Triage Nurse - Ophthalmology

Job Summary

Do you want to be part of a team who have an excellent reputation for delivering a high standard of care with innovative working in a rapidly changing environment? The band 6 Ophthalmology Triage Nurse provides advanced clinical assessment, prioritisation, and management of patients presenting with acute or urgent eye conditions.

• Perform rapid accurate triage of patients presenting with eye emergencies.
• Identify red‑flag conditions such as acute angle‑closure glaucoma, endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, eye injuries and eye infections.
• Escalate urgent cases to Ophthalmology on call promptly.
• Caseload management.
• Maintain accurate and timely recording on Epic.
• Monitor the workflow of the emergency clinic.
• Support junior staff.
• Use clinical expertise and work collaboratively to extend the role of nursing and the wider MDT to meet the needs of the patient, carer and family.
• Act as a role model, develop and encourage harmonious working relationships and professional rapport within the department and with other disciplines, departments and external agencies.

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes. We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff. We pride ourselves on supporting our staff with a wide range of training and development opportunities, flexible working options, generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts.

Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offers a variety of services. We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with the leading EPR supplier Epic.

Date posted: 09 January 2026
Pay scheme:
Agenda for change
Band: 6
Salary: £38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum

Contract:

Permanent
Working pattern:
Full‑time
Reference number: 432‑HR1134‑25
Job locations:
Colchester Hospital, Turner Road, Colchester, CO4 5JL

Essential Qualifications

• Registered Nurse with experience in Ophthalmology.
• Post‑registration qualification relevant to area up to postgraduate.
• ILS certificate as relevant to the area.
• Student assessor.

Desirable Qualifications

• Advance practice modules at level 7.
• Leadership modules.

Essential Experience

• Experience leading teams.
• Coaching/mentoring.
• Managing change.
• Evidence of managing and improving the patient experience.
• Experience in triage.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience at Band 6.
• Evidence of involvement in research and audit.
• Evidence of teaching.

Essential Knowledge

• Sound evidence of clinical knowledge.
• Articulates understanding of a Band 6 triage role and expectation in practice.
• Articulates understanding of prioritising clinical issues.
• Articulates understanding of managing clinical risk.
• Provides evidence of clinical reasoning and decision making in nursing practice.
• IT skills.

Desirable Knowledge

• Experience in allocating staff members to appropriate patient cases.
• Rota management.
• Caseload management and patient flow.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Colchester Hospital
Turner Road
Colchester
CO4 5JL

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