Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (IoO) have teamed up to launch a brand new master’s course for nurses and allied health professionals.
Launching this September, the Ophthalmic Clinical Practice MSc course offers nurses and allied health professionals an exciting opportunity to advance and expand their role and responsibilities within ophthalmic healthcare.
The programme will also help address the need for advanced trained experts in an ophthalmic clinical setting. According to the latest Royal College of Ophthalmologists’ workforce census, there will be a shortage of eye doctors in the UK. Developing a specific master’s degree programme that takes nurses and allied health professionals working in the ophthalmic sector to a level where they can begin to perform advanced clinical practices will help relieve the pressure in this area of healthcare.
The mainly online ophthalmic nursing programme will offer working professional nurses the chance to advance their clinical roles while continuing in their existing roles. By the end of the programme, students will have acquired advanced knowledge about common eye diseases and specialities. The knowledge gained of current ophthalmic research will also help to further bolster their confidence when applied to clinical practice.
Professor Nora Ann Colton, joint director of education at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, said: “I am thrilled to be able to oversee the introduction of this programme in Ophthalmic Clinical Practice, MSc. I believe that the future of healthcare involves re-shaping and upskilling our workforce to assume new and expanded roles. I am proud to be associated with Moorfields and UCL that are world-leading in vision and eye health research and education.”T
Helen Gibbons, clinical lead nurse at Moorfields Eye Hospital, said:“I’m very excited to be the program director for the MSc Ophthalmic Practice. We have developed this course with the modern ophthalmic nurse in mind. The blended learning approach allows students to study in their own time with minimal face to face delivery gain knowledge and skills within their own workplace.”
“The course provides nurses with the underpinning knowledge base in order to understand the presenting pathology of the patients they treat. It supports the development of clinical skills which enables students to develop autonomous practice, leading to greater efficiency and patient satisfaction.”
