Podiatrist

Job overview

Surrey Downs Health & Care

Surrey Downs Health and Care is excited to offer a new and innovative Band 5 Podiatrist opportunity. This permanent post has been designed to provide a newly qualified or early-career podiatrist with a unique opportunity to gain experience across Community Foot Health services.

Working across Surrey Downs and alongside our colleagues in our hospital sites, you will develop a diverse clinical skillset whilst being supported by experienced clinicians, and multidisciplinary teams. This rotational role offers exposure to a wide range of patient groups and clinical environments, providing an excellent foundation for future career progression.

Within our Community Foot Health service, you will experience and have exposure to caseloads including wound care, musculoskeletal presentations, nail surgery and domiciliary care. You will undertake regular home visits using Trust vehicles and be provided with remote IT equipment to support agile working.

You will receive comprehensive induction, supervision and ongoing professional development throughout your rotations.

Main duties of the job

To provide a highly effective, comprehensive foot health service for the population of Surrey Downs Health and Care (SDHC).

Principle Duties to include:

• To work as an integral member of the podiatry team to assess need and deliver quality programmes of podiatric care to patients in a variety of settings across the SDHC sites. This requires a general knowledge of all aspects of podiatric practice to provide specialized, high quality disability.
• To participate in a mentored rotational program me of specialist clinics, gaining further knowledge and experience in diabetes (acute and community), nail surgery, biomechanics.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To assess, diagnose, develop treatment plans and provide effective podiatric treatments, using a problem solving approach based on clinical need and evidence based practice. This is frequently with patients with complex medical conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, vascular insufficiencies, physical or other disabilities and other vulnerable groups. To provide early intervention whenever possible to enable long term gain. To commit to the philosophy of care with an emphasis on patient empowerment and independence by providing education and information to help patients manage their own foot needs. This will include providing education sessions for new and current patients.

To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload seeking guidance as appropriate. To obtain informed consent prior to treatment plans commencing. To ensure all patients are appropriately assessed prior to referring to the assistant grade. To undertake diagnostic procedures effectively using appropriate equipment e.g. wound swabs, Doppler ultrasound. Competently interpret, record, report and act on the results. To be proficient in comprehensive neurological and vascular assessments, wound debridement, advanced pathology and wound management e.g. dressing selection. The post holder will be responsible for carrying out a thorough medical assessment to ensure suitability of local anaesthesia and minor surgery. To undertake specialist surgical intervention for complex nail pathologies, for example nail avulsions and chemical destruction of the nail matrix with local anaesthesia.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.