Advanced Podiatrist-Surrey Downs H&C

This is an exciting time to join the Surrey Downs Health and Care Podiatry Team as we continue to develop, transform and evolve our podiatry services for the future, offering the successful candidate a valuable opportunity to help shape and influence service delivery. We are seeking an enthusiastic, experienced and forward‑thinking Band 7 Team Lead Podiatrist to become part of our progressive and supportive community‑based service in Surrey.

The successful candidate will work across a variety of settings, including community clinics and domiciliary visits, managing a diverse caseload and providing treatment for a wide range of podiatric conditions. This role offers flexibility to develop a specialist interest, whether in MSK, Wound care, Diabetes, Nail surgery, or General podiatry. In addition to clinical responsibilities, the role includes leadership duties such as teaching, mentoring and supervising both students and qualified podiatrists, as well as undertaking line‑management responsibilities.

We are seeking a candidate who is reliable, motivated and committed to ongoing professional development, with strong organisational and communication skills, excellent time management and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Applicants must have experience managing high‑risk patients and a proven background in community podiatry services. Experience in nail surgery is desirable.

• To lead and professionally support a team of podiatrists within Surrey Downs Health and Care.
• To lead in the evaluation, planning and implementation of service redesign and related policies and procedures, in liaison with the podiatry clinical Lead and operational manager.
• To be integrally involved in supporting both clinical lead and operational management of the podiatry service, embracing evidence‑based medicine and developments in podiatric practice.
• To lead podiatry team based continuous professional development (CPD) activities, participate in podiatry service‑wide CPD activities, and participate in the development of the podiatry service and co‑owners as a team of managers.
• To lead on clinical audits, service pilots/projects and other research activities to support the development of evidence‑based practice.
• To act as a source of clinical expertise and be the clinical lead for nail surgery within the Podiatry department, ensuring an effective, co‑ordinated podiatry service is provided throughout the Surrey Downs Health and Care area.
• Provide highly specialist diagnostic assessment, treatment and advice, including surgical intervention for complex cases to maintain and improve patients’ mobility and independence and prevention of disability across the spectrum of podiatric care.

To work as an integral member of the Podiatry team to deliver high quality, innovative and responsive programmes of Podiatric care to patients who have a high risk need. To provide early intervention whenever possible, to maintain mobility and independence, and prevent disability. To use complex assessments, diagnose, develop highly specialised treatment plans and provide effective podiatric treatments, using a problem‑solving approach based on clinical need and evidence‑based practice. This is predominantly with patients with complex medical conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid, vascular insufficiencies, physical or other disabilities, children, and other vulnerable groups.

To be responsible for a highly complex and specialised caseload involving the implementation and co‑ordination of highly specialised treatment regimens involving the assessment, surgical intervention, post‑operative evaluation as well as considering alternative management plans when surgery is inappropriate. To evaluate all surgical interventions using appropriate outcome measurements. To commit to the philosophy of care with an emphasis on patient empowerment and independence by providing education and information to help patients manage their own foot needs (including footwear advice).

To work as part of a multi‑disciplinary team with Consultants, GP’s, & Allied Health Professionals and acting as a source of advice to patients, carers, GP’s and other health care professionals. To be highly proficient in: comprehensive neurological and vascular assessment, wound debridement, advanced pathology, and gait analysis. To undertake diagnostic procedures effectively using appropriate equipment e.g. Doppler ultrasound, competently interpreting, recording, acting on and reporting the results.

To provide services at a wide variety of sites including a patient’s home, clinics, GP practices, hospitals and in challenging conditions, frequently working in isolation. To obtain informed consent prior to treatment plans commencing. To ensure all patients are appropriately assessed prior to surgery. The post holder will be responsible for carrying out a thorough medical assessment to ensure suitability of local anaesthesia and minor surgery. He/She will be responsible for reviewing and triaging all patients (through their EMIS/Systm1/other clinical system notes) assessed by colleagues for nail surgery, checking suitability for surgery and ensuring patient consent documentation is complete and liaison with the patient’s GP is undertaken when appropriate.

Where problems or issues arise the post holder will be responsible for training and updating staff. To undertake specialist surgical intervention for complex nail pathologies, for example nail avulsions and chemical destruction of the nail matrix with local anaesthesia. To be able to lead colleagues in the event of a clinical emergency during surgical sessions e.g. anaphylaxis, toxicity reaction, myocardial infarction, faints, hypoglycaemic attack. To support the team with domiciliary visits within a geographical area. This includes time management skills. To maintain clear, comprehensive and accurate records. To update patient’s medical history, evaluate progression and work with the client to develop their treatment plan as required.

To ensure best practice (personally & of team members) when exposed to unpleasant working conditions. Maintaining infection control standards when faced with malodorous wounds, ulcerations and challenging unhygienic environments. To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload and support a team of podiatrists in managing their identified risks (see risk management and associated policies). To provide emergency and annual leave cover for colleagues when required. This could include undertaking domiciliary visits & supporting colleagues with difficult or complex cases. This includes booking appointments and clinical time management skills.

To teach and assess colleagues, students, newly qualified podiatrists and podiatry assistants e.g. in undertaking local anaesthetic administration and carrying out surgical procedures. To lead and educate the department on infection control issues, reviewing and acting on infection control guidance, leading or where appropriate participating in the infection control audit cycle.

• To work as an autonomous clinician working within professional, departmental and SDHC guidelines.
• Using clinical reasoning and decision making skills to determine how to best achieve positive clinical outcomes for patients. Therefore being legally and professionally accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of your patients.
• To be aware of one’s own scope of practice and to refer to peers/other professionals as necessary.
• To take a lead role in departmental clinical governance initiatives for example designing audit projects, collection of audit data, research, and development of clinical standards within specialist area of practice.
• To keep up to date with clinical and professional developments and use evidence based practice.
• To complete and maintain clinical competencies identified for the post.
• To maintain and update individual Professional Portfolio, and achieve statutory hours of CPD per year.
• To ensure that self and team attend mandatory training in line with SDHC employment and professional need.
• To actively participate in personal development reviews (PDR’s) and lifelong learning.
• To lead, promote and participate in clinical support (clinical supervision) whilst facilitating team members to utilise reflective skills as a method of ensuring quality of care for all service users.
• To support and represent the Podiatry department in any projects, programmes and training events as required.
• To lead on any relevant Podiatric contribution to NSF’s and NICE guidelines. This will involve proposing and developing new policies and service changes which may impact on own department and others, and represent the department to senior leadership team level when required.

• To line manage a number of podiatrists, podiatry assistants and when required students, sharing information to keep them abreast of changes within the organisation.
• Planning and allocating team member’s work, rotations, whilst ensuring clinics are covered and managing timetables to cover sickness/leave.
• To be responsible for screening, prioritisation and allocation of referrals within the Podiatry service.
• Monitoring new patient and follow up appointment waiting times within specialist clinics and specified locations.
• Working with the Operational manager and podiatry clinical lead to review new methods of working to streamline our services.
• To prevent professional isolation for staff working in the community by creating and maintaining systems for encouraging and supporting communications between podiatrists.
• To collaborate closely with other team leaders and managers to improve inter‑department integration to ensure consistent delivery of clinical standards across Surrey Downs Health and Care.
• To cover for a team leader and / or deputise for the Clinical Lead Podiatrist when they are unavailable or on leave.
• To be responsible for the supervision of staff and students, and provide specialist training in area of expertise.
• Ensure that staff learn from incident reporting, near misses and complaints, fostering a learning culture.
• To facilitate in‑service training programmes e.g. including liaising with internal/external trainers and other professional leads.
• To participate in staff recruitment, reviewing job descriptions, short listing and often sitting on interview panels and inducting new staff members including bank staff and locums.
• To contribute to the department’s strategy and annual business plan and produce objectives in line with it for the team.
• To be responsible for clinical governance with the team. This includes being accountable for clinical governance initiatives e.g. team objective setting, recording and evaluating teams audits and the development and implementation of standards, guidelines, policies and protocols.
• To undertake team member’s annual appraisals and maintain 90% compliance and interim reviews whilst promoting life‑long learning and personal and professional development.
• Ensure that all team members receive appropriate training and development and that they attend mandatory/statutory training as and when required.
• To monitor team’s performance and manage in accordance with trust policy’s Investigate complaints for podiatry clinical Lead.

• HCPC Registered Podiatrist (DPodM or BSc)
• Local Anaesthetic Certificate
• Car Driver (Full Licence)
• Post graduate education / CPD in the minor /nail surgery
• Professional Portfolio
• Member of the Royal College of Podiatrists
• Involvement in training and teaching
• IR(ME)R

• Broad spectrum of clinical experience
• Experienced in the provision of high risk assessments, treatment planning and delivery of minor surgery.
• Able to demonstrate in-depth clinical knowledge and practical skills for nail surgery.
• Awareness of current NHS trends and policies, including clinical governance and NSF’s
• Experience of leading a team.
• Experience in clinical audit.

• Clinical skills to effectively deliver the nail surgery pathway of care
• Broad range of podiatric skills e.g. basic biomechanics, woundcare, health promotion
• Highly organised and able to prioritise work load
• Demonstrate the ability to critically appraise
• Excellent presentation skills
• Evidence of clinical leadership

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.