First Contact Podiatrist in London

Be the Podiatrist Patients Need - Right at the Heart of Primary Care. Are you passionate about improving mobility, reducing pain, and helping people stay active and independent? We are looking for a dedicated First Contact Podiatrist to join our innovative, compassionate team. In this role, you'll provide expert assessment, diagnosis and management of lower limb and foot conditions - right at the heart of primary care, where early intervention can have the greatest impact. This is a full-time role, 37.5 hours per week.

As an autonomous First Contact Practitioner, you'll assess, diagnose and manage patients presenting with foot and ankle conditions without the need for a GP referral. Working across GP practices and the PCN, you'll make a significant contribution to improving patient access, reducing GP workload, and delivering expert assessment and management.

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the UK's leading NHS clinical service providers and you will play a key role in delivering accessible, patient-centred podiatry services within primary care.

Main duties of the job

• Assess, diagnose, triage, and manage patients, taking responsibility for a complex caseload.
• Progress and request investigations when trained to do so (e.g., X-rays, blood tests) and make referrals to support diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Develop and utilise your full scope of clinical practice, including skills relating to independent prescribing, injection therapy, and investigations when trained.
• Manage complex interactions, including working with patients with psychosocial and mental health needs, referring to social prescribing where appropriate.
• Deliver programmes of supported self-management that facilitate behavioural change, optimise physical activity, mobility, independence, and minimise reliance on pharmacological interventions.
• Provide care tailored to individual needs, including appraising the impact of clinical status on general health, wellbeing, and employment.
• Support patients to set their own goals and build confidence in self-management.

Evidence, Research, and Development

• Develop relationships and collaborative working across the PCN, supporting pathway integration in primary care.
• Work as part of an MDT in a patient-facing role, using expert knowledge of lower limb issues to strengthen links with wider foot and ankle services through clinical leadership, teaching, and evaluation.
• Support research and audit programmes to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of the FCP service.
• Streamline pathways by providing a responsive service that ensures timely access to care.

Leadership

• Lead, manage, and contribute to service delivery.
• Implement all aspects of effective clinical governance, including audit, evaluation, supervision, and training.
• Communicate complex and sensitive information effectively with patients and carers, supporting personalised care.

Facilitating Learning

• Provide feedback and support to other PCN clinical team members on appropriate referral criteria.
• Critically reflect on your own practice and continue to develop your skills.

Key Skills and Attributes

• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Strong clinical problem-solving and analytical skills, including recognising when to refer for diagnostics or to other services.
• Ability to critically reflect on professional development needs and motivation to progress clinically (with support).
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work cohesively within a wider team.
• Ability to follow legal, ethical, professional, and organisational policies and codes of conduct.
• Competent with IT systems, databases, and modern digital ways of working.

Person Specification

• Qualifications
• Fully HCPC and CoP registered practicing Podiatrist.
• An up-to-date CPD portfolio demonstrating that you have knowledge of the musculoskeletal core capabilities framework for first point of contact practitioners and the four pillars of advanced practice, in addition to identifying your developmental needs against these.
• Desirable: Qualified injection therapist and/or independent prescriber; Completion of some level 7 MSc learning.
• Experience
• Essential: Minimum 5 years post-graduate podiatry experience.
• Desirable: Previous clinical experience of first contact triage clinical work; even if in the private sector. Previous experience of working in a GP practice. Previous experience of using EMIS/SystmOne.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer details

Employer name: Promni Health

Address: Earls Court Medical Centre, 248 Earls Court Road, London, SW5 9AD, United Kingdom.