Ophthalmic Assistant Ipswich & Bury St Edmunds Who are we? Newmedica are one of the leading providers of NHS ophthalmology services in England, providing outpatients appointments, diagnostic testing and eye surgery. We aim to change lives through better sight and eye health. We care for thousands of NHS and private patients a year in our specialist eye clinics across the country. We have significant growth plans over the next few years as we look to establish a national footprint and open many new sites across the UK. We are thrilled to say that following an independently conducted survey of Newmedica colleagues, we have been certified as a Great Place to Work®. This is a global benchmark that recognises employers who create an outstanding employee experience. Role overview We are looking for a new Ophthalmic Assistant to join our Suffolk site. This will be 40 hours over 5 days per week including weekends on a rota basis. Our Ophthalmic Assistants are the face of Newmedica – they’re often amongst the first people that our patients interact with on clinic visits and so having a welcoming, friendly, empathetic approach is vital. It’s a busy role - you’ll be seeing a number of patients each day to take them through a range of diagnostic tests. These will be passed onto a senior clinician to ascertain if surgery or further treatment is required. You will also perform the role of the theatre runner on a rota basis, assisting a multidisciplinary theatre team through complicated eye surgery. You’ll be using a variety of different equipment and systems so we’re looking for someone who is comfortable using systems and is fairly tech savvy. The thought of eye surgery can be a daunting prospect for patients to deal with, so our Ophthalmic Assistants need to be able to put patients at ease. They also need strong communication skills to be able to explain the purpose of the different tests to ensure the patient understands their treatment. This is a great role to progress your clinical skills or to take the first step on a clinical career path. Newmedica is committed to the growth and development of all our colleagues and the Ophthalmic Assistant Assistant is a great platform to potentially explore a career in diagnostic (clinic) or theatre teams What skills and experience do I need? We’ll provide training so experience isn’t always needed, but the following things will be advantageous: • Previous experience of working with patients or in a customer facing role • Knowledge of eye physiology and treatment or a keen interest to build knowledge in this area • A competent user of all Office 365 programmes & comfortable working on new systems such as patient record systems or diagnostic programmes. • An excellent grasp of the English language both verbally and in written format • Experience of dealing with a variety of data for example patient records, GP and patient correspondence and diagnostic test results • A good team player – happy to jump in and support others when required What we’re offering • A salary of 25,800.00 (FTE), rising to £26,300.00 upon successful completion of probation • 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and an extra day for birthday leave • A company pension scheme • Company-funded staff events, such as a Christmas party and a summer BBQ • Access to a range of benefits including free eye tests, discounted or free glasses, a cycle-to-work scheme, a free 24/7 wellbeing service and a retail/technology discount scheme • Enhanced sick leave • Death in service cover of 3 x salary • An environment where your learning and development is supported through a range of various learning tools, courses and voluntary webinars • Working with a friendly multi-disciplinary team passionate about improving the lives of our patients • A bright, spacious and modern working environment, built to the highest standards • Fully-stocked, complimentary on-site pantries at both our Ipswich and Bury sites • An All-stop day each month for team meetings and building activities • Excellent transport links Please note: we are not able to offer sponsorship for candidates to work in the UK at this time. If you would like an informal chat about the opportunity or to request a job description, please contact suffolk.hrnewmedica.co.uk Our employment offers are subject to receipt of satisfactory pre-employment checks. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and a Disclosure and Barring Service check will be necessary in the event of a successful application which we will pay for. At Newmedica, we actively promote diversity and equal opportunities, and we are committed to this in both the running of our services and how we recruit our staff. We actively encourage applications from everyone with the essential requirements of the job, regardless of any protected characteristics. Newmedica is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all people, irrespective of gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, language, religion, ethnic or social origin.