Job Overview
Podiatrists with an interest in biomechanics/MSK are invited to apply. You will be responsible for specialist MSK assessment of a broad range of lower limb, gait and orthopaedic/musculoskeletal related conditions and to develop integrated management plan that considers investigations, all treatment options or support packages of individual patient focused care. You will be working with autonomy and as an integral member of a highly motivated Camden Podiatry MSK team. You will be required to provide high standard of MSK podiatric care underpinned by evidence-based care, to patients who have an assessed need in both the acute and community settings, so excellent communication skills and seamless team working are essential. The role will also include prescription writing, the manufacture and modification of a range of foot orthoses.
To encourage you maintain and develop your current core skills and competencies you will also be involved in high risk clinics and will be providing domiciliary visits. Core podiatry will include providing assessments, diagnoses, developing and implementing individualised care programmes for patients with a wide variety of clinical needs including vascular problems, diabetes, rheumatology and HIV.
Main duties of the job
Work in line with HCPC and professional standards, applying advanced knowledge of foot and ankle pathology. Conduct biomechanical, neurological and gait assessments, using specialist tools appropriately and identifying red flags requiring urgent care. Assess, diagnose and implement MSK, biomechanical and core podiatry management plans for diverse patient needs, managing and prioritising your caseload and escalating complex cases. Use clinical reasoning and shared decision-making to deliver evidence-based care. Perform a full range of podiatry skills including nail surgery, wound care, ulcer risk assessments and orthoses prescription. Provide biomechanical expertise to colleagues. Communicate effectively, gain informed consent, educate patients and maintain accurate clinical records. Support day-to-day clinic operations, uphold confidentiality, follow Trust policies and work across clinical sites. Comply with Health & Safety legislation, report incidents and safeguarding concerns, and maintain a safe working environment. Work collaboratively within the MDT, contribute to meetings and uphold Trust values. Maintain HCPC registration, engage in CPD, supervision and mandatory training, and support the development of junior staff and students. Participate in audits, apply evidence-based practice and contribute to service development and governance. Adhere to Trust behaviour standards.
Working for our organisation
Camden Podiatry Service
Camden Podiatry Services delivers podiatry across five community sites, UCLH, domiciliary settings, nursing homes and provisions for homeless people. The service includes community, MSK and high-risk teams, with some clinicians working across multiple areas.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Clinical
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Apply specialised assessment techniques’ and understand respective validity, reliability, specificity and sensitivity and the implications of these limitations within an assessment.
- To undertake functional gait assessment.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- To make appropriate referrals to other disciplines. Support from senior MSK podiatry staff will be provided.
- 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 patient’s needs and informed preferences.
- To assess podiatry patient on ‘needs based’ following departmental guidelines, ensuring timely care of patient with high risk and effective use of resources.
- 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.
- 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.
- Undertake Domiciliary visits
- Communicate effectively with patients regarding treatment options in an understandable way, enabling and giving the patients options to agree their preferred care.
- To educate and empower patients regarding their care.
- To review and evaluate treatments and interventions.
- To be able to prescribe and manufacture a wide range of high-quality foot orthoses varying in degrees of complexity.
- To act as a source of expertise in the management of biomechanics lower limb problems to podiatrists and other health care professionals
- To gain and record informed consent for podiatry assessment and treatments.
- 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 be barriers to understanding. To gain and record informed consent for podiatry assessment and 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 completing information to enable accurate data collection.
- To observe the Trust behaviour /values towards colleagues.
- Required to attend and actively contribute to departmental meetings.
Professional Development
- To maintain State Registration with Health Professional Council (HPC).
- To work within the HPC code of Conduct, Trust policies and procedures.
- Actively participate in Continuing Professional Development to develop new skills, and maintain and continually update existing skills, working to evidence base practice.
- To take part in individual/ group supervision and appraisal process.
- 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.
- To supervise Footcare Assistants and Basic Grade Podiatrists, Appliance Technician and take an active part in the training of students.
- To act as a mentor to colleagues as part of peer review and professional development.
- To participate in the planning and delivery of Departmental in-service training.
- To attend all mandatory training sessions as required by the Trust.
Research and Development/Audit
- To participate in audit activities and development of outcomes.
- To keep up to date with and apply relevant evidence-based research finding to practice.
- To be involved in research and development Department Programme, including possible new/alternative ways of working.
- To participate in the department’s 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 Trust’s 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 people’s 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 postholder’s 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.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Degree or Diploma in Podiatric Medicine ((or equivalent – e.g. Diploma in Podiatric Medicine or Overseas qualification with equivalent BSc experience).
- HCPC Podiatrist Registration
- Hold a Certificate in local anaesthesia.
Previous Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of work in the NHS
- Experience of treating Biomechanical/MSK related foot Conditions.
- Experience of treating a varied caseload of podiatry patients, including those with high-risk conditions
Desirable criteria
- Experience of foot orthotic manufacture
- Demonstrate continued professional development in the field of Biomechanics/MSK/ in particular
Skills and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of the effect lower limb biomechanics in Orthopaedic/MSK conditions
- Skills to carry out a comprehensive biomechanical assessment and orthopaedic examination of gait, lower limb joints and muscle.
- To demonstrate clinical reasoning and decision-making skills in the management of biomechanics/MSK Conditions.
- Knowledge of current evidence based/ best practices.
- To be able to prescribe and carry out appropriate treatments e.g. prescribe foot orthoses, exercises, strapping
- To understand advanced modalities of treatments relevant to biomechanics and appropriately refer to other disciplines whenever needed
- To have a comprehensive understanding of foot orthoses and their applications and manufacture.
- To be able to use appliance laboratory equipment – Grinding machines.
- Skills in assessment, diagnoses and treatment of To be able to carry out full range of podiatry clinical skills such as wound care, vascular and neurological assessment and nail surgery.
- Also having worked in both a team and on your own managing a caseload with the ability to ‘risk categorised patients
- Ability to undertake nails surgery assessments, procedure and post-operative care
- Ability to work with a diverse population
- Knowledge of health and Safety at work
- Knowledge of safeguarding
Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
Essential criteria
- Ability to work autonomously as well within the wider podiatry team and multidisciplinary teams.
- Demonstrate continued professional development
