Consultant Ophthalmologist

This is an exciting time to join Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, as it has recently successfully bid for additional theatres. This will create a long-awaited dedicated 2nd theatre for the ophthalmology service which is due to open in January 2024.
T&SDFT is an expanding and innovative Trust set in the heart of South Devon.
We are seeking to recruit an innovative, dynamic locum consultant to join our team on a fixed term contract for 12 months which may become permanent. This would be an excellent opportunity for Higher Trainees who have completed their training or an established consultant seeking a career change. The successful candidate will join a friendly team who are committed to providing the very highest standards of care. Applicants will need to have Full GMC Registration (with licence to practice) and be on the Specialist Register by date of interview or within 6 months of CCT (Certificate of Completion of Training). We provide a very wide range of ophthalmic services including intravitreal treatments for macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, vitreo-retinal surgery, services for medical retina including uveitis, lacrimal surgery – please see job description for more services.
Torbay has an excellent reputation for delivering quality medical education and we regularly have students join our department from Plymouth and Exeter Medical Schools as well as teaching Physician Associate, BSc students, Paramedics and Nursing students.
The post is a full time post and may include general as well as specialist clinics, and cataract/ glaucoma surgery. There would be a 1 in 8 general on-call commitment. There is a separate sub regional vitreoretinal on-call. Shared office space and secretarial support will be provided for the period of the post.
Patient safety, dignity and care are the highest priority and at the centre of all that we do.
We are a forward thinking, very well equipped and well supported department. We provide a very wide range of ophthalmic services including vitreo-retinal surgery, medical retina including uveitis, lacrimal surgery, glaucoma, corneal services including PK, DALK, DSAEK and DMEK, paediatric services, adult motility and thyroid orbitopathy services, oculoplastic and of course cataract surgery. We have a talented and enthusiastic body of nurses, orthoptists and optometrists trained to work in glaucoma, paediatrics, cornea, diabetic and macular clinics, perform Botox injections, treat lid cysts and perform electrolysis, give intravitreal injections and provide sub-tenon blocks for cataract surgery.
Our surgical service is run from the purpose built Eye Surgery Unit (ESU). From here we offer a one stop cataract assessment service, surgical booking service and admissions area. Operating lists are conducted at both Torbay Hospital, a commissioned high street theatre in Newton Abbot, as well as the Nightingale theatre in Exeter. There has been a successful bid to create a second ophthalmic theatre on the Torbay Hospital site which is hoped will be fully operational by the end of January 2024. We hold clinics in community hospitals including Newton Abbot and Teignmouth.
We have four specialty trainee doctors from the Peninsula Deanery. We have also routinely have 2 visiting Belgian trainees.
Detailed job description and responsibilities
A provisional job plan is shown below: please note: this job plan is representative only. The final timetable will depend on current service redesign within the unit and the interests of the appointed candidate.
Morning
PA
Afternoon
PA
Monday
SPA
0.5
Clinic
1
Tuesday
Admin
1
Theatre/ laser
1
Wednesday
Theatre
1.25
Clinic
1
Thursday
SPA
1
Clinic
1
Friday
Clinic
1
SPA
1
On call 0.25 PA
(Initial split of 7.5 DCC, 2.5 SPA. Following 12 months in post, there is a baseline 1.5 SPA with a further 1 PA to be used either as SPA performing additional roles (e.g College Tutor, clinical governance, medical student supervision, etc) or DCC, according to Consultant preference).

• To provide high quality consultant delivered care to patients including clinical leadership and supervision of junior medical staff, ensuring the highest standards of clinical care are provided to all patients attending the hospital.
• To be proactive in ensuring that all patients receive rapid assessment, treatment and clinical decision making, whilst ensuring our standard to deliver safe quality and performance are delivered and sustained.
• To provide teaching and training at undergraduate and postgraduate level and supervised and train the juniors and specialty doctors. To be proactive in the department’s clinical governance agenda and take on leadership roles to support continuous learning and improvement, thereby abiding by the clinical and corporate governance policies of the Trust.
• To liaise with clinicians and managers within and outside the department to address any issues arising that may affect the services.
• To participate in relevant audit and quality assurance processes.
• To communicate with local GPs

Other responsibilities include:

• Junior Staff: Recruitment, appointment and educational supervision including educational contracts, regular appraisal, organisation of study leave, annual leave and rotas.
• Budget: Co-operate with the Deputy Medical Director and Divisional General Manager on budget issues.
• Communication: This will include the responsibility for and arrangement of communication and liaison with all other medical and service departments within the Trust as well as other Trusts.
• Teaching: To have an active role in the junior doctor training programme.