About this role
Job summary Be part of something that truly matters. Join one of the UK's largest and most forward-thinking NHS Trusts in a role where your attention to detail directly protects patients and saves sight.
Based at the renowned St James's University Hospital, the Ophthalmology Failsafe Officer is a pivotal position within our Ophthalmology Service one that sits at the heart of patient safety.
This isn't just an administrative role. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with clinicians, operational managers and multidisciplinary teams to monitor critical care pathways, identify gaps before they become risks, and take decisive action that makes a real difference to real people. Your contributions will directly shape quality improvement, service efficiency, and compliance with national standards.
Main duties of the job Be part of something that truly matters. Join one of the UK's largest and most forward-thinking NHS Trusts in a role where your attention to detail directly protects patients and saves sight.
Based at the renowned St James's University Hospital, the Ophthalmology Failsafe Officer is a pivotal position within our Ophthalmology Service one that sits at the heart of patient safety.
This isn't just an administrative role. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with clinicians, operational managers and multidisciplinary teams to monitor critical care pathways, identify gaps before they become risks, and take decisive action that makes a real difference to real people. Your contributions will directly shape quality improvement, service efficiency, and compliance with national standards.
About us The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is committed to delivering the highest quality and safest treatment and care to every patient, every time.
Our vision is to provide the highest quality specialist and integrated care.
We will do this through delivery of our multi-year goals and strategic priorities, which you can read about on this page.
Central to it all is The Leeds Way our values and behaviours that are at the heart of everything we do.
Job description Job responsibilities For questions about this job, contact:
Melissa Hepworth Service Manager
Job Summary Be part of something that truly matters. Join one of the UK's largest and most forward-thinking NHS Trusts in a role where your attention to detail directly protects patients and saves sight.
Based at the renowned St James's University Hospital, the Ophthalmology Failsafe Officer is a pivotal position within our Ophthalmology Service one that sits at the heart of patient safety.
This isn't just an administrative role. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with clinicians, operational managers and multidisciplinary teams to monitor critical care pathways, identify gaps before they become risks, and take decisive action that makes a real difference to real people. Your contributions will directly shape quality improvement, service efficiency, and compliance with national standards.
You'll thrive here if you are:
Highly organised, methodical and detail-driven Confident analysing data and navigating patient tracking systems Proactive, solutions-focused and calm under pressure A skilled communicator who builds trust across diverse teams Genuinely passionate about patient safety and continuous improvement If precision is your strength and purpose is your motivator, we'd love to hear from you. Help us ensure every ophthalmology patient receives the timely, safe care they deserve.
Please note: this position has been re-advertised and we respectfully ask that previous applicants do not reapply.’
Why you should join our Team As an Ophthalmology Failsafe Officer, you'll be embedded within the Ophthalmology administrative and operational team, collaborating daily with consultants, clinical nurse specialists, service managers, booking teams and data analysts. Far from working in isolation, you'll be a central connector across the service bridging clinical and operational functions to keep pathways moving safely and efficiently.
Our service is part of one of the largest and most respected acute Trusts in the UK, delivering specialist eye care to a diverse and growing population across Leeds and the wider region. Based primarily at St Jamess University Hospital, our department supports high-volume, high-impact services including medical retina, glaucoma, and urgent eye care.
We are a close-knit, supportive team made up of consultants, specialist nurses, optometrists, technicians, administrative colleagues and operational managers. While our workload is fast-paced and clinically significant, our culture is collaborative, respectful and improvement-focused. We take pride in working together to solve problems, protect patient safety and continuously strengthen our pathways.
What you will bring to the role Proactively monitoring Patient Tracking Lists (PTLs) and failsafe reports across key services including medical retina and glaucoma Identifying patients who are overdue or at risk of delay and taking swift, decisive action to resolve concerns before they escalate Liaising with clinical and booking teams to secure appropriate follow-up appointments or escalate issues through the right channels Maintaining meticulous records and upholding data quality across multiple systems Supporting audits, performance reporting and service improvement initiatives Playing an active role in developing and refining failsafe processes to strengthen the service over time This is a fast-paced, high-volume role that demands focus, resilience and strong organisational skills. You'll regularly review large patient cohorts, manage complex caseloads and work to clear backlogs within agreed timeframes. Meeting turnaround targets is essential but so is the knowledge that every patient you track and rebook is one step closer to receiving the care they need.
Please see the attached job description for further information about this vacancy.
About Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust Our values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are:
Patient-centred Collaborative Fair Accountable Empowered
All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values
We’re committed to recruiting exceptional people to deliver outstanding services across Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and helping every colleague reach their full potential. We’re looking for a compassionate, inclusive, and collaborative leader who shares our values and can build strong partnerships. We warmly invite applications from people from a variety of backgrounds and sectors, and are especially keen to hear from individuals from a minority ethnic background. We’re dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and has a true sense of belonging, as we work together to deliver the best in healthcare to the people of Leeds and beyond.
Sponsorship Eligibility To comply with UK Government regulations on Skilled Worker sponsorship, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust is unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or the salary threshold concessions set out under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please take this into consideration before submitting your application. Full guidance on these concessions, including details of who may qualify, can be found here.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
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Desirable
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Experience Essential
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Desirable
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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.
Employer details Employer name Leeds Teaching Hospitals
Address St James’s University Hospital
Leeds
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS9 7TF
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)