KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The importance of continuing professional development throughout own career. Back to Duty

K2: The importance of safeguarding, recognising signs of abuse, and relevant safeguarding processes. Back to Duty

K3: What is required of them by the Health and Care Professions Council, including but not limited to the standards of conduct, performance and ethics. Back to Duty

K4: The importance of valid consent. Back to Duty

K5: The importance of capacity in the context of delivering care and treatment. Back to Duty

K6: The scope of a professional duty of care. Back to Duty

K7: Legislation, policies and guidance relevant to own profession and scope of practice. Back to Duty

K8: The importance of own mental and physical health, and wellbeing strategies in maintaining fitness to practise. Back to Duty

K9: How to take appropriate action if own health may affect own ability to practise safely and effectively, including seeking help and support when necessary. Back to Duty

K10: The need for active participation in training, supervision and mentoring in supporting high standards of practice, and personal and professional conduct, and the importance of demonstrating this in practice. Back to Duty

K11: Equality legislation and how to apply it to own practice. Back to Duty

K12: The duty to make reasonable adjustments in practice. Back to Duty

K13: The characteristics and consequences of barriers to inclusion, including for socially isolated groups. Back to Duty

K14: That regard to equality, diversity and inclusion must be embedded in the application of all HCPC standards and across all areas of practice. Back to Duty

K15: When disclosure of confidential information may be required. Back to Duty

K16: The principles of information and data governance and be aware of the safe and effective use of health, social care and other relevant information. Back to Duty

K17: The need to maintain confidentiality in all situations in which service users rely on additional communication support, such as interpreters or translators. Back to Duty

K18: That the concepts of confidentiality and informed consent extend to all mediums, including illustrative clinical records such as photography, video and audio recordings and digital platforms. Back to Duty

K19: The characteristics and consequences of verbal and non-verbal communication and how these can be affected by difference of any kind including, but not limited to, protected characteristics, intersectional experiences and cultural differences. Back to Duty

K20: The need to support service users’ and carers’ communication needs, such as through using an appropriate interpreter. Back to Duty

K21: The need to provide service users or people acting on own behalf with the information necessary in accessible formats to enable them to make informed decisions. Back to Duty

K22: The principles and practices of other health and care professionals and systems and how they interact with own profession. Back to Duty

K23: The need to build and sustain professional relationships as both an autonomous practitioner and collaboratively as a member of a team. Back to Duty

K24: The qualities, behaviours and benefits of leadership. Back to Duty

K25: That leadership is a skill all professionals can demonstrate. Back to Duty

K26: The need to engage service users and carers in planning and evaluating diagnostics, and therapeutic interventions to meet their own needs and goals. Back to Duty

K27: The value of reflective practice and the need to record the outcome of such reflection to support continuous improvement. Back to Duty

K28: The value of multi-disciplinary reviews, case conferences and other methods of review. Back to Duty

K29: The value of gathering and using data for quality assurance and improvement programmes. Back to Duty

K30: The structure and function of the human body, together with knowledge of physical and mental health, disease, disorder and dysfunction relevant to own profession. Back to Duty

K31: The roles of other professions in health and social care and how they may relate to the role of orthoptist. Back to Duty

K32: The structure and function of health and social care systems and services in the UK. Back to Duty

K33: Human growth, physical and mental, and human development across the lifespan, as it relates to the practice of orthoptics. Back to Duty

K34: The development of anatomical substrates and their relevance to the development of binocular single vision, visual function and visual perception. Back to Duty

K35: The detailed anatomical and physiological development of the visual system, and understand which components of the visual pathway and cortex relate to specific aspects of visual function and visual perception. Back to Duty

K36: Neuroanatomy and the effects of disruption of neural pathways on the visual system, cranial nerves and supranuclear control of eye movements. Back to Duty

K37: The factors which influence individual variations in human ability and development. Back to Duty

K38: How psychology and sociology can inform an understanding of health, illness and health care in the context of orthoptics and how to apply this in practice. Back to Duty

K39: The theoretical basis of, and the variety of approaches to, assessment and intervention. Back to Duty

K40: Ocular alignment and binocular single vision, and the sensory and motor elements required to attain and maintain these. Back to Duty

K41: The principles governing visual function and the development of vision. Back to Duty

K42: The factors which can cause the disruption of binocular vision. Back to Duty

K43: The principles governing binocular vision, its investigation and the significance of its presence or absence. Back to Duty

K44: The principles of uniocular and binocular perception, and the anatomical substrate of these functions. Back to Duty

K45: Refractive error and its effect on ocular alignment, visual perception and visual development. Back to Duty

K46: How convergence, accommodation and pupillary response affect investigation, diagnosis and service user management. Back to Duty

K47: Ocular motility systems, their neural control and how typical and atypical anatomical structures influence them. Back to Duty

K48: The principles governing ocular motility and their relevance to diagnosis and management. Back to Duty

K49: The sensory and motor adaptive mechanisms that occur in order to compensate for strabismus and abnormalities of binocular vision. Back to Duty

K50: The effect of other acquired disorders of the body on the eye, the visual and ocular motor systems including paediatric, endocrine, autoimmune, oncological, trauma, psychological and neurological disease. Back to Duty

K51: The range of ophthalmic conditions which can disrupt vision, binocular vision and produce eye movement disorders. Back to Duty

K52: The principles and application of orthoptic and ophthalmological equipment used during the investigative process. Back to Duty

K53: Pharmacological principles which include pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of medicines relevant to own practice and how these may be altered by certain characteristics. Back to Duty

K54: The legal context relevant to the use of exemptions in legislation for the sale, supply and administration of medicines, as well as current local and national policy and guidance concerning medicines use. Back to Duty

K55: The differences between the sale, supply and administration of medicines using exemptions, other supply or administration mechanisms and prescribing mechanisms. Back to Duty

K56: When to sell or supply medicines using exemptions, based on a relevant examination, assessment and history taking. Back to Duty

K57: The different non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches to modifying disease management relevant to own practice and the risks and benefits of each option. Back to Duty

K58: The potential for medicines to have adverse effects and how to minimise them including effects caused by medicines given in error. Back to Duty

K59: Antimicrobial resistance and the roles of infection prevention and control. Back to Duty

K60: The importance of shared decision-making with service users to encourage self-care and adherence with medicines advice. Back to Duty

K61: The value of research to the critical evaluation of practice. Back to Duty

K62: Principles of measurement techniques used to assess binocular vision and other ocular conditions. Back to Duty

K63: Tests required to aid in differential diagnosis. Back to Duty

K64: The principles and techniques of an objective and subjective refraction. Back to Duty

K65: The principles and techniques used to perform an examination of the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. Back to Duty

K66: The principles and techniques used to perform visual fields assessments. Back to Duty

K67: The principles and techniques used in electrophysiological assessment of visual function and the visual pathway. Back to Duty

K68: How to apply orthoptic and ophthalmological intervention appropriately at different stages of visual development and ageing. Back to Duty

K69: How to use optical methods to influence vision and binocular vision. Back to Duty

K70: The role, pharmacological action, clinical indications and contraindications of ophthalmic drugs and how they may be selected and used in orthoptic practice. Back to Duty

K71: Research in the fields of ocular motility, strabismus, amblyopia and binocular disorders and how it could affect practice. Back to Duty

K72: The need to maintain own and others’ safety, including service users, carers and colleagues. Back to Duty

K73: Relevant health and safety legislation and local operational procedures and policies. Back to Duty

K74: How to position or immobilise service users correctly for safe and effective interventions. Back to Duty

K75: The role of the profession in health promotion, health education and preventing ill health. Back to Duty

K76: How wider determinants of health including social, economic and environmental factors can influence a person’s health and well-being. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Identify the limits of own practice and when to seek advice or refer to another professional or service. Back to Duty

S2: Recognise the need to manage own workload and resources safely and effectively, including managing the emotional burden that comes with working in a pressured environment. Back to Duty

S3: Keep own skills and knowledge up to date. Back to Duty

S4: Maintain high standards of personal and professional conduct. Back to Duty

S5: Promote and protect the service user’s interests at all times. Back to Duty

S6: Engage in safeguarding processes where necessary. Back to Duty

S7: Respect and uphold the rights, dignity, values, and autonomy of service users, including own role in the assessment, diagnostic, treatment and or therapeutic process. Back to Duty

S8: Recognise that relationships with service users, carers and others should be based on mutual respect and trust, and maintain high standards of care in all circumstances. Back to Duty

S9: Obtain valid consent, which is voluntary and informed, has due regard to capacity, is proportionate to the circumstances and is appropriately documented. Back to Duty

S10: Exercise a duty of care. Back to Duty

S11: Apply legislation, policies and guidance relevant to own profession and scope of practice. Back to Duty

S12: Recognise the power imbalance which comes with being a health care professional, and ensure it is not for personal gain. Back to Duty

S13: Identify own anxiety and stress and recognise the potential impact on own practice. Back to Duty

S14: Develop and adopt clear strategies for physical and mental self-care and self-awareness, to maintain a high standard of professional effectiveness and a safe working environment. Back to Duty

S15: Recognise that they are personally responsible for, and must be able to, justify own decisions and actions. Back to Duty

S16: Use own skills, knowledge and experience, and the information available, to make informed decisions and or act where necessary. Back to Duty

S17: Make reasoned decisions to initiate, continue, modify or cease treatment or the use of techniques or procedures, and record the decisions and reasoning appropriately. Back to Duty

S18: Make and receive appropriate referrals, where necessary. Back to Duty

S19: Exercise personal initiative. Back to Duty

S20: Demonstrate a logical and systematic approach to problem solving. Back to Duty

S21: Use research, reasoning and problem-solving skills when determining appropriate actions. Back to Duty

S22: Coordinate a complete service user pathway, where appropriate, and in line with local guidelines. Back to Duty

S23: Respond appropriately to the needs of all different groups and individuals in practice, recognising this can be affected by difference of any kind including, but not limited to, protected characteristics, intersectional experiences and cultural differences. Back to Duty

S24: Recognise the potential impact of own values, beliefs and personal biases, which may be unconscious, on practice and take personal action to ensure all service users and carers are treated appropriately with respect and dignity. Back to Duty

S25: Make and support reasonable adjustments in own and others’ practice. Back to Duty

S26: Actively challenge barriers to inclusion, supporting the implementation of change wherever possible. Back to Duty

S27: Adhere to the professional duty of confidentiality. Back to Duty

S28: Recognise and respond in a timely manner to situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard service users, carers and or the wider public. Back to Duty

S29: Use effective and appropriate verbal and non-verbal skills to communicate with service users, carers, colleagues and others. Back to Duty

S30: Communicate in English to the required standard for the profession. Back to Duty

S31: Work with service users and or own carers to facilitate the service user’s preferred role in decision-making, and provide service users and carers with the information they may need where appropriate Back to Duty

S32: Modify own means of communication to address the individual communication needs and preferences of service users and carers, and remove any barriers to communication where possible. Back to Duty

S33: Use information, communication and digital technologies appropriate to own practice. Back to Duty

S34: Recognise the need to modify interpersonal skills for the assessment and management of children. Back to Duty

S35: Keep full, clear and accurate records in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines. Back to Duty

S36: Manage records and all other information in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines. Back to Duty

S37: Use digital record keeping tools, where required. Back to Duty

S38: Work in partnership with service users, carers, colleagues and others. Back to Duty

S39: Contribute effectively to work undertaken as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Back to Duty

S40: Identify anxiety and stress in service users, carers and colleagues, adapting own practice and providing support where appropriate. Back to Duty

S41: Identify own leadership qualities, behaviours and approaches, taking into account the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion. Back to Duty

S42: Demonstrate leadership behaviours appropriate to own practice. Back to Duty

S43: Act as a role model for others. Back to Duty

S44: Promote and engage in the learning of others. Back to Duty

S45: Recognise the need to participate effectively in the planning, implementation and evaluation of multi-professional approaches to healthcare delivery by liaising with other health or social care professionals. Back to Duty

S46: Recognise the orthoptist’s role in the promotion of ocular health by other health professionals. Back to Duty

S47: Engage in evidence-based practice. Back to Duty

S48: Gather and use feedback and information, including qualitative and quantitative data, to evaluate the response of service users to own care. Back to Duty

S49: Monitor and systematically evaluate the quality of practice, and maintain an effective quality management and quality assurance process working towards continual improvement. Back to Duty

S50: Participate in quality management, including quality control, quality assurance, clinical governance and the use of appropriate outcome measures. Back to Duty

S51: Evaluate care plans or intervention plans using recognised and appropriate outcome measures, in conjunction with the service user where possible, and revise the plans as necessary. Back to Duty

S52: Demonstrate awareness of the principles and applications of scientific enquiry, including the evaluation of treatment efficacy and the research process. Back to Duty

S53: Demonstrate awareness of human behaviour and recognise the need for sensitivity to the psychosocial aspects of ocular conditions, including strabismus. Back to Duty

S54: Apply the principles governing visual function and the development of vision to clinical practice. Back to Duty

S55: Apply the principles governing binocular vision, its investigation and the significance of its presence or absence to clinical practice. Back to Duty

S56: Apply an understanding of how convergence, accommodation and pupillary response affect investigation, diagnosis and service user management in clinical practice. Back to Duty

S57: Apply the principles governing ocular motility and their relevance to diagnosis and management to clinical practice. Back to Duty

S58: Recognise the functional and perceptual difficulties that may arise as a result of defective visual, binocular or ocular motor functions. Back to Duty

S59: Use orthoptic and ophthalmological equipment during the investigative process. Back to Duty

S60: Plan, operate and evaluate appropriate vision screening programmes. Back to Duty

S61: Demonstrate safe use of medicines including being able to undertake drug calculations accurately. Back to Duty

S62: Monitor response to medicines and modify or cease treatment as appropriate within own professional scope of practice, including referral to another professional. Back to Duty

S63: Apply the principles of evidence-based practice, including clinical and cost- effectiveness, to the supply and administration of exemption listed medicines relevant to own practice. Back to Duty

S64: Change their practice as needed to take account of new developments, technologies and changing contexts. Back to Duty

S65: Gather appropriate information. Back to Duty

S66: Analyse and critically evaluate the information collected. Back to Duty

S67: Select and use appropriate assessment techniques and equipment. Back to Duty

S68: Undertake thorough, sensitive, and detailed patient medical history, including an appropriate medication history. Back to Duty

S69: Undertake or arrange investigations as appropriate. Back to Duty

S70: Conduct appropriate assessment or monitoring procedures, treatment, therapy or other actions safely and effectively. Back to Duty

S71: Recognise a range of research methodologies relevant to own role. Back to Duty

S72: Critically evaluate research and other evidence to inform own practice. Back to Duty

S73: Engage service users in research as appropriate Back to Duty

S74: Use diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to address anomalies of binocular vision, visual function and ocular motility defects resulting in a clinically defined outcome, which can be recorded and monitored in a manner appropriate to safe orthoptic practice. Back to Duty

S75: Apply measurement techniques used to assess binocular vision and other ocular conditions. Back to Duty

S76: Conduct a thorough investigation of ocular motility. Back to Duty

S77: Take a comprehensive case history. Back to Duty

S78: Identify where there is a clinical need for medical, neurological, social or psychological investigations or interventions. Back to Duty

S79: Use investigative techniques to identify ocular defects within a specific population to form a diagnosis and devise an appropriate course of action. Back to Duty

S80: Diagnose conditions and select appropriate management. Back to Duty

S81: Diagnose a range of vision, binocular vision and ocular motility defects and all categories of strabismus. Back to Duty

S82: Identify pathological changes and related clinical features of conditions commonly encountered by orthoptists. Back to Duty

S83: Perform, an objective and subjective refraction. Back to Duty

S84: Perform an examination of the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. Back to Duty

S85: Perform visual fields assessments. Back to Duty

S86: Formulate specific and appropriate management plans, and set timescales. Back to Duty

S87: Recognise and document any adverse reaction to treatment and take appropriate action in response to this. Back to Duty

S88: Demonstrate awareness of relevant health and safety legislation and comply with all local operational procedures and policies. Back to Duty

S89: Work safely, including being able to select appropriate hazard control and risk management, reduction or elimination techniques in a safe manner and in accordance with health and safety legislation. Back to Duty

S90: Select appropriate personal protective equipment and use it correctly. Back to Duty

S91: Establish safe environments for practice, which appropriately manages risk. Back to Duty

S92: Empower and enable individuals, including service users and colleagues to play a part in managing own health. Back to Duty

S93: Engage in occupational health, including being aware of immunisation requirements. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Kind, caring, compassionate, empathetic and supportive. Back to Duty

B2: Promotes and protects the interest of service users and carers, treating people with dignity, respecting an individual’s diversity, beliefs, culture, needs, and preferences. Back to Duty

B3: Self-aware, self-regulated, open-minded, inquisitive and innovative. Back to Duty

B4: Honest, trustworthy and open when things go wrong. Back to Duty

B5: Professional, respectful, diplomatic and considerate in all interactions with service users and colleagues. Back to Duty

B6: Organised, efficient and values the time of service users and colleagues. Back to Duty

Qualifications

English and Maths

Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.

Other mandatory qualifications

BSc (Hons) Orthoptics

Level: 6 (integrated degree)

Orthoptics (pre-registration) MSc

Level: 7 (integrated degree)

BSc (Hons) degree in Orthoptics or Level 7 qualification approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) where the apprentice already holds a Level 6 degree.

Additional details

Regulated standard

This is a regulated occupation.

Regulator body:

The Health and Care Professionals Council

Training Provider must be approved by regulator body

EPAO must be approved by regulator body

Occupational Level:

6

Duration (months):

36

Review

this apprenticeship will be reviewed in accordance with our change request policy.