This is an exciting opportunity to join a small, dynamic community podiatry team delivering high-quality care across West Essex. As an advanced specialist podiatrist you will act as an autonomous practitioner providing assessment, diagnosis and treatment within specialist clinics including Diabetes, Wound Care, Nail Surgery and MSK Podiatry, working closely with multidisciplinary teams.
We are seeking an experienced, motivated and forward-thinking podiatrist (band 6 career progression considered) with expertise in wound care and some knowledge of MSK podiatry to join our friendly and progressive service. You will manage a high‑risk caseload across a range of community and clinical settings, providing assessment, diagnosis and treatment. You will be required to work both independently and as part of a team, demonstrating strong clinical decision‑making, communication and organisational skills. A flexible approach is essential to meet service needs.
Responsibilities
* Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
* Join an inclusive community and connect with others through engagement events and equality champion networks.
* Provide mental health and wellbeing support, occupational health advice and counselling as required.
* Be part of a self and highly motivated multi‑disciplinary team communicating within the team and advising patients, including those with barriers to understanding.
* Attend scheduled times and places as determined by the team lead.
* Provide support to the team lead and service manager and deputise when required in the daily operational management; assist with team rota, prioritise patients during staff sickness, and support the podiatry administrative team with daily queries.
* Work both in the community and in hospital settings as an independent autonomous professional, managing department caseload, exercising judgment in initiation and management of change.
* Advise on appropriate interventions from other professionals and follow agreed referral pathways.
* Provide foot health advice and education to patients, relatives/carers and other healthcare professionals.
* Maintain, secure and control stock and perform routine cleaning and simple maintenance of all Podiatry equipment.
* Participate in departmental nail surgery as required.
* Perform diabetic and high‑risk assessment review clinics; assess foot pathology, Doppler evaluation, sensory/motor evaluation to identify risk factors.
* Implement departmental policies and procedures, suggest changes, review and amend policies related to nail surgery and wound dressings.
* Follow departmental policies and guidelines while using own clinical judgement.
* Move and handle patients who may be immobile, wheelchair or bedbound.
* Arrange follow‑up appointments as appropriate.
* Demonstrate manual dexterity allowing use of sharp scalpel technique when debriding skin lesions involving tendon, bone or joint.
* Inject parenteral drugs with appropriate anatomy knowledge.
* Supervise podiatry assistants and students in the clinical environment, provide formal training and direct observation of practice, sign off competencies.
* Act as duty podiatrist when required, managing daily triage of referrals, patient enquiries and complaints.
* Lead advanced areas of work, providing advice for specialist areas of MSK podiatry, diabetes/wound care and nail surgery.
* Apply sound understanding of clinical governance and risk management.
* Act professionally in customer care and contribute to investigations/responses to complaints per Trust policy.
* Decide priorities for own work area balancing patient and professional demands.
* Adapt to interruptions from phone calls and staff requiring advice on patient care.
* Work on own initiative, assertive and proactive in service developments.
* Contribute to longer‑term service planning to maintain quality and cost improvement opportunities.
Health & Safety
* Report any accidents, complaints, defects, near misses and untoward incidents following Trust procedure.
* Ensure compliance with health and safety legislation, COSHH risk assessment and infection control.
* Undertake general workplace risk assessments and assist team lead with safety inspections and audits.
* Attend all mandatory training sessions as required.
Research and Development
* Participate in audit activities and develop outcomes; lead audits in specialty areas.
* Keep up to date with evidence‑based research and apply findings to practice.
* Be involved in research and development, exploring new alternative ways of working in specialist areas.
* Participate in departmental governance initiatives, developing standards, guidelines and protocols.
Professional Development
* Maintain registration with the HPC.
* Operate within HPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Trust policies and procedures.
* Engage in continuing professional development, incorporating new trends into practice.
* Develop and update existing skills.
* Participate in individual performance reviews/appraisals.
* Ensure high‑quality podiatry service and fulfil CPD requirements identified through appraisal.
* Supervise assistant/technical grades; train students and basic grade podiatrists; mentor as appropriate.
* Participate in observational placement of HPC‑recognised podiatry students.
* Participate in peer review and professional development.
* Participate in planning and delivery of departmental in‑service training.
Communication and Working Relationships
* Maintain accurate records of patient consultations and related work, including audit data.
* Communicate complex information with patients, colleagues, administrative staff and other health care professionals.
* Demonstrate high‑level reasoning and persuasion when communicating with patients, relatives, carers, including those with barriers to understanding.
* Provide specialised advice to community‑based podiatry colleagues and other MDT members.
Benefits
* 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years service.
* Excellent pension of up to 14.5% of pensionable pay.
* Staff discounts including Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and other staff benefits.
* £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us.
* Season ticket loans are interest‑free to cover travel costs via tram, rail, or bus.
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