Advanced Wound Care Podiatrist in Diabetes

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

An NHS healthcare provider in Greater London is seeking an Advanced Wound Care Podiatrist specializing in diabetes care. The successful candidate will work within a multidisciplinary team, leading wound care assessments and formulating treatment plans for diabetic patients. This role also involves supervising junior staff and participating in service development projects. Candidates must hold a relevant degree and have experience in acute hospital settings. Competitive salary between £53,751 to £60,651 annually is offered.

Qualifications

• Experience of working at a band 6 level or above in an acute hospital setting with a high risk caseload.
• Experience of multidisciplinary and interagency working.
• Experience of working with a wide range of patient and disease/pathology types.

Responsibilities

• Provide highly specialized wound care assessment for diabetic patients.
• Lead advanced assessment and treatment of patients with complex pathology.
• Supervise and teach junior podiatrists.

Skills

Knowledge of recent developments in the profession

Knowledge of the NICE Diabetes guidelines

Positive attitude to change

Education

BSc Degree in Podiatric Medicine or Diploma

Evidence of postgraduate continued development

Health Professions Council (HPC) registration

Job description

Advanced Wound Care Podiatrist in Diabetes

To work as a member of a multidisciplinary team based at North Middlesex hospital.

To provide a highly specialised wound care assessment on patients with diabetes in outpatients and inpatients, including those with complex presentation, and from this to formulate a clinical diagnosis and treatment plan as an autonomous practitioner.

To take a lead role in the advanced assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients who have complex pathology which puts their lower limb at increased risk of ulceration, infection and/or amputation.

To supervise, teach and appraise junior podiatrists.

To share the responsibility for operational management of the podiatry department with the principal podiatrist.

To be involved in the service development of the Diabetes Department.

To supervise, initiate and participate in evidence-based projects.

Main duties of the job

To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of the practitioner’s professional activities.

To carry out assessment of in and outpatients as an autonomous practitioner, including those with a range of complex presentations, and using clinical reasoning skills, knowledge of evidence-based practice and highly specialised podiatric expertise to determine appropriate care plan utilising specialist treatment skills and options.

To be responsible for providing clinical interventions to patients for the management of complex multi-factorial lower limb pathologies.

To utilise advanced specialist podiatric skills in the care of the patient with a lower limb wound/ulcer site. To review aetiology and pathology of the site, determining diagnosis, rationale for treatment, care plans and appropriate referral.

To prescribe as a Non‑Medical Prescriber in line with HCPC annotation, rights to prescribe and Trust policy.

To competently use advanced wound care knowledge to aid the selection of the most appropriate choice from a range of specialist dressings.

To utilise enhanced, evidence based, wound healing techniques to promote safe and efficient healing techniques.

To communicate all necessary information, and provide expert knowledge, efficiently and effectively with relevant colleagues, carers and with the patient.

About us

To have knowledge and understanding of a variety of cultural backgrounds and beliefs to respect individuals’ rights and dignity.

To undertake monitoring and evaluation of work and current practice using evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures either as an individual or a group. To make recommendations and implement change where required.

To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management appropriate to the work situation.

To participate in the strategic and operational planning, implementation of policy and service development within a designated service.

To work collaboratively to continually improve clinical practice within the diabetes Department. This may influence service delivery, clinical protocols, business planning and strategic reviews to support the delivery of the foot health plan.

To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing and therapy colleagues to ensure delivery of a co‑ordinated service. This will include own area service development meetings, as well as written and verbal communication with expert medical practitioners outside of the trust.

To demonstrate a willingness to support flexibility within your working week to ensure the service is covered Monday to Friday.

Job responsibilities

• To maintain accurate, comprehensive professional case notes for all direct and indirect patient contact.
• To communicate effectively with patients, carers and other professionals on an individual or group basis in order to maximise rehabilitation potential and ensure understanding of condition, which will frequently require flexible communication skills including motivation, explanation of complex issues such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics and techniques, and gaining consent.
• To occasionally convey information, particularly in highly complex, contentious and emotive situations which may be deemed inappropriate for more junior staff, requiring more developed communication skills.
• To demonstrate flexibility in communication and interpersonal skills to overcome barriers to communication such as dysfunctional illness beliefs, altered perception and cognition, loss of hearing/sight, language and cultural barriers, distressing information (eg. victims of torture/abuse), environmental factors (lack of privacy, excess noise), hostile or highly emotive situations, controversial and/or highly complex information, and long‑term illness/dysfunction or uncertain prognosis.
• To communicate opinion which may be contradictory to that of the referrer.
• To liaise with and provide feedback to referrers to the service by letter and/or verbal communication, ensuring that assessment, diagnostic results and treatment plans are understood by the referrer in order that the treatment aims are understood and supported by the wider health care network.
• To maintain confidentiality consistent with Trust policy.
• To collaborate with associated specialists within the hospital community and participate in training, academic workshops and seminars within the multidisciplinary team.

Person Specification

Education & professional Qualifications

• BSc Degree in Podiatric Medicine or Diploma (if qualified prior to 1992)
• Evidence or portfolio of postgraduate continued development
• Health Professions Council (HPC) registration

Experience

• Experience of working at a band 6 level or above in an acute hospital setting with a high risk caseload
• Experience of multidisciplinary and interagency working
• Experience of working with a wide range of patient and disease/pathology types including the at-risk and high-risk foot and neurovascular tests

Skills and aptitudes

• Knowledge of recent developments in the profession
• Knowledge and understanding of the NICE Diabetes guidelines and NSF in diabetes
• Positive attitude to change

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£53,751 to £60,651 a year Per annum (pro rata) Including HCAS.