Orthoptist: Sponsorship Available

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust

Job summary

As a Band 5 Orthoptist you will be based at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre, a tertiary ophthalmology referral centre with a large A&E department. The Orthoptic team provide acute hospital-based care, community out-reach services, Primary Vision Screening, specialist Stroke, Genetic and Neuro-ophthalmology services

Band 5 post holders will provide clinical diagnostic and therapeutic services across a wide range of clinical conditions including, Ophthalmic Paediatrics, Neuro-ophthalmology and Accident and Emergency, at two acute hospital sites, Sandwell and the Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre.

You will be part of a team of 12 Orthoptists and 9 Ophthalmic Technicians. You will be supported by a Senior Orthoptic Mentor who will meet with you on a regular basis in line with the BIOS Preceptorship programme.

You will be working within a MDT of Medical, Optometric and Nursing staff to deliver high quality patient care.

The Orthoptic service of Sandwell and West Birmingham has an ethos of lifelong learning. Emphasis is place on regular CPD. Personal learning and development facilitated through online, face to face courses and peer learning. The aim is to develop new graduates giving them multiple learning opportunities to gain hands on experience with a wide range of clinical conditions allowing you to expand your theoretical knowledge and its application in clinical practice.

Main duties of the job

As a Band 5 Orthoptist you will be responsible for the management of patients referred to the Orthoptic service from GP’s, Health Visitors, Primary vision screening and other hospital departments, including paediatrics, accident and emergency, maxillo-facial, neurology and endocrinology.

Following a period of induction with clinician buddy support and reduced clinical workload, you will work as an autonomous practitioner undertaking clinical investigation, diagnosis and management of a range of clinical conditions in line with evidence-based practice. The patient group includes patients suffering from strabismus, amblyopia (reduced vision with no apparent pathological cause), complex congenital and acquired conditions including cranial nerve palsy (neurological and systemic in origin), ocular trauma and genetic ocular disorders and associated ocular abnormalities.

You will work within a large team of Orthoptists who will provide peer support and advice.

The clinical role will encompass a wide range of paediatric and adult patients. A reduced case load and senior Orthoptic support will be provided to allow the post holder to develop their skills and knowledge and gain confidence.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Bachelor of Science in Orthoptics BSc (Orth) or Bmed Sci (Orthoptics) and or Diploma of the British Orthoptic Council
  • To be registered with the Health Professions Council

Experience

Essential

  • To have undergraduate experience in all aspects of clinical orthoptics involving specialist services, paediatrics, neurology, community, glaucoma.
  • To have experience of visual field assessment Ability to use Microsoft WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT and be proficient in keyboard use

Desirable

  • Some undergraduate experience with trauma, neuro-ophthalmology and paediatrics
  • Some Undergraduate clinical experience with the assessment of visual fields

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 22 September 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.