Theatre Manager - Ophthalmology

Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and dynamic Theatre Manager to join the Ophthalmology Service at Whipps Cross University Hospital.

We are seeking an inspirational Registered Nurse (RN) or Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) with substantial theatre experience and a passion for delivering high-quality patient care. This is a key leadership role within our Eye Treatment Centre, providing professional, operational, and clinical leadership across the Ophthalmic Theatre Service.

The successful candidate will lead and support multidisciplinary scrub, anaesthetic, and recovery teams, ensuring the safe, effective, and efficient delivery of ophthalmic surgical services. Working closely with the Matron, Senior Nurse, Consultants, and the wider multidisciplinary team, you will be responsible for workforce management, theatre productivity, clinical governance, patient safety, service improvement, and staff development.

While ophthalmology theatre experience would be advantageous, it is not essential for candidates who can demonstrate theatre management experience, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to service excellence.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated and forward-thinking individual to contribute to the continued development and success of our ophthalmology surgical services.

Main duties of the job
The Ophthalmology Theatre Manager will provide professional, operational and clinical leadership within the Ophthalmic Theatre service, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centred care in accordance with Trust objectives, national standards and evidence-based practice. The post holder will act as an expert clinical role model, promoting excellence in surgical, anaesthetic and recovery practice through the education, development and support of the multidisciplinary theatre team.

About us
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.

Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• First-level degree in Nursing, Operating Department Practice or related healthcare profession.
• Current NMC or HCPC registration.
• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to theatre management, leadership and ophthalmology services

Desirable

• Ophthalmic specialist qualification.
• Leadership or Management qualification.

Experience
Essential

• Significant post-registration experience within an operating theatre environment
• Substantial experience within Ophthalmology Theatres.
• Experience of coordinating theatre activity, patient flow and service delivery
• Experience of managing staff, including appraisal, supervision, performance management and sickness absence
• Experience of workforce planning, staffing allocation and skill-mix management.

Desirable

• Experience contributing to business cases or service development plans

Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of ophthalmic surgical pathways and theatre processes.
• Understanding of infection perioperative prevention and control requirements.
• Knowledge of clinical governance, patient safety and risk management frameworks.
• Understanding of professional and regulatory standards applicable to theatre practice

Desirable

• Knowledge of GIRFT recommendations.
• Knowledge of theatre utilisation and operational performance metrics.

Skills
Essential

• Ability to communicate complex or sensitive information effectively
• Experience of managing difficult conversations with patients, relatives and staff.
• Ability to influence and negotiate with multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to build effective working relationships across organisational boundaries.
• Competent in Microsoft Office applications
• Ability to analyse performance information and produce reports

Desirable

• Experience presenting reports, audits or service developments to senior groups.

Other
Essential

• Professional, resilient and adaptable
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
• Ability to work flexibly to meet service needs

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.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).