Retinal Pre Screener (Band 3)

Are you interested in joining a progressive successful team in the NHS delivering a Public Health Service for people with Diabetes to help prevent blindness?
If so, Midlands Partnerships University NHS Foundation Trust have a part time (22.5hrs/3days per week) vacancy at an entry level of Band 3 Retinal Screening and we would welcome your application to join our growing team.
You would deliver a service in various locations traveling across Staffordshire & Shropshire such as health centers, community centers, GP practices, prisons and in our newly acquired screening van.
Therefore a UK driver's license will be essential.
Your base will be either Crooked Bridge Road in Stafford or in Severn Fields Health Village in Shrewsbury, whichever is closer for you.
The post holder will have a high degree of individual responsibility.
You will be required to work innovatively whilst being part of a team supporting your colleagues.
This is a service user focused role and experience of customer services or dealing with people in a health setting would be beneficial.
You will be using the latest technology to screen patients who are due their review. Patients can be seen at different recall periods from 24 months to every 3 months.
You will see patients in your clinic, complete a basic vision test, and dilate the pupils and take retinal images using our specialist equipment. Full training will be given.
A Level 3 Diploma in Health Screening will be under taken which can take up to 2 years., The post holder will work as part of a team reporting to the Clinical Manager. You will be first point of contact for patients in clinic and responsible for Pre-screening and Screening patients as appropriate and in accordance with National Screening and local policies, protocols and procedures.

• The post holder will work as part of a team reporting to the Clinical Manager. You will be first point of contact for patients in clinic and responsible for Pre-screening and Screening patients as appropriate and in accordance with National Screening and local policies, protocols and procedures


• The Diabetic Eye Screening Programme offers annual eye screening for all people with diabetes over the age of 12 years. The service operates using mobile screening, visiting GP surgeries and static screening locations in Health Centres and Hospitals across Staffordshire


• You will provide support to your patients to deliver an efficient, patient centred well delivered service. You will ensure patient confidentiality, use your initiative and have a flexible approach. Good communications skills are essential, Be the responsible person for transporting, maintaining and operating digital retinal cameras and associated software and equipment. Equipment if often bulky and all manual handling rules and health & safety apply.


• Knowledge of the screening software to ensure patient information is recorded accurately and in accordance with National and local protocols. Accuracy required for updating the patients screening records to reflect current information is essential. You will frequently be required to concentrate, especially in a busy working environment. You workload will be planned and predictable but should be prepared for short notice changes which are unpredictable.


• Pre-screen patients recording all essential information such as patient consent, ethnicity, diabetes status, and ocular history. Patients can be concerned and require careful considerate management to deal with ocular problems. Exposure to distressing/emotional circumstances are rare.


• Prepare patients for screening by performing visual acuity measurement and instillation of medical eye drops to dilate the pupils. Record the results accurately on bespoke software provided. Understand the implications of dilation drops and when it is not appropriate to use them.


• Capturing digital retinal images according to National Quality Assurance criteria and following local policies standards and protocols. Patients can often be wheelchair users or physically disabled and require assistance in positioning at the camera which will require physical effort for the screener to assist.


• Excellent communication and customer care are essential elements of the post. You should use your skills to communicate eye screening information to patients, which can often be complex ensuring the patients understanding of the pathway, especially for urgent referable disease.


• Recognise the priority required for each image set taken and triage appropriately ensuring senior colleagues are informed of urgent pathology for their intervention when required via the internal alert system.


• Working independently in screening locations following set policies and procedures keeping delays to a minimum. This may involve multi-tasking, for example, booking ambulance transport for patients whilst still delivering the service to other patients.


• Delivering a flexible screening service in NHS Health Centres, Hospitals, GP Practices, and Community Centres across Staffordshire & Shropshire. Promptness and timekeeping are essential elements in service delivery


• Adhere to all Polices and Protocols and escalate all images showing concern or abnormality as appropriate to a senior member of staff to agreed timescales.

Please see the attached Job Description & Person Specification for the full further details on this role.

By joining Team MPFT, you will be helping your communities and in return for this, we will support you by;
+ Supporting your career development and progression
+ Excellent NHS Pension scheme
+ Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave
+ Options for flexible working
+ Up to 27 days annual leave (increasing with service up to 33 days) and the opportunity to purchase additional leave
+ Extensive Health and Wellbeing support and resources
+ If you work in our community teams, we pay for your time travelling between patients
+ Lease car if you complete more than 500 business miles per annum, fully insured and maintained (including tyres), mileage paid at lease car rate
+ Salary sacrifice car - fully insured and maintained (including tyres), your gross pay is reduced by the cost of the vehicle before tax, NI and pension deductions are calculated, mileage paid at business rates
+ Salary sacrifice bikes up to £2k
+ Free car parking at all trust sites
+ Free flu vaccinations every year
+ Citizens Advice support linked with a Hardship Fund for one off additional support up to £250 (if the criteria is met)
And more. We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive organisation and there is a choice of staff networks that help you meet like-minded people.