Here at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, we are proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. We are ranked as the third in the country for research, embedding education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals on the south coast employing over 8,700 staff.
Our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for getting it right for patients, colleagues, and our community, you will find a home at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.
The Ophthalmology department are looking for a full-time Locum Consultant, with a view to substantive, to join a team of 17 consultants to provide a comprehensive Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus service at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth. In addition, the post holder will be expected to participate in all elements of Ophthalmology departmental activity.
This is a 10 PA post comprising paediatric, adult motility and general outpatient clinics, paediatric and strabismus operating sessions and cataract operating sessions and to include ROP screening. There will be a general on call commitment of 1:12
The successful applicant will be expected to participate fully in developing ophthalmic services, training and research. There is a bi-weekly teaching session on Wednesday afternoons which involves the Consultants, Junior Doctors and nursing and orthoptic staff, plus regular M&M / Audit meetings.
Key Responsibilities:
To provide outpatient and surgical services to ophthalmology patients, both paediatric and adult.
In conjunction with the Clinical Director have an active part in the development of paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus services.
To deliver education on paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus across the specialty and wider Trust
To provide a consultation and advisory service to medical colleagues in other specialties in the Trust, including emergency patients when required.
To take responsibility for the professional supervision and appraisal of junior medical staff in conjunction with colleagues.
To participate in the education and training of junior doctors, medical students, nurses, orthoptists, and general practitioners.
To maintain and develop good communications with general practitioners and community providers, e.g. Optometrists.
To demonstrate a firm commitment to the principles of clinical governance.
To participate in the Trust’s Safety Learning Event reporting system.
To attend multi-disciplinary meetings on behalf of the ophthalmology specialty.
To participate and contribute to audit.
To develop a programme of personal professional education and development, within available resources and within the workload and priorities of the service as agreed with the Clinical Director and in accordance with Royal College requirements. The Trust will provide the necessary support for this.
To participate in retinopathy of prematurity screening shared across 3 colleagues.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Full GMC registration with a licence to practice
MRCOphth/FRCOphth/FRCS
Higher professional training in paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus
Clinical Experience
Entry on the GMC specialist register via CCT (proposed date must be within 6 months), CESR or European Community Rights
Evidence of a paediatric and strabismus fellowship or equivalent experience
Clinical Skills
Demonstrable skills and experience of paediatric ophthalmology (including paediatric and adult strabismus)
Understanding of clinical risk management
Knowledge
Able to demonstrate appropriate level of clinical knowledge
Knowledge and use of evidence based practice
Excellent IT skills
Effective, confident presentation ability
Experience in and outside speciality
Other
Evidence of participation in audit
Good oral and written communication skills
Publications
Prizes and honours
Logical thinking, problem solving and decision making
The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.
We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.
For more information, please see our People and OD Strategy 2026
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is the first NHS trust on the English mainland to provide community, mental health and acute hospital services. We work with health and social care partners in Somerset to ensure that we deliver outstanding services that meet the needs of our population, and this was highlighted at the Health Service Journal Awards 2021, where we were awarded Mental Health Trust of the Year.
Our trust was formed on 1 April 2020 when Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust merged, bringing together innovative and successful teams who have a track record of providing community and mental health services across the whole of Somerset and acute hospital services in the north, west and centre of the county and beyond.
We are privileged to work with over 9,000 colleagues who deliver or support our patient services. From therapists to nurses, doctors, researchers, scientists, porters, cleaners, kitchen staff, accountants, those who teach the next generation of clinicians and the receptionists who welcome our patients, the contribution of all our colleagues is invaluable.
Working together we provide services from the cradle to the grave, including:
• Services delivered in your own home such as Somerset’s Rapid Response service that cares for patients to support them during a period of crisis and avoided over 1,000 patients going to hospital in its first year
• Primary care from three GP practices
• A range of services from 13 community hospital including outpatient and diagnostic services, 190 inpatient beds and seven Minor Injuries Units.
• A range of specialist mental health services
• Specialist healthcare for adults with learning disabilities
• Community dental health services
• Regional, specialist and hospital services from Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton including medical and surgical care, maternity services and cancer treatment services
