Specialist Diabetes Podiatrist

Job overview

Surrey Downs Health & Care

We have an exciting opportunity to work as part of the developing Diabetes Intermediate Service (Tier 3) – providing a robust link between primary and secondary care. The post holder will provide evidence based care, education, support and advice to patients with all types of diabetes, and their families. Additionally the post holder will be an integral part of the wider multi-disciplinary team, acting as a resource and providing education and support to other health care professionals involved in the management of patients with diabetes.

Main duties of the job

To take the lead role in diabetic foot care within Community Diabetes service working as part of a multidisciplinary team.

To continue to strengthen patient pathways between Acute, Tier 3 and Community care.

To lead and implement a regular review of outcome measures across the service to ensure the service is effective.

Provide an exemplary standard of care which included highly specialist diagnostic assessment, treatment and advice, including advanced wound management of high risk groups including vascular complications, to maintain patient’s mobility, independence and prevent disability.

To lead on clinical local and national audits, service pilots/projects and other research activities to support the development of evidence based practice.

To provide clinical support to the podiatry team in the community integrated diabetes service (Tier 3).

To act as a source of expertise and undertake training of podiatry students, support colleagues maintain and develop their clinical skills in diabetes and wound care, and educate other health care professionals on foot care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To work as an integral member of the podiatry team to deliver high quality and responsive programmes of podiatric care to patients.

To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team with vascular surgeons, consultant Diabetologist and Orthotist, acting as a source of advice to patients, carers, General Practitioners and other health care professionals.

To be responsible for a highly complex and specialised caseload involving the implementation and co-ordination of highly specialise treatment regimens involving the holistic management of the ‘at risk foot’.

To be highly proficient in : comprehensive neurological and vascular assessment, total contact casting, deep wound debridement, advanced pathology , wound management techniques e.g. larvae therapy.

To undertake diagnostic procedures using appropriate equipment e.g. wound swabs, Doppler ultrasound. Also to request diagnostic procedures such as X-ray and MRI scans, and acting on results.

To ensure best practice when exposed to unpleasant working conditions. Maintaining infection control standards when faced with malodorous wounds, ulcerations and challenging unhygienic environments.

To provide a service at a wide variety of sites including hospital clinics and wards, patient’s home, community clinics.

Professional

To work as an autonomous clinician working within professional and organisational guidelines. Therefore being legally and professionally accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of patients.

To take a lead role in departmental clinical governance initiatives for example designing audit projects, collection of audit data, research, and development of clinical standards within specialist area of practice.

To keep up to date with clinical and professional developments and use evidence based practice.

To complete and maintain clinical competencies identified for the post.

To maintain and update individual Professional Portfolio, and achieve statutory hours of CPD per year.

To actively participate in personal development reviews (PDR’s) and lifelong learning.

To lead, promote and participate in clinical support (clinical supervision) whilst facilitating team members to utilise reflective skills as a method of ensuring quality of care for all service users.

To support and represent the service in any projects, programmes and training events as required.

To lead on any relevant Podiatric contribution to NSF’s and NICE guidelines. This will involve proposing and developing new policies and service changes which may impact on own department and others, and represent the organisation when required.

To be aware of one’s own scope of practice and refer to other peers/ professionals as necessary.

Management

To prevent professional isolation for co-owners working in the community by creating and maintaining systems for encouraging and supporting communications between podiatrists.

To be responsible for the supervision of students and developing others for succession planning, and provide specialist training in area of expertise.

Ensure that co-owners learn from mistakes, near misses and complaints, fostering a learning culture.

To facilitate in-service training programmes e.g. including liaising with internal/external trainers and other professional leads.

To participate in co-owner recruitment, reviewing job descriptions, short listing and sitting on interview panels and inducting new members of co-owners including bank staff and locums.

To contribute to the department’s strategy and annual business plan and produce objectives in line with it for the team.

To manage complaints efficiently working with the complaints team to resolve complaints within identified timescales and to avoid unnecessary escalation with the support of the Head of Podiatry.

Organisational

To work towards achieving the objectives and goals of Surrey Downs Health and Care.

To be responsible for resources in clinics (within geographical area) including repair and maintenance of specialist equipment and stock control. This includes controlled pharmacy supplies, ordering and managing stock of the base whilst adhering to health and safety guidelines (for example moving heavy weights, such as medical supplies in line with manual handing guidelines), infection control and local policies.

Ensure equipment is properly maintained at all times and report faults / irregularities. Ensure that new or replacement equipment is not used by self or co-owners until appropriate training has been given.

To report all clinical and non-clinical accidents or near misses promptly and when required, co-operating with any investigations undertaken. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that appropriate risk and other assessments are completed and documented by self /team members in a timely manner in accordance with policy.

To ensure that team members learn from mistakes, near misses and complaints.

Communication & Working Relationships

To work with colleagues in neighbouring NHS organisations to share and develop clinical guidelines and best practice.

To lead and actively participate in team and service meetings. This includes reviewing case studies, sharing best practice, and presenting developments within own specialty to colleagues.

Please refer the Job Description and Person Specification for more details