Orthoptist - Band 5/6 - Eye Treatment Centre - Bury St. Edmunds, United Kingdom - West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
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Bury St. Edmunds, United Kingdom

1 week ago

Tom O´Connor

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Tom O´Connor

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Description
Please see job description for full details. To be responsible for both paediatric and adult patients in our clinics.

To be responsible, as an autonomous practitioner, for the orthoptic assessment, diagnosis and management of patients referred to the orthoptic department.

This may include referrals from other specialties including Paediatrics, A&E, Maxillo-facial and referrals from other eye departments.

To be responsible for the evaluation of visual acuity and visual behaviour in all patients.

This includes infants with strabismus and amblyopia, congenital or developmental abnormalities, children and adults with significant learning difficulties as well as acute ocular motility defects in both children and adults.

To be responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring individual orthoptic treatment plans/care pathways for patients of all ages using advanced clinical reasoning skills and evidence based practice.

To be responsible for the formulation of discharge plans and onward referral when necessary.


KEY TASKS:
To provide orthoptic services as an autonomous practitioner. Assess, diagnose and manage patients referred to the Orthoptic department. Assess and manage patients in specialist paediatric clinics and adult ocular motility clinics. To help develop an extended role for the post.

To be responsible for the community Orthoptic screening service. SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Clinical 1.

To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of patients in your care.

2.

To be responsible for the assessment and management of patients referred to the department.

This group of patients may include children with significant sight defects requiring considerable empathy and support or adults with acute ocular motility disorders requiring sound knowledge of anatomy and neurology e.g.

patients with aneurysms or MS. 3.

To provide accurate diagnosis, prognosis and multidisciplinary discharge plans e.g. patient with an orbital floor fracture being sent to a Maxillo-facial unit. 4. To provide orthoptic assessment of ophthalmic emergencies if required.


  • To formulate individualised management and treatment plans using clinical reasoning skills and a wide range of treatment options. To communicate effectively with patients, parents and carers those plans and to assess capacity and gain informed consent to those treatment plans. 6.
To carry out visual field analysis using automated perimetry. 7. To undertake pre
- and post-operative measurements of motility defects and to discuss surgical options with the patient and surgeon. Orthoptists will be expected to be involved in the decision and timing of surgery.

This requires up to date knowledge of evidence-based practice. 8. To communicate effectively with staff, students, patients and carers to maximise visual potential and ensure understanding of the condition. Verbal communication skills such as persuasion, motivation and explanation as well as non-verbal skills e.g.

makaton sign language to allow effective management of a patient and to gain informed consent. There may be barriers to effective communication e.g. special needs, hearing loss and pain. 9.

Providing condition related information to patients, which may be highly complex.

This may be sensitive information and will need to be explained in a holistic and tactful way so that there is full understanding of the condition.

10.

To be responsible as an autonomous practitioner, for the decision to instil dilating drops for refraction tests, diagnosis and treatment of visual problems.

To decide on the appropriate strength of drops required and to advise patients of potential side effects. 11. To participate in the development of an extended role for an orthoptist e.g medical retina, glaucoma
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