Job overview

Applications are invited for a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. You will join a team of nine Consultant Ophthalmologists based at Leighton Hospital in Crewe. This post is a replacement post. You will be required to participate both in General Ophthalmology and have a complimentary sub-specialty interest in Oculoplastics.

Applicants must have full registration with the GMC including a License to Practice and be on the Specialist Register (or be within six months of obtaining their Certificate of Completion of Training).

The post is offered based on  6 Programmed Activities per week, however the Trust would welcome discussion with individuals looking for a more flexible working pattern to support a different work life balance. These types of arrangements are already supported within the department for some of the team.

Shortlisted candidates will be expected to visit the department prior to interview.

Proposed AAC date is 5th March 2025.

Main duties of the job

The post will be based at Leighton Hospital and involves clinics at Victoria infirmary in Northwich. You will join a team of Consultants providing comprehensive Ophthalmic services to the local population. Current sub-specialty expertise includes Medical Retina, Glaucoma, Oculoplastics, Anterior segment and Paediatric Ophthalmology. The on-call commitment is anticipated to be 1 in 8.

You will also be required to participate fully in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and will be expected to promote Clinical Governance within the department.

The department is well supported by nine Specialty Doctors. There are currently three trainees of varying levels and experience on rotation from HEENW, new rotations of trainee doctors join every six months. These trainees require close clinical supervision from the Consultants who are actively involved in their training and development, both in clinic and in theatre.

The department is also supported by two Ophthalmic Advanced Nurse Practitioners, nine Ophthalmic Technicians, two Ophthalmic Photographers and comprehensive Orthoptic and Optometry departments. We have a large nursing team comprising of thirteen qualified nurses, and eighteen Health Care Assistants, as well as three members of the Ophthalmic triage team supporting our casualty referral service. 

Working for our organisation

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (MCHFT) provides good quality, safe and effective healthcare to the people of Cheshire and beyond. The Trust, which manages Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford, was established as an NHS Trust in April 1991 and became a Foundation Trust in April 2008.

We employ almost 5,000 members of staff, provide around 540 hospital beds, with a range of services including accident and emergency, maternity, outpatients, therapies, and children's health.

The Trust is also part of Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership (CCICP), a unique local health partnership that provides a range of community services for people across South Cheshire and Vale Royal.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, the Trust was recognised nationally for its ‘Be Safe Be EquiPPEd’ campaign, which aimed to make the Trust as safe as possible for staff and patients, through supporting the correct use of PPE.

The results in the 2020 national NHS Staff Survey showed improvements in all elements of the safety culture theme, with 92% of respondents feeling their role made a difference to our patients.  We were also recognised nationally for our workforce health and wellbeing initiatives.

At Mid Cheshire, we value our staff and appreciate that in order to give our patients the best quality, compassionate care, we also need to look after our colleagues