration.
• First level registered nurse.
• Teaching and assessing qualification.
• Post graduate qualification in Ophthalmology or Optometrist.
• Non –Medical Prescriber Course.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.
• Management training.
• Evidence of master’s level study.

Knowledge:

• Clinical practice and demonstrable knowledge of developments in nursing policy and practice.
• Good understanding of risk and clinical governance.
• The NHS plan and delivering Making a Difference.
• The importance of successful partnership working.
• Lifelong learning, professional education and training.
• Workforce planning, recruitment and Retention.
• Ability to operationalise strategies.

Experience:

• Broad senior clinical and managerial experience relevant to the post.
• Success in working collaboratively across professions and services.
• Demonstrable success in managing Change.
• Experience with the introduction of evidence-based practice.
• Project management.
• Experience obtained in more than one clinical setting.
• Research experience.

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust provides acute healthcare services to a core catchment population of approximately half a million people living in west Hertfordshire and the surrounding area. The Trust also provides a range of more specialist services to a wider population, serving residents of North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and East Hertfordshire. As an employer of nearly 6,000 people the Trust is one of the biggest employers in the area and sees nearly a million patients each year.

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.