Assistant Head of Orthoptic Services - Swansea, United Kingdom - Swansea Bay University Health Board

Swansea Bay University Health Board

Verified Company

Swansea, United Kingdom

2 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

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Description

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

To act as assistant to the Head of Orthoptic Services and have responsibility for specific delegated managerial tasks e.g.

lead for clinical audit, lead for vision screening, lead for recruitment.

To deputise for the Head of Service in their absenceTo have delegated responsibility for the development of policies, protocols and the delivery of service improvement including cost improvement planning and workforce reconfigurationTo be responsible for the day to day running of the Orthoptic team.

To have delegated responsibilities for managing staff within the Orthoptic service including recruitment, appraisal, CPD, discipline and sickness reviewsAssessment and diagnosis of a broad ranging, highly specialist complex caseload; including children and adults, some of whom have disabilities and visual impairment, and maintaining appropriate records.

Management of own highly specialist ocular motility caseload and devising appropriate care plans as an autonomous practitioner using advanced clinical reasoning and evidence based practiceTo provide advanced practice services in own area of expertiseTo liaise with and provide specialist advice and expertise in the field of Orthoptics to patients, colleagues, carers, students and professionals in other areas including Ophthalmology, Paediatrics, Neurology and Maxillo-facial.

To develop, implement and deliver a specialist training for staff based on their area of expertise and training requirements.

Communication and Relationship SkillsUse a wide range of communication skills, selecting the appropriate level and style to ensure patient understanding and compliance with any instruction e.g.

explanation of complex treatment programmes including medically induced visual penalisation, the explanation of test results pertaining to the visual pathway and permanent neurological loss/handicap.

This will include providing both verbal and written information.

Communicate highly complex, confidential and sensitive service-related information to senior managers and other professionals either verbally or by means of presentations.

Liaise and communicate with medical staff, nurses, optometrists, administration staff and directorate managers to provide delivery of a high quality multidisciplinary serviceCommunicate regularly with Head of Service and other senior team members to ensure an equitable health board wide serviceOvercome barriers to understanding, due to age, race, medical conditions or learning difficulties.

A range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills will be used or facilitatedDevelop and maintain links with other health care professionals and ensure they have appropriate access to the serviceProvide professional support and specialist advice to the local authorities, SocialServices, Education Authorities and other bodies who impact on the delivery of an effective Orthoptic serviceTo be responsible for the development, implementation and audit of own advanced practice area.

For example school vision screening service, including liaison with appropriate colleagues to provide any necessary training, implementation and monitoring of key performance indicators and development of audit feedback mechanisms across primary and secondary careCommunicate complex, sensitive and highly specialist information to patients, carers and other professionals who may be non

English speaking or where there may be other barriers to understanding e.

g. hearing loss, fear or inability to accept a diagnosis.

Frequently, the information given may be highly distressing, contentious or unwelcome and will require highly persuasive and compassionate counselling skillsProvide teaching and education to other health professionals including Orthoptic students, junior doctors, paediatric registrars, health visitors, school nurses, pre-registration Optometrists, GPs and medical students by means of presentations, teaching sessions and in-house clinical trainingEnsure other health care professionals are aware of the Orthoptic services and to promote the role of the Orthoptist in the patient pathwayProvide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to patients, carers and relativesUndertake any administrative task necessary to maintain the smooth running of the Orthoptic department including dealing with clinical queries.

To record and deal with initial complaints and compliments according to the organisational policy.
Be investigating officer for incident reporting in the absence of the Head of Service.
To develop, implement and review departmental policies/procedures/guidelines, using evidence based practice where appropriate.

To develop Health Board wide protocols as requested by the Head of ServiceAssist Head of Service in implementing these policies across the Health Board by working with senior team members.

Be responsible for the development and implementation of protocols and care pathways for a specified advanced Orthoptic service and communicate these to colleag