Paediatric Ophthalmology Consultant

University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; Bristol; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent health trust in the UK is seeking a Consultant in Paediatric Ophthalmology. This full-time role involves providing specialist care and participating in ROP services for children in Bristol and the surrounding areas. Candidates should have a CCT in Ophthalmology and experience in paediatric care. The Trust promotes a supportive working environment and values a diverse workforce. This is a chance to contribute significantly to children's health while working in a dynamic team.

Benefits

Health and wellbeing support

Flexible working options

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Must be on the GMC’s Specialist Register to start Consultant appointment.
• Experience in ROP screening and evidence of thorough training in Paediatric Ophthalmology.
• Flexibility to work with multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide sub-specialist and general paediatric ophthalmology care for children.
• Contribute to the ROP screening service.
• Manage and deliver services without direct supervision.

Skills

Paediatric Ophthalmology

Clinical Governance

Teaching Medical Students

Research Involvement

Effective Communication

Education

CCT or equivalent in Ophthalmology

Higher academic qualification (e.g., MD, PhD)

Job description

As an organisation we recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job overview

BRISTOL EYE HOSPITAL
Substantive Paediatric Ophthalmology Consultant

Love Life, Love Bristol and Weston.

The Bristol Eye Hospital (BEH) at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston Foundation Trust (UHBW) is looking to grow its talented team in Paediatric Ophthalmology to drive an ambitious future vision of care across Bristol and Weston.

Applications are warmly welcomed for this fulltime, substantive post in the department of Paediatric Ophthalmology, commencing as soon as possible in 2026.

The post is designed to provide sub-specialist and general paediatric ophthalmology care for children in the Bristol region (500K population) and sub-specialised care for children referred in from the surrounding Southwest region (1.5 million population) including patients cared for in the adjacent Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital – a regional referral hub for Paediatric Neurosciences, Genetics and other specialities.

Ideally candidates will have a paediatric subspecialty interest to complement the existing interests in the department. The postholder will contribute to the ROP service by providing screening and potentially treatment, for which training can be given if needed. The postholder could join the Consultants on-call rota if wanted but it is not compulsory or expected for this post.

Main duties of the job

The BEH is a highly regarded Regional Centre for Ophthalmology which sits within the Division of Surgery at UHBW (recently rated Outstanding by the CQC) and has close links to the University of Bristol, with 3 academic consultant ophthalmologists. BEH provides a local and tertiary referral paediatric ophthalmology service with close links to the regional Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and the two Level 3 neonatal units (St Michaels Hospital and Southmead hospital). The paediatric and strabismus departments are supported by specialist orthoptists, optometrists and nurses and imagers. A video describing working in BEH is available here: https://youtu.be/he7-XrxIopo and another describing the outreach Special Schools service here https://vimeo.com/uhbwmi/download/949114658/4f9c7a2320.

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as ‘Good’ overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more details of the post

Interview date: 2nd March 2026

For further details/informal visits please contact:

• Certification of completion of specialist training (CCT) (or equivalent, OR Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) at the point of interview
• Candidates can be within 6 months of gaining CCT at the date of interview. Please note this does not apply to CESR applications
• Must be on the GMC’s Specialist Register to start Consultant appointment
• Higher academic qualification e.g. MD, PhD or equivalent

Experience

• Evidence of thorough and broad training and experience in Paediatric Ophthalmology including ROP screening
• Able to take responsibility for delivering service without direct supervision
• Evidence of a special interest and expertise that complements those of other consultants in the department and is consistent with the Trust’s service strategy

Clinical Knowledge and Skills

• Up to date knowledge and experience of relevant specialty
• Knowledge of NHS priorities with reference to specialty
• Broad range of IT skills

Clinical Governance and Audit

• Understanding of clinical governance and the individual responsibilities it implies
• Knowledge of the principles of clinical audit and evidence of participation
• Positive approach to evidence based practice
• Participation in continuing professional development (CPD) scheme and, where relevant, evidence of participation

Research

• Knowledge of the principles involved in research
• Evidence of involvement in research
• Evidence of peer review research papers
• Ability to increase the academic profile of the department

Teaching and Training

• Experience of teaching medical students.
• Experience of supervising trainees.
• Knowledge of teaching to a multidisciplinary team
• Formal teaching qualification
• Evidence of management training and evidence of learning from it
• Ability to organise efficient and smooth running of a specialist service
• Ability to cope with and effectively organise the workload of a consultant
• Ability to practice independently as a consultant
• Ability to take on responsibility and show evidence of leadership
• Ability to work under pressure and cope with setbacks
• Demonstration of knowledge of NHS management structures

Interpersonal, communication and team working skills

• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, relatives, clinical colleagues, support staff and other colleagues.
• Good knowledge of, and ability to use, spoken and written English.
• Ability to present effectively to an audience, using a variety of methods, and to respond to questions and queries
• Ability to develop effective working relationships on an individual and multi-professional basis with all levels of staff both within and across divisions
• Ability to be a flexible team member

Behaviours and Values

• Demonstrates the 4 Trust values

Any other Personal Abilities and Aptitudes

• Ability to adapt and respond to changing circumstances
• Awareness of personal limitations
• Meets professional health requirements
• Willingness to travel to and work in other sites necessitated by the role
• Ability to undertake additional professional responsibilities at local, regional or national levels

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

· As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

· The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.

· UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

· To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.

· If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

· The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

· By applying for this post, you are agreeing to University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

· Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

IMPORTANT:

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.