Specialist Podiatrist

NHS; Sidcup; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an enthusiastic Podiatrist to join their close-knit team for a 12-month maternity cover. This role offers the chance to work within a high-risk service, providing essential podiatry treatments across community clinics and patient homes. You will develop treatment plans, conduct assessments, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, ensuring high standards of care for patients with complex health needs. Join a recognized leader in healthcare that values professional development and offers a supportive environment for growth and learning.

Qualifications

• Experience in high-risk and wound care is essential.
• Must be HCPC registered with a valid license to practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide podiatry treatments in various clinical settings.
• Plan and deliver care for patients at risk of foot complications.

Skills

Wound Care

Minor Surgery

Patient Assessment

Treatment Planning

Communication Skills

Education

HCPC Registered Podiatrist

Ongoing CPD Evidence

Tools

Laboratory Equipment

Job description

We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Podiatrist to join the Bexley Podiatry Team for 12 months maternity leave cover. We are a friendly and close-knit team who takes pride in what we do. Bexley Podiatry was shortlisted and highly commended in the Adult Community Physical Health Category at the Oxleas Awards Ceremony in 2022.

Bexley Podiatry is within the Oxleas Trust which was included in the Sunday Times Top 10 Best place to work list 2023. In 2023 it was named the Best Place to work in the country for people with disabilities and also won the prestigious HSJ Trust of the Year Award.

Bexley Podiatry is a high-risk service which is close to the London Borough of Greenwich.

You will be seeking a role as a Podiatrist where you can use and develop your skills and knowledge across our service. You will develop strong links and working relationships with acute hospital trusts, and you will have the opportunity to rotate into these services. Bexley Podiatry runs clinics alongside Diabetologists and Diabetic specialist nurses. We have a close working relationship with Diabetes specialist nurses, District nurses, Tissue Viability and the MSK services.

Main duties of the job

The clinical work will involve working within clinical settings as well as carrying out domiciliary visits. A car is essential to this role. You will be responsible for the planning and delivery of care plans in patients who are high risk of developing foot complications. You will work with patients who have foot ulcerations, make onward referrals to vascular services, refer into the Diabetes MDT service and acute services. You will have the opportunity to work within the Diabetes Specialist nurse MDT and sit on the vascular phone calls with the acute MDFT. You will attend handover with the district nurses and manage your domiciliary ulcer caseload.

You will undertake nail surgery and carry out new patient assessments.

You will undertake clinical audit and there is the opportunity to become involved in Quality improvement projects.

Job responsibilities

This position will be based in the community and will involve regular travel throughout the Boroughs of Bexley, to different clinic sites and to visit patients in their own homes & care and nursing homes.

Clinical

• To provide assessment and the full range of podiatry treatments to clients in community and outreach clinics, hospital, clients home, Health Centres, Care Homes and Day Centres. This will include wound dressings, scalpel debridement of nail & soft tissue pathology & care of foot problems resulting from neglect & lack of self-care.
• To work as an autonomous practitioner, developing & agreeing treatment plans individually with clients. Support from senior staff is provided.
• To develop treatment plans and discharge plans through an agreed contract with each client, and to follow through the treatment plan with an end result of improved foot pathology & discharge where appropriate.
• To assess all clients at every visit and refer to specialist services as appropriate.
• To prescribe, and manufacture, orthoses/insoles/appliances/and shoe adaptations when required using the laboratory equipment.
• To prescribe, manufacture and fit chair side biomechanical and functional devices when clinically indicated.
• To participate in the work of specialist teams when and where required, undertaking a high risk patient caseload. To rotate through the three Podiatric Specialist teams (wound care, musculoskeletal & surgical) to constantly update clinical skills & knowledge to a high standard.
• To work within patient homes, and other environments of poor conditions, with exposure to bodily fluids.
• To be responsible for protection of health and wellbeing of all clients. Alert others to concerns where protection may be required for both children and vulnerable adults.
• To appropriately refer clients to specialist teams within the department whenever needed (for nail surgery, biomechanical assessment etc.) and appropriately refer clients within primary care, Community or Acute for investigation, diagnosis or treatment.
• Dealing sensitively and appropriately with a client caseload with complex health needs, assisting individuals to manage their health needs effectively.
• To work within primary, secondary and community care teams to provide a multi-disciplinary approach to improvement of foot pathology.
• Always aiming to achieve with each client maximum independence through self-care and effective client management.

Person Specification

Experience

• Previous experience with high risk and wound care
• Minimum 12 months as a band 5
• Domiciliary and nursing home experience
• Minor Surgery/ nail surgery experience

Education/ Qualifications

• HCPC registered podiatrist with LA certificate
• Evidence of ongoing CPD

High Risk Foot CPD

• Evidence of recent CPD in high risk foot/ diabetes/ relevant field
• Prior community health experience
• Prior MDT experience

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.