Skip to content

Professional Higher Certificate in Glaucoma

Module

Attendance mode
Part-time
Start date(s)
September, January
Duration
3 months
Location
Distance learning

UK students can apply

Entry requirements

Applicants must be General Optical Council registered optometrists or other registered health professional and hold the College of Optometrists Professional Certificate in Glaucoma.

Students enrolling on this course must have arranged a placement in a hospital glaucoma clinic under the mentorship of a consultant ophthalmologist. The placement must enable the student to gain experience of at least 150 cases. As a minimum guideline, one session (half day) per week for 6 months is recommended. This placement may commence any time after the initial practical workshop, though we highly recommend students complete as much of the taught component of the course as possible before commencing the placement.

Applicants must provide details of a suitable clinical placement upon application using the form provided in the apply section above.

A limited number of placements are available through partnerships with the MDT Eye Academy at Leeds Teaching Hospitals and with York Teaching Hospital.

Placement information

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust clinical placement

We provide clinical placements in line with the Ophthalmology Core Clinical Competency Framework to eye health care workers from all professional backgrounds across Yorkshire and Humber and beyond.

The clinics are based at York, Malton and Scarborough, providing good motorway access from across Yorkshire & the Humber. The YTHFT is closely collaborating with the University of Bradford School of Optometry to provide clinical placements for their emerging cohort of postgraduate students (Optometrists and other MDT's) undertaking their Professional Higher Certificate in Glaucoma.

Placement overview

The aim of this clinical placement is to provide more than just the clinical experience required for your Higher Certificate in Glaucoma. The Common Clinical Competency Frameworks (CCCFs) were produced by the collaboration between the RCOphth, CoO, RCN, BIOS & AHPO.

They lay out specific competencies required for different levels of clinical practice in various subspecialties in eye healthcare. We will use this framework to develop your clinical skills to Level 2 of the CCCF for Glaucoma. At the end of the placement, you will receive a certificate detailing your competencies and the experience gained within the YTHFT.

Duration: 12 weeks

The 24 sessions required for the Higher Certificate will be provided over a 12-week placement of one full day (two sessions) per week for 12 weeks.

Cost: £2500

Please note - An honorary contract is required to allow contact with patients as part of the placement. This process will take approximately 8 weeks to complete.

Please send an email for further information regarding the clinical placements offered by the YTHFT.

MDT Eye Academy Clinical Placements

The Multi-disciplinary Team Eye Academy aims to provide clinical placements in line with the Ophthalmology Core Clinical Competency Framework to eye healthcare workers from all professional backgrounds across Yorkshire and Humber and beyond.

It is based at St George's Community Eye Centre, Middleton, South Leeds, providing good motorway access from across Yorkshire & the Humber.

Placements provide additional experience across other Leeds Teaching Hospital glaucoma services at Seacroft Hospital, St James's University Hospital and Wharfedale General Hospital.

The MDTEA is closely collaborating with the University of Bradford School of Optometry to provide clinical placements for their emerging cohort of postgraduate students (Optometrists and other MDT's) undertaking their Professional Higher Certificate in Glaucoma.

Placement overview

The aim of this clinical placement is to provide more than just the clinical experience required for your Higher Certificate in Glaucoma.

The Common Clinical Competency Frameworks (CCCFs) were produced by the collaboration between the RCOphth, CoO, RCN, BIOS & AHPO.

They lay out specific competencies required for different levels of clinical practice in various subspecialties in eye healthcare. We will be using this framework to develop your clinical skills to Level 2 of the CCCF for Glaucoma.

At the end of the placement you will receive a certificate detailing your competencies and the experience gained within the MDTEA.

Duration: 12 weeks

The 24 sessions required for the Higher Certificate will be provided over a 12-week placement of one full day (two sessions) per week for 12 weeks.

Cost: £1200

Please note - An honorary contract is required to allow contact with patients as part of the placement. This process will take approximately eight weeks to complete.

Please email Simon Dewsbury for further information regarding the clinical placements offered by the MDTEA.

Learning and assessment

This course is delivered by distance learning, a practical workshop at the university and a clinical placement.

Assessment is via written examination, practical station examination and assessment of clinical logbooks.

Study support

Every student is assigned an individual member of academic staff from the School of Optometry and Vision Science as a Personal Academic Tutor, whose main roles are :

  • To monitor students’ progress through the degree programme
  • To provide references
  • To act as students’ representative at examination boards
  • To act as a contact point should a student have any personal problems for which they need advice or support

Research

The School of Optometry and Vision Science research group takes a multi-disciplinary approach to investigating vision and visual perception. This research informs our teaching, ensuring you are learning the very latest techniques and best practice.

The group continues to build on over 35 years of vision research at the University of Bradford. Current research embraces a broad range of disciplines including ophthalmology, optics, ocular imaging, machine vision, psychophysics, biomechanics and visual neuroscience. Our aim is to further our understanding of the basic mechanisms of human vision in health and disease, as well as the functional consequences of visual loss. In pursuing this aim we have prioritised a strong translational research dimension and have developed an excellent track record of applying basic research to address clinical problems.

The group has achieved a diversity that is naturally collaborative and multi-disciplinary, working with optometrists, ophthalmologists, orthoptists, medical engineers, physicists, psychologists and neuroscientists at local, regional, national and international levels.

This is the current course information. Modules and course details may change, subject to the University's programme approval, monitoring and review procedures. The University reserves the right to alter or withdraw courses, services and facilities as described on our website without notice and to amend Ordinances, Regulations, fees and charges at any time. Students should enquire as to the up-to-date position when applying for their course of study.