Job overview
To provide high quality, comprehensive and specialised Orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner.
To assess, diagnose and manage patients referred to the service and provide specialist advice.
Main duties of the job
To act as a source of expertise on the management of ocular motility disorders to patients, carers, other health care professionals, GPs and consultants.
To provide the diagnosis, management and treatment of patients presenting with acute or nonacute ocular motility deficit in the Community Eye Service and Emergency Eye Clinic.
To see Ophthalmology patients that are under the paediatric Ophthalmologist before or after been seen by her or her junior doctors to help free appointment slots in her clinic where my knowledge and skills can deal with this cohort of patients.
Working for our organisation
Team of 10 orthoptists 2 paediatric optometrists.3 orthoptic assistants and a team of 4 admin staff working alongside 8 consultant ophthalmologists to provide a comprehensive orthoptic service covering the whole of East Lancashire.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
As an autonomous practitioner to be legally and professionally responsible and accountable for management of patients in ELHT.
To liaise with a wide range of disciplines, providing expert clinical specialist knowledge, actively collaborating as part of the multidisciplinary team, providing teaching and training on request and providing written reports on clinical status.
To communicate complex and highly sensitive information, using a range of verbal and non-verbal communication mechanisms, to patients and relatives requiring empathy and clarity of expression. This will include breaking bad news and discussing the short- and long-term effects of visual impairment.
To formulate individualised management and treatment plans, using clinical reasoning and a wide range of treatment skills, communicating effectively those plans through communication skills of explanation, persuasion and motivation and to assess capacity and gain informed consent.
To undertake pre- and post-operative measurement of motility defects and to discuss surgical options with the surgeon. Identify post-operative risks and discuss this with the patient / parent / carer and surgeon. It is the orthoptist’s role to take the lead in the decision and timing of surgery. This requires an up-to-date knowledge of evidence-based practice and significant manual dexterity and speed to ensure accurate results especially in infants who will have eye surgery. Surgery will be based on the orthoptic measurements.
To be legally and professionally responsible for your own work, including management of patients in your care.
To provide highly specialised reports to the education department to contribute to planning and adapting education to the child’s special needs.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
* Diploma/Degree in Orthoptics
Desirable criteria
* Experience in specialist Orthoptic areas