Acute Podiatrist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Practice

1. Act as a role model and clinical expert within diabetic foot management, promoting and demonstrating first class care through evidence based practice and research.
2. Take a lead on clinical care by independently managing a patient caseload trust wide with support from the multidisciplinary team.
3. Ensure that where appropriate each patient has a comprehensive wound assessment undertaken and a referral is made to the appropriate speciality.
4. Support the MDT by facilitating the booking of investigations and interpretation of results
5. Act as an expert in the use of specific treatments and advanced wound techniques including sharp debridement of wounds, vac & larvae therapy.
6. Provide advice on the most appropriate pressure relieving devices for specific conditions including liaison with the orthotics department for appropriate footwear provision.
7. Carry out measurements of transcutaeneous oxygen tension pre and post angioplasty and post by -pass surgery.
8. Run early discharge clinics for complex patients in order to reduce length of stay for inpatients.
9. Attend weekly angiography meetings and present diabetic foot patients medical history and feedback results to MDT.
10. Identify areas of poor practice and respond appropriately ensuring the delivery of safe and effective practice
11. Work closely with PCTs, Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist and podiatry services to ensure continuity of care.

 Education

1. Develop and participate in local ward based and trust wide education programmes for the MDT on general diabetic foot care and management
2. Educate and advise patients and their significant others on all aspects of diabetic foot care.
3. Contribute and participate in teaching on postgraduate courses.
4. Contribute to annual study days for the tissue viability link nurses, diabetes link nurses, physiotherapists, 3^rd year medical students, etc

 Management

1. Carry out an evaluation of database content and statistical analysis of activities for presentation at MDT meetings and grand rounds
2. Prepare annual reports of diabetic foot activities and standards of care for evaluation by medical care group management.

Professional

1. Keep professionally updated with current thinking and available research and new and current issues within the podiatry profession
2. Contribute to the body of knowledge within the field of podiatry by publishing the in patient data and submit abstracts on latest innovations to appropriate conferences.
3. Ensure that an annual performance review is undertaken
4. Take responsibility for own professional development
5. Take part in national interest groups to exchange knowledge and ideas.

General

1.    The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.

2.    To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.

3.    To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.

4.    To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.

5.    This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.