Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Summary:

To work as part of an autonomous and innovative team specialising in foot and lower limb pathologies.

To assess, diagnose, implement and develop individualised assessment and treatment programmes for patients presenting with foot pathologies and medical need. This will involve general and specialist care within a range of locations, including clinical, domiciliary, hospital, and other external settings with an emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach.

To commit to a philosophy of a patient centred approach to care, with emphasis on client empowerment and self-care.

To work as a highly motivated team member within the podiatry and multidisciplinary team settings and external organisations, to achieve the best patient outcome.

To be responsible for the management of Podiatric caseloads from a high-risk caseload including patients with wounds, demonstrating a high level of knowledge and skills to ensure the provision of high quality care, whilst observing and implementing policies, guidelines and procedures of Lewisham &  Greenwich NHS Trust.

Key Result Areas & Performance:: 

Clinical Duties and Patient Care: 

To be responsible and accountable for the complex assessment, diagnosis and treatment of new and existing patients with a wide variety of Podiatric complaints. This includes:

• systemic diseases
• immunosuppressive disorders
• vascular and neurological disorders
• dermatological disorders
• chronic pathologies
• emergency treatments
• wound management
• musculo-skeletal disorders
• paediatric conditions
• deformities
• nail and skin pathologies.

To use clinical reasoning, critical thinking, reflection and analysis to support the assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning process.

To utilise evidence based material to assess, treat, implement, evaluate and document podiatric provision.

To provide Podiatric care plans tailored to the patients’ medical needs with regular review and the ability to identify and co-ordinate further interventions. To ensure timely and appropriate referrals to other specialists from within the department and outside (for example GP’s, District Nursing, Hospital Acute Foot Clinic, Social services and voluntary organisations), facilitating safe and appropriate discharge where indicated.

To treat a wide variety of patient groups including those with special needs, housebound, children, elderly, adults, vulnerable groups and those from different cultural backgrounds with the possibility of communication barriers.

To demonstrate sound clinical expertise and knowledge in the management of serious and high risk pathologies for example: infected foot ulcers

To undertake specialist diabetes and high-risk sessions for the assessment and treatment of patients where duties will include:

• Undertaking Diabetic foot assessments
• To identify risk factors and to prioritise patients into risk categories
• Management of the diabetic foot
• Management of foot ulcers
• Swabbing of wounds and management of infection
• To arrange timely referral and on occasion emergency admission into hospital when indicated

To undertake the assessment and treatment of patients with lower limb musculo-skeletal pathologies, where duties will include:

• The prescription, fabrication and evaluation of ‘chair-side’ insoles/orthotics
• The prescription and evaluation of an appropriate exercise and stretching regime
• Evaluation, prescription and casting for bespoke orthoses

To undertake minor surgery assessments and treatments, where duties will include:

• Nail surgery
• Electro-surgery
• The use of local analgesia injection therapy to the lower limb, with the ability to manage anaphylactic shock if required

To participate in department rotations through areas of clinical speciality, for example, Nail surgery, University Hospital Lewisham Acute Foot Services Unit, Biomechanics & Service, Low Level Laser Therapy, and Podiatric Surgery.

To be actively involved in the provision of Foot Health education and appropriate specialist advice, delivering this sensitively to patients, relatives and carers.

To organise and participate in Health promotion activities and training events, to groups, colleagues, professionals and individuals.

To make frequent use of technology, where available, for measurement, monitoring and treatment using specialist complex equipment such as Doppler ultrasound, Sphygmomanometer, Neurothesiometer. 

Clinical Governance:

To observe, implement and adhere to professional standards of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists and Health Professions Council.

To observe, implement and adhere to all Trust polices and procedures including Health and Safety legislation, COSHH regulations, Workplace Risk Assessment, Infection Control, Sharps Policy, Movement and Handling, Personal Safety, Consent Policy, Dangerous Drugs Act and Substance Misuse Sterilisation Guidelines, (for example: to follow and record the autoclave and ultrasonic procedures for appropriate sterilisation and decontamination of instruments).

To observe and be actively involved in the development and implementation of Lewisham Foot Health Services, Operational and Clinical Governance Plan, Policies, Procedures and Guidelines.  To follow the above but have the discretion to make own clinical diagnosis and decisions within professional boundaries.

To contribute to the strategic development and improvement of existing services and facilitate the instigation of new service development by working as part of an innovative team 

To report any accidents, complaints, defects in equipment, near misses and untoward incidents in accordance with Trust procedure and in a timely manner.

To collate statistical activity and information on service quality and participate in regular surveys and complex audits.

To participate and keep up to date with current best practice and take part in relevant evidence based research to inform clinical practices in and outside the department.

To attend all mandatory training sessions as required by the Trust.

To participate in the extensive Departmental Student Placement Programme providing experience in dealing with students and applying mentor and teaching skills.  To supervise Foot Care Assistants and new staff, and take an active part in training, peer review, clinical supervision and professional development.

To analyse, interpret, report and present information and knowledge related to ideas and concepts. Involving the use of computerised data collection and entry onto format databases/spreadsheets, word processing and power point presentation to other team members and health professionals

To be committed to postgraduate study, training and life long learning in Podiatry and other health related topics.  Reading relevant health material, reflective practice, case studies, training rotations/placements. To take an active involvement in the development of, and participation in, research.  Attendance at departmental study days, as well as attendance at external courses/conferences, thereby broadening experience and continuing to develop clinical skills and professional knowledge.

To attend and actively contribute to departmental team meetings, regular 1:1 meetings with line manager/mentor, update sessions, training days and ‘Away days’.

To participate in the planning and delivery of departmental in-service training. Utilising one’s own skills, understanding and knowledge to contribute and provide information to others to help their development

To maintain State Registration with Health and Care Professional Council (HCPC).