Band 4 Ophthalmic Technician

As an Ophthalmic Technician you will work within the ophthalmology department and community-based diagnostic hubs to provide clinical and technical services. You will work under the direction of the ophthalmic technical service manager, lead ophthalmic technicians & senior ophthalmic technicians to assist in the diagnosis, treatment and care of new and follow-up patients. The postholder will be based at both Good Hope Hospital and Solihull Hospital sites, but will also be required to work at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

You will need to be able to accommodate variable clinical hours and schedules, ranging between four hospital sites and community-based settings, including evening and weekend hours. You will be required to work autonomously and within a close-knit team, and contribute to the smooth running of the department and provision of diagnostic services. Also, you will be expected to recommend improvements and changes to departmental policies, guidelines and protocols at departmental meetings.

Maintain personal knowledge and skills undertaking training and development as required.

You will safely and effectively use of a range of highly complex expensive diagnostic instruments, adhering to defined protocols and guidelines. You will report diagnostic test results to ophthalmologists and professional staff, and adapt tests to the ability of patients. You will need to be able to accommodate variable clinical hours and schedules, ranging between four hospital sites and community-based settings, including evening and weekend hours.

You will be required to work autonomously and within a close-knit team, and contribute to the smooth running of the department and provision of diagnostic services. Also, you will be expected to recommend improvements and changes to departmental policies, guidelines and protocols at departmental meetings.

Maintain personal knowledge and skills undertaking training and development as required.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people.

As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.

* Please Note :
For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*

Essential

• A-Levels or NVQ3 or equivalent
• 5 GCSEs at grade C or above to include English language and mathematics

Essential

• Knowledge of information governance, health and safety, infection control, safeguarding

• Experience of working in eye care
• Experience of delivering technician led ophthalmic services
• Experience working with adults including adults who have significant sensory impairment or learning difficulties
• Experience of working within the NHS
• Technical knowledge of how to set up and operate Humphrey analysers and how to modify testing to ensure accuracy of the results obtained
• Knowledge of refractive errors and how they are corrected with spectacles
• Technical knowledge of how to operate manual and automated lens analyser to assess single vision, bifocal and varifocal lenses
• Knowledge of how to select the most appropriate method for assessing visual acuity taking into account the ability and understanding of individual patients

• Excellent hand / eye coordination, dexterity and speed when performing clinical investigations
• Innovative approach to work and must be able to respond quickly to changes in working practice
• Sound problem solving skills
• Ability to follow protocols accurately and to work under sustained pressure whilst maintaining high levels of concentration
• Ability to write clearly and interpret instructions
• Ability to keep and maintain detailed patient records at all times
• Ability to maintain and utilise department and Trust…