Optical Assistant Apprenticeship - Droitwich Specsavers

Our apprenticeship gives people of all ages a chance to start an exciting career, while earning a full-time wage.

Requirements

• GCSE in Maths (grade 9-4 (A*-C))
• Communication skills
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Team working
• Initiative
• Ability to travel to the store location on a daily basis

Responsibilities

• Giving customers top-notch advice and a warm welcome to the store
• Booking eye tests
• Pre-screening patients and measuring frames
• Ensuring the smooth running of the store
• Delivering customer service aligned with company values
• Identifying when and who to refer to for supervision, including ocular emergencies, screening, dispensing, and collections of restricted categories
• Working within the limits of policies, procedures, and regulated activity (GDPR, NHS, GOC, Health and Safety at Work, safeguarding)
• Following employer guidelines for presentation and team working
• Identifying and meeting customer needs within the optical environment
• Communicating with customers and the optical team to maximise understanding
• Referring customers needing communication support to appropriate services
• Following health and safety legislation in the optical environment, including customer safety, hygiene, and infection control
• Following safe use instructions when using optical equipment
• Following procedures for first aid, accident and incident reporting, or evacuations
• Providing the benefits and limitations of different services to customers
• Offering non-prescribed products such as contact lens solutions, ready readers, and magnifiers
• Selecting appointments, recall information, appointment types, and exemptions on the employer’s system, and maintaining accurate records
• Reporting and recording ocular emergencies following correct employer procedures
• Preparing clinical records for use following employer procedures
• Completing customer pre-appointment procedures
• Using product tolerances to validate product accuracy
• Using lens measuring equipment to identify prescriptions and lens measurements
• Identifying lens types and remarking lenses where required
• Interpreting spectacle prescriptions to identify suitable vision correction options
• Offering suitable lens and frame products based on customer needs and preferences
• Identifying frame fitting suitability
• Processing spectacle orders, payments, and arranging collections
• Identifying and checking visual acuity for near vision spectacle
• Fitting spectacle frames using questioning, measurements, and tools
• Adjusting frames correctly without causing damage
• Providing advice and guidance on frame fitting, lens care, and after-sales service
• Identifying guarantees and warranties of optical products
• Managing customer concerns and/or complaints in line with employer procedures
• Using problem-solving techniques to identify concern or complaint causes
• Communicating with customers to resolve concerns or complaints within your authority
• Following remake and repair procedures
• Recognising and resolving customer complaints
• Participating in training and development activities
• Participating in appraisals, obtaining feedback, and using self-reflection for development planning
• Adapting approach for customers with ocular conditions
• Conducting screening using screening equipment and recording accurate results
• Informing patients about screening equipment, processes, and procedures
• Gaining support from colleagues during screening when required
• Informing patients about medical conditions screened for
• Demonstrating contact lens handling and insertion/removal to a patient
• Showing patients how to care for their lenses
• Providing advice and guidance on cleaning of lenses and solution types
• Following out-of-hours emergency procedures
• Recognising a customer’s ability to make an informed decision
• Telling the customer what the sight test includes and how it is carried out
• Working independently to plan and manage workload
• Assessing and mitigating risk in patients' homes to ensure an appropriate eye test can be delivered
• Managing own wellbeing and resources
• Maintaining team communications when working remotely