Join Colchester Referral Hospital as Head of Ophthalmology in Colchester, Essex. This permanent, full-time or part-time leadership role offers clinical autonomy, a salary of £80,000–£130,000, and no out-of-hours work in a modern multidisciplinary setting.
Requirements
ECVO/ACVO Diplomate, RCVS/EBVS Specialist, residency-trained clinician, or RCVS Advanced Practitioner/certificate holder with significant referral experience.
Enthusiasm for teaching, clinical excellence, and collaborative teamwork.
Skills & Responsibilities
Veterinary ophthalmology: Lead the medical and surgical referral caseload, including cataract surgery, utilizing advanced diagnostic and surgical facilities.
Clinical leadership: Set the strategic direction of the department, influence future equipment purchases, and shape service growth.
Teaching and mentoring: Guide junior ophthalmologists, vets, and nurses, and run CPD events for referring practices.
Multidisciplinary collaboration: Work daily with surgery, internal medicine, diagnostic imaging, and emergency care colleagues.
Potential transition routes: People from senior veterinary clinician or academic veterinary roles may bring advanced surgical and teaching skills, alongside meeting specialist referral experience requirements.
Job description
Head of Ophthalmology
Lead Veterinary Ophthalmologist | Colchester Referral Hospital, Essex
£80,000–£130,000 (negotiable depending on qualifications and experience) | Full-time or part-time | Flexible working
Part of the VetsforPets / Pets at Home Vet Group
Build something exceptional. Colchester Referral Hospital is entering an exciting new phase of growth. We are looking for an experienced ophthalmologist to lead our rapidly expanding ophthalmology referral service, with real clinical autonomy and a genuine say in where it goes next.
This is far more than a clinical post. You will shape an ambitious department inside a modern multidisciplinary referral hospital, backed by Advanced Practitioners and an experienced nursing team.
Why this role
Clinical autonomy: shape the service around your interests and expertise.
Leadership: set the direction of the department and help guide future investment in equipment and service growth.
Caseload: a varied and growing medical and surgical referral caseload, including cataract surgery (support available).
Teaching: mentor junior ophthalmologists, vets and nurses with an interest in ophthalmology, and run CPD events for referring practices.
Equipment and facilities
Zeiss OPMI Visu 200 operating microscope
Alexos 3 phacoemulsification system
On-site CT and high-quality ultrasonography
Comprehensive ophthalmic diagnostic equipment
Dedicated ophthalmology RVNs and surgical facilities
As the department grows, you will have real influence over future equipment purchases.
Your team and support
Daily collaboration with surgery, internal medicine, diagnostic imaging and emergency & critical care colleagues available on site, 24hrs a day.
An experienced nursing team, including dedicated ophthalmology RVNs
A culture where clinicians discuss cases together and support one another
Rota and working pattern
Full-time or part-time, with flexible working arrangements to suit individual circumstances
No out-of-hours or on-call: our night ECC team provides 24/7 inpatient care
CPD, research and development
Excellent uncapped CPD and career development opportunities
Opportunity to develop education and CPD for referring vets
Our vision
We want to become the ophthalmology partner of choice for practices across Essex and East Anglia, through exceptional patient care, collaboration, education and genuine support for our referring colleagues. We are building a service founded on relationships: helping primary care practices grow in confidence, raising clinical standards and delivering outstanding outcomes for patients and owners.
Who we are looking for
ECVO/ACVO Diplomate or RCVS/EBVS Specialist in veterinary ophthalmology
ECVO/ACVO residency-trained clinician
RCVS Advanced Practitioner (or experienced certificate holder) in veterinary ophthalmology with significant referral experience
You combine excellent clinical standards with enthusiasm, curiosity and a collaborative approach, and you enjoy teaching and building lasting relationships with referring practices.
What we offer
£80,000–£130,000 salary, negotiable according to experience
Genuine autonomy to develop and expand the service, and influence over its future direction
Flexible working and a supportive multidisciplinary referral environment
A growing, varied referral caseload
Excellent CPD and career development
Life in Colchester
Colchester gives you the best of both worlds: under an hour travel to London Liverpool Street or Stansted Airport, with the Essex and Suffolk coast, Mersea Island and the Dedham Vale countryside on your doorstep.
Interested?
If you are excited by the chance to build one of the region’s leading ophthalmology services and leave your mark on how referral ophthalmology is delivered, we would love to hear from you. Informal, confidential conversations are welcome.
