Job responsibilities
Clinical
1. To work in accordance with the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists and Health and Care Professions Council Code of Professional Conduct including scope of professional practice.
2. Rely upon an advanced understanding of foot and ankle anatomical structures, aetiologies, pathology and medicine in relation to foot and lower limb conditions and the impact of disease progression.
3. Apply a range of biomechanical and neurological assessment techniques appropriately, systematically, and effectively to isolate the cause of the pathology so that pathways of care can be followed by the responsible team.
4. Apply specialised assessment techniques and understand respective validity, reliability, specificity and sensitivity and the implications of these limitations within an assessment.
5. To undertake functional gait assessment.
6. Knowledge of red flag pathology is required to identify serious complications that need prompt onward referral. To prioritise health conditions and intervene appropriately in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care.
7. To be responsible and accountable for the assessment, diagnosis, formulation and implementation of biomechanical/musculoskeletal and or core Podiatric management plan in variety of patients with a wide range of clinical needs including patients with Diabetes; Chronic Neuropathy; Chronic disease e.g. Rheumatoid Arthritis and patients with Physically/Mental Health/Learning Difficulties.
8. The post holder will prioritise and manage own clinical caseload with autonomy and when required escalate patients presenting with complex conditions outside own knowledge and skills to a senior MSK podiatrist.
9. To make appropriate referrals to other disciplines. Support from senior MSK podiatry staff will be provided.
10. To develop, advise on, support and encourage shared decision-making, use clinical reasoning and enact an integrated management plan that considers investigations, all treatment options or support packages, based upon clinical evidence and patients needs and informed preferences.
11. To assess podiatry patient on needs based following departmental guidelines, ensuring timely care of patient with high risk and effective use of resources.
12. To be able to carry out full range of podiatry clinical skills such as assessment, diagnoses and treatment of a range of podiatric conditions including nail surgery.
13. Able to carry out a foot ulcer risk assessment and wound care, including the identification of vascular insufficiency, neurological deficit, significant foot deformity, trauma or increased pressures.
14. Undertake Domiciliary visits
15. Communicate effectively with patients regarding treatment options in an understandable way, enabling and giving the patients options to agree their preferred care.
16. To educate and empower patients regarding their care.
17. To review and evaluate treatments and interventions.
18. To be able to prescribe and manufacture a wide range of high-quality foot orthoses varying in degrees of complexity.
19. To act as a source of expertise in the management of biomechanics lower limb problems to podiatrists and other health care professionals
20. To gain and record informed consent for podiatry assessment and treatments.
21. To maintain accurate record keeping in accordance with department, professional and Trusts procedure
Operational
- To be involved in the day to day running of biomechanics/MSK/ core podiatry clinics and service.
- Be responsible for stock maintenance as required by local policy.
- To manage own clinical caseload, prioritise and escalate as required.
- To participate in the development of guidelines, procedures, service standards with MSK Podiatry Service.
- To participate in audit as required.
- To ensure that all information relating to clients and staff gained through employment with the Trust is kept confidential. Disclosure to any unauthorised person is a serious disciplinary offence
- To work in accordance with Trust and departmental guidelines, policies, procedures, service standards, codes of practice and protocols
- Attend staff meetings and relevant meeting as required.
- To work in different locations providing care where required.
- To take responsibility for allocated equipment.
- To promote a professional image of yourself and of the service.
Health and Safety
To work in accordance with the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists and Health and Care Professions Council Code of Professional Conduct including scope of professional practice.
To ensure that Health and Safety Legislation is complied with at all times including COSHH, Workplace Risk Assessment, Infection Control, Trust Sharps Waste Policy and Lone Worker Policy.
To observe and work to Trust Policies e.g. Infection control, Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH), governance.
To report any accidents, complaints, defects in equipment, Near Misses, and untoward incidents, following Trust procedure
To perform manual handling techniques in stock handling and equipment.
To maintain the appliance laboratory in a clean and safe work like manner.
To report risk, failure of equipment and to contribute to improving health and safety
To understand and report safeguarding issues and be aware of duty of Condo
Communication
- To work effectively as a member of the multi professional team.
- To ensure that all information relating to clients and staff gained thorough employment with the Trust is kept confidential. Disclosure to any unauthorised person is a serious disciplinary offence.
- To ensure effective communication with other professionals in the necessary delivery of all aspects of patient care.
- To ensure effective communication with patients, relatives and carers where there may bebarriers to understanding. To gain and record informed consent for podiatry assessmentand treatment ensuring mental capacity.
- To maintain accurate records of all patient consultations and related work is carried out for each clinical session including computerised data collection.
- Clinical notes should be completed and entered in as per Trust policy/HPCP standards.
To ensure clinical notes are accurate and correct procedures are followed when completinginformation to enable accurate data collection.
- To observe the Trust behaviour /values towards colleagues.
- Required to attend and actively contribute to departmental meetings.
Professional Development
1. To maintain State Registration with Health Professional Council (HPC).
2. To work within the HPC code of Conduct, Trust policies and procedures.
3. Actively participate in Continuing Professional Development to develop new skills, and maintain and continually update existing skills, working to evidence base practice.
4. To take part in individual/ group supervision and appraisal process.
5. To ensure high quality delivery of the Podiatry service, and fulfil CPD requirements identified through the appraisal process and attend mandatory as required by the Trust. Staff will be expected to rotate into specialist areas within the department.
6. To supervise Footcare Assistants and Basic Grade Podiatrists, Appliance Technician and take an active part in the training of students.
7. To act as a mentor to colleagues as part of peer review and professional development.
8. To participate in the planning and delivery of Departmental in-service training.
9. To attend all mandatory training sessions as required by the Trust.
Research and Development/Audit
1. To participate in audit activities and development of outcomes.
2. To keep up to date with and apply relevant evidence-based research finding to practice.
3. To be involved in research and development Department Programme, including possible new/alternative ways of working.
4. To participate in the departments Clinical Governance initiatives and the development and implementation of standards, guidelines, policies and protocols.
Behaviours
In addition to the responsibilities and requirements outlined in this job description, you should refer to the Trusts Expected Standards of Behaviour- your line manager will be able to provide you with this detail.
The podiatry service of Camden Provider Services offers podiatry at five community sites in Camden, at one acute site (UCLH), in peoples homes, in nursing homes and has a service for homeless people. The service is staffed by podiatrists, footcare assistants and administration staff. The clinical staff are broadly separated into three teams: community, MSK and high risk. Some clinicians work in more than one team.
Rider Clause
This is an outline of the postholders duties and responsibilities. It is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time in order to meet the changing needs of the Trust and Department.
