Welcome
We are pleased to welcome you to NHS Forth Valley Ophthalmology department based at Falkirk Community Hospital. We always try to do our best to provide a high quality learning experience for you.
We hope that you will enjoy your time here and get a chance to experience the wide variety of subspecialties and disciplines that comprise ophthalmology. We understand you may start with no previous ophthalmology experience – but we hope you find it a rewarding subject, even if not your final career choice – but we do get converts!
Please see the link below to your Induction Pack:
Ophthalmology-Induction-Pack-2025
Key Contacts
- Placement Lead – Dr Megan Johnson and Dr Stephen Burgess
- Associate – Dr Iain Livingston
- Undergraduate Coordinator – Rachael Angus-Felton
If you have any concerns about patient safety, your learning, staff issues or any personal concerns etc please tell your supervisor in the first instance – or the clinician with whom you are working.
For various reasons, mainly complexity of the rota, it would be best to contact the placement lead in advance – probably the week before to allow time for bespoke timetable, induction etc. See contact details above. In the event of annual leave, sickness etc please contact Margot Robinson.
Placement Details
Before your first day, please contact Dr Johnson or Dr Burgess, who will arrange a local induction to the department. Please note we are based at Falkirk Community Hospital, not FVRH.
Dr Johnson and Dr Burgess will be you supervisors, but individual sessions will be timetabled by agreement with by one of the consultants or team specialists covering the service – we have different special interest streams. The name of your supervising consultant for the day will be included in your timetable.
The timetable will need to be confirmed at your preliminary contact with Dr Johnson/Dr Burgess as the department runs a complex 14 week cycle of activities – and you may start anywhere within the cycle.
Please introduce yourself to your supervisor at the start of your attachment, and clinicians on the day. Some sessions may be better subdivided for wider experience. We expect you to present cases to your supervisor. Each of you will be given a timetable; you will have the opportunity to attend clinic and theatre, and to explore the teleophthalmology and virtual world too.
Eye Clinic
This is divided into 2 streams per day;
“C clinic” is corneal and children, motility, oculoplastics and lacrimal;
“B Clinic is macula, retina, glaucoma and diabetes
Rapid Access Clinic – timetabled urgent care – and it may run into early evening on purpose after a lunchtime start.
There are also orthoptic, minor treatments, optometric and investigation rooms.
Eye Theatre
This is based in ophthalmic day Surgery unit (ODSU) on main corridor of FCH. Discuss arrangement with your supervisor before attendance.
Tutorials and Assessment
You are most welcome to attend departmental teachings, mainly on Fridays, but you will also have had your own teaching programme from the University of Glasgow with material on Moodle before joining us.
Catering
There is no canteen or restaurant at FCH. There are nearby shops and restaurants.. The RVS run a limited snack coffee bar and sandwiches etc. You may wish to bring you own food and drinks – there is a staff room but social distancing will not be easy – so you may wish to retreat to you accommodation or outside.