Job summary

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) is looking for an experienced and highly motivated Specialist Podiatrist to join their innovative community diabetes service, Diabetes Care for You (DCfY). The post holder must have experience of delivering high quality care to patients with diabetes, and be committed to supporting the implementation and transformation of the community diabetes service. They will be instrumental in the implementation and delivery of the service model, which affords an exciting opportunity to positively impact the health and quality of life for a large cohort of the Sussex population.

Main duties of the job

The Podiatry service provides care to patients needing enhanced education, and routine podiatry care to those who are at moderate or high risk for developing complications who require ongoing foot protection.

There is also a caseload of those with active ulceration. The service operates across Brighton and Hove, High Weald, Lewes, and the Havens.

DCFY provides a 'one stop shop' approach to diabetes care, with a consultant-led multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals (Diabetes Specialist Nurses, Dietitians, Podiatrists, Psychologists, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Healthcare Assistants) delivering care and education for patients in community settings, encompassing people with diabetes aged 18 years and over.

The goal of the service is to enable patients to access education, information, advice and support to enable them to make informed choices about how to manage their condition, so that they can stay as well as possible for as long as possible, and reduce their risk of diabetes-related complications. Joint care planning and goal setting is a core focus of the new delivery model, with patients in control and empowered to self-manage.

About us

• Positive 2021 staff survey results
• The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rates our quality of services as good with outstanding features
• Stunning locations in Sussex, surrounded by the South Downs and the coast
• A great working environment in the community, in patients homes and our community hospitals
• Excellent training and development opportunities
• Real Living Wage Employer with great rates of pay
• Flexible working options including job sharing, annualised hours, career breaks, parental leave and adoption leave
• Supportive team environments
• Cost effective and convenient workplace nurseries
• Thriving BAME, Disability, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
• Disability Confident Employer, committed to creating inclusive workplaces

Job description

Job responsibilities

To be an autonomous practitioner, professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of your clinical work.

To support senior colleagues within the Podiatry Service/Community Diabetes Team to provide excellent, high quality care.

Provide a range of foot protection treatments for Podiatry patients

Manage own caseload of those with active foot complications with support from senior colleagues or working within the treatment plan.

Review Podiatry patients following treatment by senior colleagues and arrange for further treatment or discharge.

To be responsible for the assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation of podiatric care to a variety of patients referred to the service, with a wide range of clinical needs:

Diabetes

Chronic Neuropathy

Chronic disease e.g. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Vascular problems

Wound management/Tissue Viability needs

Poor mental health

To provide domiciliary treatment in patients homes, Nursing Homes, Community Clinics and other sites as required.

To liaise with other professional disciplines and colleagues in the department, to ensure appropriate service delivery. To influence appropriate referrals for the client group, and where possible to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery.

To actively participate in patient and health professional education sessions as required.

To support colleagues in provision of services as deemed necessary by the manager of the service.

To provide care in a range of primary and secondary care settings, some of which may be in isolation

To have highly developed physical skills, precision hand/eye co-ordination for prolonged periods.

To have the capability and personal fitness to move and handle patients who may be immobile, wheelchair or bed-bound often in confined spaces.

To be actively involved in the development and implementation of departmental policies and procedures.

To follow departmental policies and procedures but have the discretion to make own clinical diagnosis and decisions within professional boundaries.

To be flexible and provide cover or undertake other duties appropriate to the grade at the direction of the operational lead or his/her deputy.

To maintain accurate records of all patient consultations and related work carried out at each clinical session.

To participate in service audit and research as required.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered with HCPC
• Degree / Diploma in Podiatry
• Current valid Drivign lisence

Desirable

• Membership of Society of chiropodist and podiatrist

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 2 years post graduate experience
• 2 years experience in area of diabetic foot care
• Expert clinician, able to demoinstrate credibility
• Contributing to clinical education of other podiatrists, students etc..
• Supervisory skills
• Comprehensive evidence of relevant lifelong learnin and post graduate training

Desirable

• To have completed a clinical competencies programme
• Experience of supporting satff members in supervision and appraisal of studen mentoring
• Research and practice development activities

Skills and knowledge

Essential

• Able to demonstrate decision making / clinical reasoning skills in diabetic podiatry through the analysis and interpretation of the clinical examination
• Excellent communication skills including talking and listening as well as being aware of non-verbal communication i.e. motivational interviewing
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work without supervision
• IT literate, able to use internet and database

Desirable

• Post graduate qualification in Diabetes
• Experience in evidence based standard setting and clinical audit

Other requirements

Essential

• Flexibility
• Self motivated
• Demonstrates ability to work in a team
• Able to manage demanding and challenging workload
• Access to car for travelling within workplace catchment area as role will involve regular travel to clinic sites and for domiciliary visits

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

150-DD8536-EAS-A