Specialist Podiatrist

Key responsibilities: • Manage own caseloadcomprisingof outpatient and ward patients, usually working in isolation and always as an autonomous practitioner. • Assessment of new and existing patients in line with departmental protocols using judgements involving complex facts about the patients medical conditions and medication in relation to their podiatric needs. Treatment planning will require analysis of options and will be unpredictable. • Develop treatment plans with expected outcomes and agree with patient how these outcomes may be best achieved.Providespecialist advice to patients including identified categories of patientseg. diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, elderly fallers. • Employ stringent control of cross infection and decontamination measures during daily exposure to infectious materialiewound/ulcer dressings, blood,pusor body fluid. • Assess for orthotics following the orthotic services insoles and footwear pathways, make and provide chairside devices, prescribe bespokeorthoticsand liaise withappropriate specialist. • Assess, manufacture and fit insoles as part of the hospital orthotics service as required by service demand. • Have the capability to move and handle patients who may be immobile, wheelchair orbed-bound. • Providehealth education advice including one to one advice and education to groups of peers,professionalsand patients. ADMINISTRATION • Tobe responsible formaintaininglegible and comprehensive patient records. • Tobe responsible formaintainingtimelyaccurateand legible patient records. • Tobe responsible fordictating letters to GPs following assessment of patient. • Tobe responsible fortimelyinput of ward activity into the patient information system (currently IPM) • Tobe responsible forthe ordering and control of stock in a designated area. • Check equipment and report faults to ensure speedy repair/replacement. • To report sickness absence and return to duty in the agreed manner. • Tobe responsible forthetimelysubmission of own travel claim forms. • Undertake team orientated duties as delegated by the team leader e.g. managing timetables or rotas for team. COMMUNICATION • Communicate effectively with patients and carers to take a relevant medical history and obtain diagnostic information and informed consent, by informing, explaining,persuadingand motivating.Some patients may find understanding difficult because of barriers such as old age, infirmity, hearing loss, pain, fear and language or learning difficulties. • Have the ability touse thedecision makingprocess toidentifywhen patients require the intervention of other professional and/or Clinical Specialist Podiatrists, by following agreed departmental referral pathways. • Provideappropriate foothealth education and advice to patients on aone to onebasis and groups of patients,e.g.diabetic groups, mother & toddler clubs, community groups, in partnership with external organisations and voluntary agencies. • Liaisewith other health care professionalsi.e.GPs, nurses, health visitors, physiotherapists, dieticians, as part of themulti-disciplinaryteam, sharing skills and knowledge. • Have the ability todiffuse conflict in confrontational/stressful situationse.g.complaints over the telephone or face to face,regardinglength of waiting lists, long appointment waiting times, patients attending clinics at the wrong time,dayor place. • Liaise closely with admin & clerical staff in a clear and concise manner. • Manage distressing situations e.g. dealing with terminally ill patients, patients pre / post amputation or patients recently bereaved • Employ good listening and supervisory skills when undertaking personal development reviews of junior staff. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT / TRAINING • Maintain and develop own standards of care,identifyingown training needs and using the latest research as guidance. • Share good practice, using own and others experience,identifypoor practice or quality issues and alert professional lead. • Participate in regular Performance Development Review and review junior staff. • Participate in clinical supervision being both a supervisor and supervisee asappropriate. • Participate and undertake clinical audits/ surveys asidentifiedby professional lead. • Participate in the development,implementationand review of departmental policies, proposing changes in line with latestevidence basedpractice. • Participate in student training and footcare assistant training (where applicable). • Participate and deliver in service training asappropriate. • Tomaintainand update own professional portfolio andmaintaincontinuous professional development in line with the requirements of the Health Professions Council for registration. • Toparticipatein research within the department/ Trust as requested by the professional lead. • To undertake mandatory annual training including CPR, manualhandlingand fire lectures. Job description Job responsibilities Key responsibilities: • Manage own caseloadcomprisingof outpatient and ward patients, usually working in isolation and always as an autonomous practitioner. • Assessment of new and existing patients in line with departmental protocols using judgements involving complex facts about the patients medical conditions and medication in relation to their podiatric needs. Treatment planning will require analysis of options and will be unpredictable. • Develop treatment plans with expected outcomes and agree with patient how these outcomes may be best achieved.Providespecialist advice to patients including identified categories of patientseg. diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, elderly fallers. • Employ stringent control of cross infection and decontamination measures during daily exposure to infectious materialiewound/ulcer dressings, blood,pusor body fluid. • Assess for orthotics following the orthotic services insoles and footwear pathways, make and provide chairside devices, prescribe bespokeorthoticsand liaise withappropriate specialist. • Assess, manufacture and fit insoles as part of the hospital orthotics service as required by service demand. • Have the capability to move and handle patients who may be immobile, wheelchair orbed-bound. • Providehealth education advice including one to one advice and education to groups of peers,professionalsand patients. ADMINISTRATION • Tobe responsible formaintaininglegible and comprehensive patient records. • Tobe responsible formaintainingtimelyaccurateand legible patient records. • Tobe responsible fordictating letters to GPs following assessment of patient. • Tobe responsible fortimelyinput of ward activity into the patient information system (currently IPM) • Tobe responsible forthe ordering and control of stock in a designated area. • Check equipment and report faults to ensure speedy repair/replacement. • To report sickness absence and return to duty in the agreed manner. • Tobe responsible forthetimelysubmission of own travel claim forms. • Undertake team orientated duties as delegated by the team leader e.g. managing timetables or rotas for team. COMMUNICATION • Communicate effectively with patients and carers to take a relevant medical history and obtain diagnostic information and informed consent, by informing, explaining,persuadingand motivating.Some patients may find understanding difficult because of barriers such as old age, infirmity, hearing loss, pain, fear and language or learning difficulties. • Have the ability touse thedecision makingprocess toidentifywhen patients require the intervention of other professional and/or Clinical Specialist Podiatrists, by following agreed departmental referral pathways. • Provideappropriate foothealth education and advice to patients on aone to onebasis and groups of patients,e.g.diabetic groups, mother & toddler clubs, community groups, in partnership with external organisations and voluntary agencies. • Liaisewith other health care professionalsi.e.GPs, nurses, health visitors, physiotherapists, dieticians, as part of themulti-disciplinaryteam, sharing skills and knowledge. • Have the ability todiffuse conflict in confrontational/stressful situationse.g.complaints over the telephone or face to face,regardinglength of waiting lists, long appointment waiting times, patients attending clinics at the wrong time,dayor place. • Liaise closely with admin & clerical staff in a clear and concise manner. • Manage distressing situations e.g. dealing with terminally ill patients, patients pre / post amputation or patients recently bereaved • Employ good listening and supervisory skills when undertaking personal development reviews of junior staff. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT / TRAINING • Maintain and develop own standards of care,identifyingown training needs and using the latest research as guidance. • Share good practice, using own and others experience,identifypoor practice or quality issues and alert professional lead. • Participate in regular Performance Development Review and review junior staff. • Participate in clinical supervision being both a supervisor and supervisee asappropriate. • Participate and undertake clinical audits/ surveys asidentifiedby professional lead. • Participate in the development,implementationand review of departmental policies, proposing changes in line with latestevidence basedpractice. • Participate in student training and footcare assistant training (where applicable). • Participate and deliver in service training asappropriate. • Tomaintainand update own professional portfolio andmaintaincontinuous professional development in line with the requirements of the Health Professions Council for registration. • Toparticipatein research within the department/ Trust as requested by the professional lead. • To undertake mandatory annual training including CPR, manualhandlingand fire lectures.