Join our friendly, growing independent opticians, where professional patient care, clinical standards and personalised service are at the heart of everything we do.
We are looking for a confident and patient-focused Dispensing Optician to join our multidisciplinary optical team. The successful candidate will benefit from a supportive working environment, opportunities to develop and a lucrative performance-based bonus scheme offering excellent additional earning potential.
Requirements
- Qualified Dispensing Optician
- Current registration with the General Optical Council
- Previous experience working within an optical practice
- Strong clinical, dispensing and communication skills
- Ability to work confidently while recognising and working within professional limits
- Good knowledge of current GOC standards, NHS procedures and optical practice requirements
- Full UK driving licence is essential
- Contact Lens Optician qualification is desirable but not essential
Work Pattern
- Full-time position
- Any five days between Monday and Saturday
- 8.5-hour working day
- Flexibility to work across practice locations may be required
Roles and Responsibilities
Clinical dispensing
- Interpret spectacle prescriptions and provide patients with clear, personalised dispensing advice.
- Assess each patient’s visual, occupational, lifestyle and clinical requirements.
- Recommend appropriate frames, lens designs, materials, coatings and treatment options.
- Take accurate dispensing measurements, including pupillary distances, fitting heights and other measurements required for specialist lenses.
- Ensure frames are suitable for the prescription, facial measurements, comfort and intended use.
- Provide specialist dispensing for children, patients with complex prescriptions and patients who are sight impaired or severely sight impaired.
- Dispense single-vision, bifocal, occupational, progressive and specialist lenses.
- Check completed spectacles against the prescription and dispensing instructions before supplying them to the patient.
- Fit, adjust and repair spectacles to ensure a safe, accurate and comfortable fit.
- Investigate and resolve non-tolerance, adaptation and dispensing concerns professionally.
Patient care and communication
- Communicate clearly and effectively, adapting advice to the patient’s individual needs.
- Obtain valid consent before carrying out procedures, measurements or treatments.
- Explain the advantages, limitations, costs and available alternatives for recommended products.
- Ensure patients are given accurate information without pressure or misleading claims.
- Treat all patients with dignity, compassion, respect and confidentiality.
- Provide thorough spectacle collection appointments and appropriate aftercare.
- Recognise concerns requiring further assessment and refer or escalate them to the optometrist or another appropriate healthcare professional.
- Provide appropriate safety-netting advice and document any concerns or referrals.
Professional and regulatory responsibilities
- Work in accordance with current GOC Standards of Practice, professional guidance, NHS requirements and practice procedures.
- Maintain accurate, clear and contemporaneous patient records.
- Recognise and work within personal competence and professional scope of practice.
- Maintain current GOC registration and complete required continuing professional development.
- Maintain patient confidentiality and comply with data-protection requirements.
- Follow safeguarding, infection prevention, health and safety and clinical-governance procedures.
- Raise concerns where patient safety or the quality of care may be compromised.
- Respond openly and professionally to complaints, errors and patient concerns.
- Maintain appropriate professional indemnity arrangements.
Supervision and team development
- Provide appropriate supervision of trainee dispensing opticians, optical assistants and other delegated team members.
- Ensure delegated duties are only given to colleagues with the appropriate training, knowledge and competence.
- Remain available to oversee delegated work and intervene when required to protect patients.
- Retain professional responsibility for work completed under your supervision.
- Support the training, coaching and development of the wider optical team.
- Promote consistent compliance with practice SOPs and professional standards.
- Work collaboratively with optometrists, optical assistants, laboratory teams and other healthcare professionals.
Practice operations
- Support the effective day-to-day running of the practice.
- Manage spectacle orders and liaise with laboratories to ensure accuracy and timely completion.
- Check orders, resolve laboratory queries and monitor outstanding jobs.
- Support stock management, frame selection, merchandising and product knowledge.
- Manage appointment bookings and ensure patients receive a safe, organised and welcoming experience.
- Assist with pre-screening and other clinical-support activities where trained and competent.
- Support NHS documentation, claims and administrative processes accurately.
- Help manage patient queries, complaints, remakes and aftercare concerns.
- Contribute to achieving practice targets through ethical, needs-based recommendations.
- Participate in team meetings, clinical audits, training and quality-improvement activities.
Contact lenses
- Support contact-lens patients and administrative processes within your competence.
- Contact-lens fitting, clinical assessment and aftercare must only be undertaken where the Dispensing Optician holds the appropriate Contact Lens Optician qualification and registration.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary based on qualifications and experience
- Lucrative performance-based bonus scheme
- Excellent additional earning potential
- Supportive independent-practice environment
- Professional development and training opportunities
- Opportunity to contribute to the growth of a patient-focused independent opticians
- Staff benefits and optical discounts
Pay: Up to £29,500.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
