Highly Specialized Staff Podiatrist

To be part of a highly motivated team, providing a high standard of clinical care within the Podiatric Surgery unit which specialises in the management of elective surgical footcare.

To act as a specialist liaison for the iMSK and Community Podiatry Team providing specialist advice regarding the Podiatric Surgical Service to Podiatrists, professionals in other specialties, and patients/carers.

To assist the responsible Podiatric Surgeon in conducting outpatient clinics, telephone clinics, and theatre sessions including post-operative wound care and medical clinical clerking.

To identify, develop and adhere to policies, strategies and objectives of the Podiatric Surgery team and employing NHS Trust.

Can make judgements on a range of complex podiatric problems which require investigation, analysis and assessment.

1. To ensure effective communication with patient, relatives and care givers using both verbal and non-verbal communication tools:
a. Obtaining medical history and diagnostic information
b. Ensuring patient understanding, shared decision making and adherence with treatment programs prior to consent.
c. Being aware of patients’ complex conditions or multiple pathologies including those emotional, physical and psychological conditions (e.g. deafness, dysphasia) which may affect their understanding.

2. To inform and reassure patients of their available treatment options. Discuss their individual needs and empathize with their concerns regarding both the presenting problem and the nature of the treatments available.

3. To participate in the effective communication of complex, highly sensitive and emotional information to patients, which requires excellent interpersonal, negotiation counselling skills. This includes information regarding diagnosis, prognosis, treatment options, surgical procedures, benefits, risks and potential complications, and rehabilitation.

4. To work effectively as a member of the uni-professional and multi-professional teams.

5. To ensure effective communications with other professional disciplines regarding professional and medical issues.

At North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust our main priority is, and always will be, to provide safe and high quality care to our patients every day; the kind of care we would want for ourselves and our loved ones. We want our organisation to be the best place to work with the right staff, in the right roles, at the right time, to ensure we deliver exceptional patient care and experience.

We will support staff through providing an inclusive and supportive workplace with health and well-being initiatives, staff benefits and opportunities for personal and professional development. Staff recognition is very important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Star and Team of the month, colleague recognition - a note of thanks, Managers Awards, Shining Stars and Service Awards.

We support the Making Every Contact Count approach to behaviour change in the promotion of health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

We recruit for values and “Together we are North Tees & Hartlepool”

Patient care clinical duties (at all times reporting in a comprehensive and timely manner to the clinical lead, consultant podiatric surgeon or their specialist registrar).
1. To provide clinical care prior and throughout the pathway of foot surgery within a highly specialized multi-disciplinary team.

2. To participate in the podiatric assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, delivery and evaluation of conservative podiatric interventions, which may include:
a. Initiating biomechanical treatment and provision of orthoses/exercises and refer to highly specialized community podiatrist/MSK podiatrist as appropriate
c. Providing footwear advice

3. To participate in the assessment of patients prior to foot surgery including dry needling and electrosurgery procedures, this may include:
a. Obtaining a full medical and social history with a particular emphasis on risk factors pertaining to foot surgery.
b. Requesting diagnostic tests such as blood tests, thrombophilia screening, diagnostic imaging, and urinalysis, and acting on the results appropriately.
c. Undertaking cardiovascular assessment and lower limb vascular assessment using Doppler, ABPI, and blood pressure analysis.
d. Undertaking basic neurological assessment
e. To liaise with other specialists (e.g. microbiology and radiology) where required.
f. To issue medication under PGDs or via independent prescribing.

**4. To undertake patient care during surgery, this may include**:
a. Administering advanced local anesthetic injections including digital, ankle, and popliteal blocks (with or without ultrasound guidance).
b. Issuing antibiotic and anxiolytic (sedative) medication
c. Monitoring the patient, for early signs of medical emergencies and taking appropriate action and resuscitation as necessary.
d. Undertaking electrosurgical procedures
f.