About this role
Job summary
To provide a specialised, comprehensive and confidential administrative and secretarial service supporting the effective delivery of the Optometry Department. The postholder will act as the central administrative liaison for the Optometry service, providing advice, coordinating patient and service enquiries, and ensuring key administrative processes are managed in accordance with Departmental, Trust and National requirements.
The role has particular responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the Contact Lens Service, including invoice processing and payments; coordinating patient access and enquiries across Optometry; administering HES vouchers; and coordinating student and professional placements. The postholder will work closely with the Optometry clinical team and other relevant services to support efficient service delivery and a high-quality patient experience.
Please be advised that sponsorship is not eligible for this post.
Please be advised the interviews for this post will provisionally take place on 17/11/2026. Please note that this also subject to availability.
Closing Date: Please be advised that this job advert will close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Please apply for this job as soon as you can, if interested.
Main duties of the job
- Act as the first point of contact for the Optometry Service, responding to and coordinating a wide range of enquiries.
- Coordinate the specialist Contact Lens Service, including ordering clinical contact lenses, processing documentation, maintaining databases, and arranging patient appointments and deliveries.
- Manage HES spectacle voucher claims, audits, invoicing, and payments in collaboration with Finance colleagues and community optometrists.
- Coordinate student and professional placements, including placement schedules, honorary contracts, communications, and associated financial processes.
- Handle a high volume of telephone enquiries professionally and sensitively, using sound judgement to resolve issues independently and escalate clinical matters appropriately.
- Manage incoming correspondence, draft routine communications, and ensure work is completed accurately and within agreed deadlines.
- Organise and support departmental meetings, including scheduling, minute-taking, action tracking, and communication of key outcomes.
- Develop and improve administrative systems and processes to enhance efficiency, responsiveness, and service delivery.
About us
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, rated as good by the Care Quality Commission, is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the UK.
We are extremely proud of our employees across our hospital sites, with high quality patient care at the heart of everything we do.
Boasting some of the most modern facilities in Western Europe, the Trust is renowned for being at the forefront of research and innovation as part of its blossoming reputation as a worldwide leader in healthcare.
We are proud to be recognised as a Pathway to Excellence designated organisation - please click the link for further details about this prestigious award. Pathway To Excellence - University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (uhcw.nhs.uk)
By joining our exciting journey, you will form part of a passionate, talented team and will be able to access a wide range of learning and development opportunities. There has never been a better time to join our team.
The Trust is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different perspectives available in our diverse society. We want everyone to feel they are respected, valued, can achieve their potential and receive the most appropriate and relevant care. We will create an environment where the equality and human rights principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy are promoted and are part of the organisation's core values.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Acting as the central point of contact for the Optometry Team, responding to and coordinating queries relating to the service
- Supporting the day to day coordination and administration of the Contant lens service. This includes ordering of clinical contact lenses through external companies. Processing of relevant paperwork attributed to the order and facilitation of internal checking processes. Ensures delivery of lenses to patients and any associated appointments. Maintains databases for ordering and invoicing. Liaison with Finance/Procurement to ensure payment of invoices in a timely manne
- HES Vouchers central point for spectacle voucher reclamation, auditing and invoicing of payments to community optometrist. This is in liaison with the Finance department
- Facilitator of student and professional placements, including placement dates, communication with students and relevant teams. Ensure coordination of honorary contracts and invoices, ensuring payment is received
- Manage extensive and often complex telephone enquiries relating to all Optometry services, responding sensitively and professionally within a highly interruptive environment. Use specialist knowledge and judgement to resolve queries independently, escalating to an Optometrist only where clinically necessary, and appropriately prioritising urgent matters
- Manages incoming mail and prioritises accordingly. Deals promptly with any mail that needs no supervision from the Head Optometrist/Deputy Head.
- Composes routine correspondence on own initiative or on brief instructions as to the content and ensures the satisfactory completion of work within deadlines
- Coordinate and arrange internal and external meetings on behalf of the Head and Deputy Head of Optometry, liaising with staff across the Trust and external organisations as required. Attend meetings to take accurate minutes, ensuring actions are clearly recorded, communicated, monitored and followed through to completion. Maintain awareness of current departmental issues and priorities, ensuring key personnel receive relevant and timely information
- Take responsibility for the ongoing development and review of administrative systems and processes within the remit of the post. Proactively identify areas for improvement and implement appropriate changes to improve efficiency, responsiveness and the effective delivery of the Optometry service.
For further details please see the attached job description.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oECDL or equivalent oNVQ3 in Administration or equivalent oKey Skills in Maths and English or equivalent
Desirable
- oRSA/OCR III or equivalent typing/word processing
Experience
Essential
- oExperienced Administration Officer with substantial administrative experience oExperience of maintain financial records oDecision making and resolving complex work related issues
Desirable
- oExperience in a customer facing role
Knowledge
Essential
- oThorough working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages i.e. Outlook, Word, Excel oExcellent understanding of general office working procedures
Desirable
- oAwareness of current issues within the NHS oKnowledge of hospital systems - Revenue Cycle and Powerchart
Skills
Essential
- oAbility to establish, maintain and formulate a database of statistical information oAbility to analyse and interpret statistics using appropriate IT systems oAbility to accurately complete mathematical equations oExcellent organisational skills oGood presentation skills oSound decision making skills oExcellent level of verbal and written communication oAble to use judgement and initiative to provide information and support oAble to apply tact and sensitivity to establish trust and confidence oEmpathetic approach to managing and resolving enquiries oAble to compose and transcribe minutes, correspondence and reports oCommitment to learning and to motivate others to learn and develop
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential
- oEvidence of demonstrating the Trust Values (Compassion, Openness, Pride, Partnership, Improve, Learn and Respect) and the associated Values in Action behaviours in the workplace. oFor posts with managerial responsibility only Evidence of promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and ensuring fair and equitable practices throughout your work experience. Evidence of promoting a culture which helps individuals live behaviours aligned to our Trust Values (Compassion, Openness, Pride, Partnership, Improve, Learn and Respect)
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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).
Employer details
Employer name
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Address
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire
Clifford Bridge Road
Coventry
CV2 2DX
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.jobsatuhcw.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)