Job Description

An 6 month fixed term opportunity (Maternity cover) arises for an ophthalmic Technician. St. Paul's Eye Unit is the largest eyecare provider in Cheshire and Merseyside delivering the full range of specialist ophthalmology services including: accident & emergency, corneal cataract and refractive surgery, diabetic eye care, glaucoma, ocular oncology, medical retinal and vitreo-retinal. The unit is also actively involved in NHS, academic and commercial research.



The post involves high volume, face to face contact with patients, including those in clinical trials/ academic research studies, to acquire clinical data through a wide range of ocular imaging procedures and other ophthalmic assessments and other supporting tasks, determined either through standard operating procedures / research protocols or ordered specifically for individual patients by clinical staff. Results are interpreted by clinical staff and inform patient management decisions.

The post holder interacts routinely with:

patients, administrative, clerical, technical and clinical staff within the Trust and other external stakeholders when necessary.



The post holder will be member of a team of 20 ophthalmic technicians based at the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital and will regularly work directly with eye patients in our busy outpatient clinics. They will operate advanced ophthalmic equipment to collect information which assists in the diagnosis and management of sight threatening eye conditions. Equipment used includes Heidelberg Spectralis OCT, Optos California, Pentacam Wave, Zeiss HFA and others.



This role provides valuable technician support to our consultant ophthalmologist led clinical staff by obtaining data from a range of scans, imaging techniques and clinical assessments as appropriate to the extensive range of subspecialties which our eye unit covers.



Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.



We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.



UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.



For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.



Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.



For roles at Liverpool Women's, visit their careers page .



CLINICAL DUTIES



A range of ophthalmic imaging procedures as required including but not limited to: OCT, Anterior OCT, HRT, optic disc, Colour fundus - high magnification and stereos, Fluorescein Angiography

Ophthalmic procedures / assessments including:

Perform visual acuity tests using various types of acuity charts as appropriate, Instil eye drops in accordance with approved protocols for patient safety. Perform corneal topography / tomography assessments.

Ophthalmic clinical measurements including:

Corneal thickness, Intra ocular pressures, Anterior chamber depth, Visual field testing, ensuring data & results generated are securely uploaded to as appropriate to Trust systems, EPR / CRF.



The post holder shall as necessary provide cover for and undertake duties of absent colleagues. Any other duties reasonably delegated by the line manager.



For a full list of duties, please refer to the attached job description and person specification