Advanced Podiatrist

Job Summary

We are looking for someone to join us that has a strong team spirit and a passion to drive innovative practice and be involved with health education and training events.

You will provide supervisory, training and leadership responsibilities where appropriate and will have some responsibility for team performance and service developments/improvements and demonstrate initiative and creativity in finding solutions to problems.

You may be required to deputise for the Podiatry Clinical Lead in a professional capacity as required along with supporting and overseeing excellent podiatry practice through mentorship and day-to-day guidance to team members and other professionals.

We are able to offer both full-time (37.5 hours per week) and part-time roles within the service, working flexibly across a variety of locations across the Trust. We would also consider a development opportunity, with a structured process in place to support you meeting the requirements of this fantastic position in the team. You will be required to travel independently over a large geographical area and ideally have a driving licence and access to suitable transport to meet the requirements of the role.

• Provide supervisory, training and leadership responsibilities and oversee team performance and service improvements.
• Deputise for the Podiatry Clinical Lead as required and mentor team members and other professionals.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the organisation and with external organisations.
• Lead the management of complex cases within diabetes and wound management, supporting other staff and co-working when needed.
• Undertake assessments, develop needs and outcome-focused treatment/support plans and formulate, implement and evaluate programmes of treatment/care/support for individuals, families and carers.
• Provide advice and support others, including co-working cases with less experienced and unregistered staff, and support staff to apply eligibility criteria and quality assurance processes.
• Promote independence/self-management and maintain safety; increase functional ability; improve health and wellbeing (including mental health); support disease management; prevent and reduce health inequalities; avoid admissions; enable early supported discharge; manage case treatment and care plans.
• Use advanced expert knowledge and judgement to consider personal circumstances and preferences when implementing and adjusting programmes of care and intervention.
• Provide teaching and training in the specialist area to the wider workforce, offering day-to-day advice, mentorship and guidance to staff commensurate with their level of experience.
• Maintain sensitivity to the emotional needs of service users and carers, offering reassurance and empathy, handling potentially distressing information, and managing conflicts.
• Work with individuals and carers who may find it difficult to engage, using a communicative and partnership approach to share information, manage ethical dilemmas, risk and contingency planning.
• Use and provide expert professional knowledge, skills and expertise across changing environments and professional boundaries, supporting multidisciplinary teams.
• Keep accurate records in line with professional standards (e.g., HCPC) and support identified team members by giving guidance and direction.
• Ensure team members are appropriately deployed and care delivered by staff with relevant education, expertise and competence.
• Deliver a high standard of intervention, managing demands of the role with innovative problem solving, advising the Operational Lead on quality and performance, responding to complaints and reporting findings and practice.
• Provide professional and clinical support and leadership, support identification of training needs of staff and encourage practitioners to develop skills in critical thinking, reflective practice, excellence in practice, specialist knowledge, research-based practice, and promote a culture of professional curiosity.
• Champion effective diabetes/wound management, lead clinical audit/research and participate in and support clinical audit.
• Take accountability for the quality and cost effectiveness of allocated assessments, planning and implementation of care packages/programmes of support/intervention within the team and own caseload.
• Contribute to and actively promote the implementation, development and upholding of policies, procedures, guidelines, statutory measures and governmental directives.
• Contribute to service/policy development through membership on working parties or professional forums, and be aware of national and local policy impacting health and wellbeing.
• Perform highly developed physical skills, precision hand/eye coordination, and debridement techniques of acute, chronic, neuropathic and ischemic wounds for prolonged periods.

Come and work with us at our award-winning NHS Trust, leading the way for trying new and better ways of working to…