Diabetic Foot Practitioner

Job overview

To develop high quality, effective and holistic care for patients with acute diabetic foot problems throughout their hospital admission, acting as a link person within the multidisciplinary team. To lead on the running of the Diabetic Foot Clinic and to hold line management responsibility for other members of the podiatry team as well as to support and review outpatients with diabetic foot problems.

The postholder will work closely with the PRUH diabetes team, a DCAP accredited service with a dynamic and approachable team.

Key Working Relationships

Matrons, Heads of Nursing, Medical Consultants, Surgeons, Allied Health Professionals, General Managers, Service managers, Pharmacists, Patient involvement groups, Doctors, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurses and Health Care Assistants.

Main duties of the job

• Act as a role model and clinical expert within diabetic foot management, promoting and demonstrating first class care through evidence-based practice and research.
• Take a lead on clinical care by independently managing a patient caseload with support from the multidisciplinary team.
• Ensure that where appropriate each patient has a comprehensive wound assessment undertaken and a referral is made to the appropriate speciality.
• Act as an expert in the use of specific treatments and advanced wound techniques including sharp debridement of wounds, vac & larvae therapy.
• Provide advice on the most appropriate pressure relieving devices for specific conditions including liaison with the orthotics department for appropriate footwear provision.
• Lead, coach and manage the performance of the team in line with good people management practices. Ensuring excellence is recognised and underperformance is addressed.
• Participate in regular performance appraisal meetings and ensure each member of the team has a clear set of objectives and development plans.
• Manage team absences including sickness in line with Trust policy ensuring the appropriate return to work meetings occur.
• Support the internal talent management process in order attract and retain and succession plan for your people.
• Review skills mix at regular intervals in order to identify any potential opportunities to maximise resource utilisation / allocation.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Act as a role model and clinical expert within diabetic foot management, promoting and demonstrating first class care through evidence-based practice and research.

Take a lead on clinical care by independently managing a patient caseload with support from the multidisciplinary team.

Ensure that where appropriate each patient has a comprehensive wound assessment undertaken and a referral is made to the appropriate speciality.

Support the MDT by facilitating the booking of investigations and interpretation of results

Act as an expert in the use of specific treatments and advanced wound techniques including sharp debridement of wounds, vac & larvae therapy.

Provide advice on the most appropriate pressure relieving devices for specific conditions including liaison with the orthotics department for appropriate footwear provision.

Provide advice to the MDT on the most appropriate IV antibiotic therapy protocols for diabetic foot infections

Carry out measurements of transcutaneous oxygen tension pre and post angioplasty and post bypass surgery

Co-ordinate and participate in diabetic foot ward rounds and present patients and their test results

In conjunction with the Diabetic Foot Specialist Nurse organise weekly early intervention vascular diabetic foot outpatient clinics and present patients and their vascular test results (Fridays)

Run early discharge clinics for complex patients in order to reduce length of stay for inpatients.

Support with joint podiatry-orthotic clinics to support patients to receive footwear in timely manner

Review and triage acute inpatient referrals from wards including A&E and SDEC

To liaise with the Ward Clerks to facilitate the correct stock levels of specialist dressings.

Identify areas of poor practice and respond appropriately ensuring the delivery of safe and effective practice

Work closely with PCTs, Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist and podiatry services to ensure continuity of care post discharge.

Maintain a comprehensive database on all diabetic foot in patient activities

Carry out an evaluation of database content and statistical analysis of activities for presentation at MDT meetings and grand rounds

Prepare annual reports of diabetic foot activities and standards of care for evaluation by medical care group management.

Participate in pertinent research projects regarding diabetic foot in-patients.

To hold line management responsibility for other diabetic foot podiatrists within the department including sickness/absence management, annual leave, performance and development.