Podiatrist - WF / RB Community

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Podiatrist to join our friendly team within NELFT. We welcome applications from new graduates and students about to graduate.

Our Podiatry Department is a forward thinking, busy service providing Podiatry Services to GPs in Redbridge & Waltham Forest. The population that we serve are both multi-cultural and diverse.

Your clinical work would be across an array of community & domiciliary settings across these boroughs, and a car driver is therefore essential to this role.

Our client base is primarily high-risk and you will be responsible for treatment planning for foot complications associated with diabetic, rheumatoid and vascular / ischaemic long-term conditions.

Main duties of the job

• Responsible for assessment, diagnosis, planning and implementing and evaluating care for a wide range of general clinical needs
• Ensuring that a high quality and evidence based treatment is provided.
• Working within codes of practice and professional guidelines
• Support peers and the team leadsr and be an effective team member whilst also working using  your own initiative.
• Actively involved in the provision of foot health education and advice to patients, relatives and carers and participate in training events where appropriate
• To manage a caseload within the allocated time including domiciliary patients.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This vacancy would suit a newly qualified Podiatrist or student about to qualify this year or a qualified Podiatrist who would like to join the NHS who enjoys challenges and wants to progress.

Our organisation is driven by our strategic objectives and organisational values and we are looking for people who are strongly aligned with them.

Our friendly Podiatry Service prides themselves on their close working together as a very friendly and approachable close-knit team  with effectively  communicate. We are also on Twitter @Nelft_Podiatry

As a department we pride ourselves on being innovative and forward thinking and have MolecuLight:iX technology as well as Toe Pressure Kits in all of our high risk clinics to undertake the recently highlighted '2 minute Toe Pressure challenge'.

We have an MDFT at Whipps Cross Hospital and  work closely with  the MDFT  based at The Royal London & St Bartholomew Hospitals, which will provide  fantastic shadowing & learning opportunities.

We encourage newly qualified Band 5 Podiatrists  to complete a Preceptorship Program within NELFT, and time is set aside in order for this to be completed.

Following completion of successful probation, and where vacancy allows, we also pride ourselves in being able to further develop our Band 5 podiatrists with Band 5/6 progression posts, so that they are able to become fully fledged Band 6 Specialist Podiatrists.

We have shadowing opportunities within the following specialist areas:

• High Risk - diabetic foot ulcer
• Biomechanics & Paediatrics
• Nail Surgery

We are committed to CPD and training initiatives to achieve personal as well as service objectives.

Annual Leave starts at 27 days a year plus bank holidays.

The Podiatrist will be expected to support their team, department and organisation to achieve the Trust’s Values in their day to day work.  These are the 5P’s:

• Putting people first
• Prioritising quality
• Being progressive, innovative and continually improve
• Being professional and honest
• Promoting what is possible – independence, opportunity and choice

The Podiatrist will  be  a member of the Royal College of Podiatry and registered with the Health Care and Professionals Council (HCPC)

The post holder will be a member of the podiatry team and will be responsible for assessment, diagnosis, planning and implementing and evaluating care for a wide range of general clinical needs. Ensuring that a high quality and evidence based treatment is provided. Working within codes of practice and professional guidelines.

• The post holder will support peers and the team leader and be an effective team member whilst also working using their own initiative.
• Will demonstrate decision making skills when identifying patients requiring intervention of other health professionals or departmental clinical leads by following departmental referral clinical pathways.
• Will participate in at least one departmental rotation eg Nail Surgery, Specialist diabetes care, Biomechanics annually.
• Will be actively involved in the provision of foot health education and advice to patients, relatives and carers and participate in training events where appropriate.
• As part of team will contribute to the development of the podiatry service reviewing policies and procedures, proposing changes to general service procedures which may have an impact other health professionals.
• You will provide clinical care in the community clinics, domiciliary settings, including King George and Whipps Cross Hospitals. As a Podiatrist you will be based in the West (Redbridge and Waltham Forest) .

Managerial

• To be responsible for managing and prioritising your own day to day work load attending CPD events and team meetings as required.
• To participate and contribute to departmental clinical audit and Research initiatives.
• Will be flexible and show initiative in coping with changing circumstances relating to day to day planning of clinical duties.
• To manage a caseload within the allocated time including domiciliary patients.
• Will have the ability to supervise podiatry students and podiatry assistants demonstrating clinical skills and procedures.
• To have an understanding of service performance targets
• To take responsibility for monitoring stock levels and security of stock and maintenance of equipment within your own clinical area escalating any shortages following the service procedures.

Leadership

• To actively engage and support the implementation of changes that maybe required in the podiatry service.
• To understand the necessity for integrated health professional working.
• To support the development of a positive and ‘supportive’ team culture.
• To take an active interest in working parties and groups within the podiatry service in order to develop and improve on service delivery, protocols and guidelines
• To share your current knowledge of best practice, with colleagues in the podiatry team.

Clinical Skills

1. Will have the ability to act autonomously using professional judgements to access complex medical, social and podiatric problems of patients using clinical reasoning skills and diagnostic techniques.

2. Will develop tailored packages dependent on patient need taking advice from senior colleagues when necessary.

3. To perform diabetic assessment and review in community clinics where duties will include the use of specialised diagnostic equipment in vascular and neurological assessment, e.g. Doppler and monofilament. Identifying the correct risk category for the patients.

4. To partake in clinical rotations in specialist areas of the service.

5. Will assist in providing training and education opportunities for the general public and other health professionals when required.

6. Assess, treat and educate a wide range of patients according to service demand (including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, circulatory problems and the elderly), in Community Clinics, Hospitals – Out Patients and wards, Day Centres, Residential Homes for the Elderly  and to undertake domiciliary visits. Taking advice regarding operational and clinical matters from senior colleagues when necessary.

7. To have highly developed physical skills, using a scalpel to debride a variety of lesions, demonstrating precision hand/eye co-ordination for prolonged periods.

8. To work safely within clinical infection guidelines when treating foot lesions which may involve exposure to bodily fluids and infectious materials.

9. To have capability to position and handle patients who may be immobile, wheelchair or bed bound often working in difficult conditions which are at times unclean, confined in terms of space, with poor lighting/ventilation, to conduct the treatment.

10. To identify when patients require the intervention of other professionals eg. Requesting the prescription of antibiotics. Also referring to Podiatry Specialist Teams following agreed department referral to clinical pathways.

11. To act as a role model to podiatry students and podiatry assistants.

Please refer to the Job Description & Person Specification attachment.

High Cost Area Supplement - London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of  15% of your basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £4,551 and a maximum payment of £5,735 per annum

COVID-19 Vaccination We continue to encourage all staff to ensure that they have been double vaccinated and received their booster. We recognise that taking the vaccine provides the best defence against COVID 19 for our patients, our staff and their families.