Senior Retina Specialist Practitioner

Job description

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our team as a Senior Retina Specialist Practitioner covering SUJH, Seacroft and Wharfdale.

The post is an integral part of the Ophthalmology MDT, responsible for specialised clinical skills and leadership competencies, promoting the effective and economical use of resources and contributing to budgetary balance. The post holder is responsible for his/her own actions without direct supervision and accountable for the actions of junior members of staff.

Main duties of the job

This post will involve an independent caseload.

The post holder will be practising as a retina specialist practitioner within Ophthalmology, providing patient-centred and evidence-based clinical care, within an agreed scope of competence and practice. The role will encompass the skills of history taking, slit lamp examination, image acquisition and/or interpretation, diagnosis and treatment of intra-vitreal injections. As a specialised practitioner, the post holder will collaborate with patients, carers and colleagues and assist with future service demands planning. Suitable candidates will be considered who may require additional training to meet the requirements of the role, in which case the post will commence at a band 6 and progress to a band 7 once all training is completed.

For an informal visit please contact:

Samantha Bird, Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Ophthalmology - [email protected]

Sophie Vickers, Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Ophthalmology - [email protected]

About us

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is committed to delivering the highest quality and safest treatment and care to every patient, every time.Our vision is to provide the highest quality specialist and integrated care.We will do this through delivery of our multi-year goals and strategic priorities, which you can read about on this page.Central to it all is The Leeds Way our values and behaviours that are at the heart of everything we do.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Shortlisting Date: 08 October 2026 Interview Date: 22 October 2026

Why you should join our Team
The Eye Department is the largest provider of specialist Ophthalmology services in the Yorkshire region and provides a specialist ophthalmology service for patients in Leeds, Yorkshire and from across the north of England.

We strive to work as a team and be the centre of excellence, putting our patients at the centre to deliver patient focused care. We encourage staff to voice concerns in an open and honest way and open to ideas to improve patient experience and change practice to improve efficiency so that we deliver what we promise. We expect each staff member to work as a team to deliver high standards of care and follow Departmental Policy and Procedures, NMC guidelines and those of the Trust
What you will bring to the role
The post holder is an integral member of the Ophthalmology multidisciplinary team and will work collaboratively alongside Advanced Clinical Practitioners, Senior Retina Practitioners, Nurse Injectors, Orthoptists, Optometrists, Ophthalmology Doctors, Consultant Ophthalmologists, Medical Imaging Practitioners and the wider Medical Imaging and Nursing Teams.

The post holder is responsible and professionally accountable for their own clinical decisions and actions and will manage an independent caseload without routine direct supervision.

The post holder will have responsibility for the delivery of elements of the Medical Retina pathway from referral and initial assessment through investigation, clinical management, treatment and follow-up.

The post holder will provide clinical supervision and support to Band 6 Nurse Injectors and junior/developing staff, promoting safe practice and supporting development of specialist competencies.

Where a patient's presentation, complexity or management requirements exceed the Band 7 practitioner's agreed scope of practice, appropriate clinical advice or escalation will be sought from an Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Ophthalmology Doctor or Consultant Ophthalmologist.

The post holder will contribute to service planning and development, education and training, clinical governance, audit and quality improvement within Medical Retina.
About Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
Our Trust values

The Leeds Way is working together to support each other and deliver the best possible care to patients.

We are....

Responsible Open and Honest One Team Kind

Our Trust priorities

Our purpose: Excellent, safe and sustainable care for every patient every time

Our priorities:

People Improvement and Innovation Partnerships Outcomes
Sponsorship Eligibility
To comply with UK Government regulations on Skilled Worker sponsorship, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust is unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or the salary threshold concessions set out under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please take this into consideration before submitting your application. Full guidance on these concessions, including details of who may qualify, can be found here.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Shortlisting Date: 08 October 2026 Interview Date: 22 October 2026

Why you should join our Team
The Eye Department is the largest provider of specialist Ophthalmology services in the Yorkshire region and provides a specialist ophthalmology service for patients in Leeds, Yorkshire and from across the north of England.

We strive to work as a team and be the centre of excellence, putting our patients at the centre to deliver patient focused care. We encourage staff to voice concerns in an open and honest way and open to ideas to improve patient experience and change practice to improve efficiency so that we deliver what we promise. We expect each staff member to work as a team to deliver high standards of care and follow Departmental Policy and Procedures, NMC guidelines and those of the Trust
What you will bring to the role
The post holder is an integral member of the Ophthalmology multidisciplinary team and will work collaboratively alongside Advanced Clinical Practitioners, Senior Retina Practitioners, Nurse Injectors, Orthoptists, Optometrists, Ophthalmology Doctors, Consultant Ophthalmologists, Medical Imaging Practitioners and the wider Medical Imaging and Nursing Teams.

The post holder is responsible and professionally accountable for their own clinical decisions and actions and will manage an independent caseload without routine direct supervision.

The post holder will have responsibility for the delivery of elements of the Medical Retina pathway from referral and initial assessment through investigation, clinical management, treatment and follow-up.

The post holder will provide clinical supervision and support to Band 6 Nurse Injectors and junior/developing staff, promoting safe practice and supporting development of specialist competencies.

Where a patient's presentation, complexity or management requirements exceed the Band 7 practitioner's agreed scope of practice, appropriate clinical advice or escalation will be sought from an Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Ophthalmology Doctor or Consultant Ophthalmologist.

The post holder will contribute to service planning and development, education and training, clinical governance, audit and quality improvement within Medical Retina.
About Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
Our Trust values

The Leeds Way is working together to support each other and deliver the best possible care to patients.

We are....

Responsible Open and Honest One Team Kind

Our Trust priorities

Our purpose: Excellent, safe and sustainable care for every patient every time

Our priorities:

People Improvement and Innovation Partnerships Outcomes
Sponsorship Eligibility
To comply with UK Government regulations on Skilled Worker sponsorship, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust is unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or the salary threshold concessions set out under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please take this into consideration before submitting your application. Full guidance on these concessions, including details of who may qualify, can be found here.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

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Desirable

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Experience

Essential

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Desirable

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Person Specification
Qualifications

Essential

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Desirable

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Experience

Essential

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Desirable

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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.

Employer details

Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals
Address

St James's University Hospital

Leeds

West Yorkshire

LS9 7TF

United Kingdom

Employer's website