Podiatrist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Title: Podiatrist

Responsible To: Clinical Team Manager

Main Purpose of the Post:

The post holder will provide effective and efficient delivery of care for foot and lower limb problems, using precision clinical skills and providing highly developed diagnostic services while remaining part of a wider team. Providing a high level of care and intervention as part of an agreed care plan whilst liaising or referring to other Health Care Professionals or Agencies as appropriate.

Duties & Responsibilities of the Post:

Main Duties:

• The post holder will work autonomously as part of a multidisciplinary team within the Portsdown Primary Care Network (PCN).
• Responsible for effective and efficient delivery of care for foot and lower limb problems, using precision clinical skills and providing highly developed diagnostic services. Providing lower level limb disease management including but not limited to biomechanics, casting, injection therapy, footwear and orthotic provision.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Act as an expert advisor resource in the management of lower limb care of people with musculoskeletal, dermatological, neurological and vascular pathologies and those at high risk of chronic disease e.g. diabetes, rheumatology, peripheral arterial disease.
• Provide a high standard of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and delivery of lower limb care.
• Examine and assess complex patients using highly specialised clinical reasoning skills to select and provide highly specialised forms of treatment from a wide range of options.
• Work with clinicians, multidisciplinary team (MDT) colleagues and external agencies to ensure the smooth transition of patients discharged from hospital back into primary care.
• To arrange further investigations and onward referrals as appropriate e.g. radiological, vascular, surgical, falls, dermatological in line with local and national protocols.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate a seamless nutrition support service across the PCN, working with the community and secondary care where appropriate, and aimed at continuously improving standards of patient care and multidisciplinary team working.
• Communication outcomes and integrate findings into their own and wider service practice and pathway development.
• Utilise and provide guidance to patients on equipment such as surgical instruments, dressings, treatment tables, and orthotics.
• Prescribe and arrange for the provision of orthotics, pressure relieving insoles and shoe modifications where appropriate.
• Utilise highly specialist skills in biomechanics to prescribe, modify and fit orthoses.
• Use highly specialist skills e.g. including injection therapy, joint manipulation.
• Utilise a range of prescribing and administration of medicines e.g. PGDs and Independent and supplementary prescribing where appropriate.
• Undertake a range of bed side diagnostics including non-invasive vascular studies and ultrasound scanning to determine pathology.
• Provide triage service for patients who may require prescription footwear liaising with surgical appliances and where necessary conferencing on complex cases.
• Provide assessment of new patients with the subsequent production of individual care packages and the provision of appropriate foot health education advice.
• Provide specialist treatment and support for high-risk patient groups such as the elderly and those with increased risk of amputation.
• Support for patients through the use of therapeutic and surgical techniques to treat foot and lower leg issues (e.g. carrying out nail and soft tissues surgery using local anaesthetic), whilst also delivering foot health education to patients.
• Be actively involved in the design and implementation of research and audit in order to evaluate and identify opportunities to develop the podiatry service.
• Be responsible for the monitoring of podiatry clinical activity and for producing reports as required.
• To follow guidelines for evidence based practice in the care of patients with lower limb pathologies and who are at risk as a result of Chronic disease.
• Implement all aspects of effective clinical governance for their own practice, including undertaking regular audit and evaluation, supervision, and training.
• Provide education and specialist expertise to PCN staff, raising awareness of good practice in good foot health.
• Undertake a range of administrative tasks such as ensuring stock levels are maintained and securely stored, and equipment is kept in good working order.

Supervision:

• The post holder will have access to appropriate clinical supervision and an appropriate named individual in the PCN to provide general advice and support on a day to day basis.

Confidentiality:

As per both Government legislation and Practice Policies ensure that all confidentiality, data protection and information governance policies and guidelines are followed and strictly adhered to, reporting any infringements to the Operations Office immediately.

Health & Safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
• Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)
• Reporting potential risks identified
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
• Reporting potential risks identified.

Equality and Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.

• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual staff performance review.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.
• Lead on induction and training of new staff at site
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance.
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs.
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Communication/Information:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the practice and management team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members.
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate

Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post.

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive, but to indicate the main areas of responsibility. It may be changed after consultation with the post holder. The employee shares with the employer the responsibility for review and modification of duties. Suggestions and discussions are welcome.

Policies and Procedures - the duties and responsibilities of the post will be undertaken in accordance with the policies, procedures and practices of the Practice, which may be amended from time to time. You are required to be flexible and the practice reserves the right to alter such fixed hours as may be considered necessary to ensure the surgery runs smoothly.

The business operates between the hours of 0700 2100 hours Monday to Friday (0800 1300 Saturday), with possible requirement for some future evening and weekend working as the business develops.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

• Experience in managing a designated caseload using theoretical and practical experience, completing assessments, planning, implementing interventions, and evaluating outcomes aligned to care plans
• Ability to write comprehensive clinical notes, implement and evaluate care plans

Desirable

• Ability to undertake nails surgery assessments, procedure and post-operative care
• Skills in injection therapy/ local anaesthesia
• Evidence of developing clinical governance requirements

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc in podiatry under a training programme approved by the College of Podiatry
• Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration

Desirable

• Pre-reg MSc in Podiatry under a training programme approved by the College of Podiatry
• Non-medical prescribing qualification or working towards
• Working towards First Contact Practitioner status
• IRMER qualified to refer for x ray

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working within a primary care setting
• Experience of specialist areas of work, i.e. Diabetes, Nail Surgery, Biomechanics, Rheumatology, Wound Care and managing the at risk or high risk foot.

Skills

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to influence and persuade others articulating a balanced view and able to constructively question information
• Excellent clinical skills including delicate scalpel work, joint and tissue structure assessment, manipulation and diagnosis
• Ability to co-ordinate and prioritise workloads able to multi-task as well as be self-disciplined and highly motivated

Desirable

• Demonstrates a flexible approach in order to ensure patient care is delivered
• Independent thinker with good judgement, problem-solving and analytical skills
• Ability to evidence a sound understanding of the NHS principles and values.

Other

Essential

• Ability to cope with unpredictable situations

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Portsdown Group Practice

Address

92 Kingston Crescent

Portsmouth

PO2 8AL

Employer's website

https://www.portsdowngrouppractice.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)