Podiatry Assistant in Leatherhead

Surrey Downs Health & Care is seeking a dynamic person to join our forward-thinking service as we undergo an exciting period of service transformation and integration. We have an opportunity for a Podiatry Assistant to join the Podiatry team. The role will include working as part of the Podiatry team providing foot care and education advice to a dedicated caseload of patients referred by a podiatrist. The successful candidate will assist the podiatrists whilst working in foot clinics for diagnostics, simple wound dressings, and as an assistant in nail surgery. The service is delivered in community clinics, community hospital sites, and in care home and domiciliary settings. The successful candidate will be expected to work across these sites and have access to their own car. Full training and development support from our inclusive and friendly team will be given.

Main duties of the job:

• To provide a range of clinical, diagnostic and administrative functions.
• To work as an integral member of the podiatry team, providing a high standard of foot care to a pre-assessed caseload of patients.
• To assist podiatrists to carry out foot care and health promotion activities, to maintain or improve health, independence and quality of life.
• Organise and assist in podiatric clinics, including clerical duties such as pre and post-op organisation of nail surgery.
• Conduct diagnostic tests as directed by Podiatrists using equipment such as Doppler or toe pressure machines, reporting findings to the Podiatrist.
• Undertake defined administrative responsibilities e.g. stock management for the department, orthotics, ordering and dispatch, collating audit data.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

• Provide high quality foot treatment to maintain patient’s mobility, independence and prevention of hospital admission.
• Carry own patient caseload, continually assessing and treating routine patients, following individual treatment plans after they have been assessed by a podiatrist.
• Monitor and evaluate progress, making minor alterations to treatment programmes as required.
• Undertake risk assessments when carrying out domiciliary visits, and working with challenging clients/in different environments.
• Work unsupervised, reporting back patient progress and informing the podiatrists of any problems.
• Provide support in dressings clinics including carrying out simple re-dressing procedures and postoperative advice as set by podiatrists.
• Ensure best practice when exposed to unpleasant working conditions, maintaining infection control standards and working in accordance with Trust Health & Safety Guidelines.
• Attend specialist clinical sessions gaining knowledge and experience in more advanced areas of podiatric practice.

Person specification:

• Car Driver (Full Licence) with access to a car for business use.
• Evidence of secondary education including English & Mathematics at C or above.
• Podiatry assistant or health care equivalent qualification equivalent to NVQ level 3 or equivalent demonstrable previous experience or completion of a local competency.
• Commitment to continuous learning and development.
• Previous experience working within a health/care setting.
• Previous experience as a Podiatry Assistant with own caseload.
• Electronic patient record knowledge.
• Experience in ABPI/vascular checks.
• Experience in assisting in Nail Surgery clinics.

Skills:

• Able to convey tasks and actions to colleagues and service users.
• Ability to assist patients to achieve safe working environments for treatments to be carried out.
• Ability to perform treatments in a variety of settings such as clinics, residential homes, patients’ own homes and nursing care sites.

Your application: Please ensure that you have read the job description and person specification and that your supporting statement reflects these, as your application will be assessed and scored against these criteria.

References: You will be required to provide 3 years of employment/educational history. We do not accept references from personal email addresses such as Hotmail, Gmail etc. therefore please ensure you are providing professional working email addresses within your application form.

DBS: We are committed to safeguarding children and adults who are at risk of abuse. As such, if this post will have access to children or vulnerable adults, you will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.