Speciality Doctor in Ophthalmology

Job summary
The Department of Ophthalmology is the sole provider of eye care to the population of Jersey and visitors to the Island. The department is in the process of active expansion in staff and facilities. The department is a dedicated self-contained unit.

The Medical Staff currently comprises three Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeons, Mr E Zinicola (Medical & Surgical Retina), Mr G Bowler (Oculoplastic, Adnexal & Lacrimal) and Mr A Spiteri (Cornea & Ocular Surface); Two Associate Specialists and one Staff Grade (this post).

The department has its own nursing team headed by a full time Department Manager/CNS supported by a Deputy Sister/CNS and 3 Staff Nurses, 3 Assistant Practitioners and 6 Health Care Assistants.Two senior orthoptists are responsible for orthoptic services on the Island, which includes a schoolentry screening programme as well as, uniquely, screening of all stroke in-patients for visual problems. Low Vision and paediatric refraction clinics are provided in-house by visiting optometrists.Moorefields Eye Hospital provide a visiting support for prosthetic services. The Department also has an internal AP providing ECLO services once a week.

The Outpatient Department has appropriate clerical and administrative support.

All doctors in the department have Medical Secretarial Support for typing of dictated letters and other admin support.

Main duties of the job
The postholder will work within the Eye Department and closely with other hospital divisions to provide a high quality, general and specialist ophthalmic service for the island. The postholder will be expected to be competent in out-patient management of common acute and chronic eye conditions in all areas of Ophthalmology. Use of YAG-SLT and Retinal laser treatments is essential to service. Providing cross cover for the Clinical Nurse Specialists in the administration of Intravitreal injections and post op cataract clinics is essential.

Whilst there is presently no requirement for the post holder to be on-call, the coming years will see a transformation of health and community care in Jersey. As part of this transformation, on-call arrangements for this post may potentially feature in the future. In the event of any changes, the successful applicant will be consulted with and would be remunerated accordingly.

The post holder will be expected to take part in management and audit activities and represent the service at Hospital meetings, as agreed with colleagues. The eye department holds a monthly teaching meeting and regular participation in this will be encouraged and expected. The postholder will be expected to be fully involved in a Risk Management programme and support the Governance agenda. The successful candidate should be adaptable, flexible and innovative in order to meet the ongoing challenges within the service.

About us
Health care professionals in Jersey enjoy more autonomy and the opportunity to shape the public health service in a small island on a development journey.

Jersey is a unique place to live and work and being a Doctor in Jersey is different. As a crown dependency, we are an island nation which includes our own Health Care Service and it is a service on the move with the Enid Quenault health care facility opened in 2023 and commitment to improve and invest in further healthcare facilities including a brand-new acute hospital. Our patients and health professionals are at the centre of all we do, as a doctor you have more time to care and we give more time to you, for your development and wellbeing as well as the opportunity to carry out private patient work.

Teaching and Research
Health and Care Jersey is recognised for junior doctors and active teaching is encouraged in this role. It is expected that the post holder is participating in the training of medical staff and that the candidate will ensure that the training and learning needs are identified and facilitated. This includes educational support for the clinical fellows recruited directly to Health & Care Jersey.

Opportunities for participating in research are supported when appropriate. The Health & Care Jersey has an advantageous policy for professional leave and is supportive of external duties for the good of the wider profession.

We welcome multi centre research clinical trials if approved from a body such as NHS

Job responsibilities
Surgical sessions are carried out in Day Surgery. The ophthalmic theatre DSU1 is fully equipped with a modern Zeiss Lumera microscope, new phacoemulsification and vitrectomy machines, a 810nm laser and all facilities for general ophthalmic uses. All intraocular theatre sessions are supported by an anaesthetist. Minor operating facilities are available in both DSU and the outpatient suite with operations and intravitreal injections undertaken in both areas. Eye Clinic The eye department, both in terms of outpatient and theatre facilities is extensively equipped. Major items include: Zeiss digital mydriatic fundus camera with a networked imaging system, Zeiss Cirrus OCT scanner (also networked) Zeiss IOLMaster Optomap wide-field camera A and combined A/B ultrasound scanners YAG laser 532 nm laser 810nm laser (in theatre) Pentacam HR corneal topographer Autorefractor 2 Humphrey visual field analysers

Whilst there is presently no requirement for the post holder to be on-call, the coming years will see a transformation of health and community care in Jersey. As part of this transformation, on-call arrangements for this post may potentially feature in the future. In the event of any changes, the successful applicant will be consulted with and would be remunerated accordingly. The post holder will be expected to take part in management and audit activities and represent the service at Hospital meetings, as agreed with colleagues. The eye department holds a monthly teaching meeting and regular participation in this will be encouraged and expected. The postholder will be expected to be fully involved in a Risk Management programme and support the Governance agenda. The eye department occasionally receives medical students from the University of Southampton both for regular teaching and for special study modules, and there may therefore be opportunities to be involved in clinic-based undergraduate teaching. The successful candidate should be adaptable, flexible and innovative in order to meet the ongoing challenges within the service

Qualifications

• Primary Medical Degree
• Full Registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) with a Licence to practise (for overseas candidates it is mandatory that a licence is obtained prior to appointment).
• MRCOphth, FRCOphth, or equivalent post-graduate ophthalmology qualification
• Basic Life Support (BLS)

Experience

• Clinical Experience in an NHS environment in the UK
• Enthusiastic Teacher
• Previous Management Responsibility / Leadship Experience
• Basic computer skills including use of MS office programmes and e-mail
• Basic legal requirements for consent and note taking

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.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.