Podiatry Assistant

Job overview

Surrey Downs Health & Care

B3 Podiatry assistant

We have an exciting opportunity for a Podiatry assistant to join Surrey Downs Health & Care Podiatry team. The role will include working as part of the Podiatry team providing foot care and education advice to a dedicated caseload of patients referred by a podiatrist. They will also assist the podiatrists whilst working in foot clinics for diagnostics, simple wound dressings and as an assistant in nail surgery. The service is delivered in community clinics, community hospital sites and in care home and domiciliary settings, the successful candidate will be expected to work across these sites and have access to own car.

Full training and development support from our inclusive and friendly team will be given. For more information please contact

Laura Price Clinical lead Podiatrist

laura.price29@nhs.net

Main duties of the job

• To provide a range of clinical, diagnostic and administrative functions
• To work as an integral member of the podiatry team, providing a high standard of foot care to a pre-assessed caseload of patients.
• To assist podiatrists to carry out foot care and health promotion activities, to maintain or improve health, independence and quality of life. This requires a general knowledge of all aspects of podiatric practice to know when to refer patients, and successfully manage own caseload.
• Organise and assist in podiatric clinics. This may include clerical duties such as pre and post op organisation of nail surgery for example.
• Diagnostic tests as directed by Podiatrists using equipment such as Doppler or toe pressure machines, reporting findings to Podiatrist.
• To undertake defined administrative responsibilities e.g. stock management for the department, orthotics, ordering and dispatch, collating audit data.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To provide high quality foot treatment to maintain patient’s mobility, independence and prevention of hospital admission.

To carry own patient caseload, continually assessing and treating routine patients, following patients individual treatment plans after they have been assessed by a podiatrist. These plans include utilising a variety of podiatric skills and being able to manage non routine situations as they arise. Monitor and evaluate progress, making minor alterations to treatment programmes as required. Undertake risk assessments when carrying out domiciliary visits, and working with challenging clients / in different environments.

Work unsupervised reporting back patient progress and informing the podiatrists of any problems. Meeting regularly with an assigned lead to assess progress and review development of clinical skills. To provide support in dressings clinics including carrying out simple re-dressing procedures and postoperative advice as set by podiatrists. To ensure best practice when exposed to unpleasant working conditions including, maintaining infection control standards and working in accordance with Trust Health & Safety Guidelines. The role includes a wide range of support tasks in addition to patient focused time. All of the tasks are important to ensure the service runs smoothly and that patients receive the best possible service. Good communication and people skills are at the core of all of the duties involved in this post. To attend specialist clinical sessions gaining knowledge and experience in more advanced areas of podiatric practice.

Applicant requirements

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.