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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Diabetes Lead:

 1.    To assess, manage and treat high risk complex caseload consisting of patients with: acute and chronic diabetic foot problems, pre and post-operative amputations wounds and acute and chronic neuropathic, vascular foot/lower limb problems, Charcot and other diabetes related MSK issues.

2.    To lead in the planning of care packages jointly between hospital and community care providers.

3.    To provide podiatry care including wound care for patients with musculoskeletal conditions.

4.    To use clinical reasoning skill in the assessment, diagnoses and formulating treatment plans of patients with a variety of diabetes high risk foot problems and other medical conditions.

5.    To have the ability to cope with unpredictable work patterns as necessitated in community care clinics.

6.    Develop and contribute to the care and management of complex wounds and lower limb complications.

7.    To apply and practice principles of wound management according to the national and local competencies.

8.    Have advance knowledge of dressings and the modes of action and appropriate indications of their use in wound care.

 9.    To have a good working knowledge of high risk biomechanics and its role in wound care and basic musculoskeletal problems.

 10. To recognise the need to request and understand the result of investigations such as all biochemistry including microbiology, x-ray, blood results and scans and to respond appropriately, by prescribing or requesting prescriptions.

 11. To take the lead as part of the clinical diabetes/high risk foot specialist role within the community services and attend network, steering and wider meetings and groups.

 12. To provide diabetes/high risk foot care within the community setting with links to the secondary care and other care services and set up meetings to work in collaboration.

 13. To ensure effective communication of complex sensitive and emotional information to patients e.g. ulcer cares, amputations, Charcot’s and vascular complications.

 14. To be able to recognise hypo/ hyperglycaemia and manage it appropriately and to be able to refer patients directly for diagnostic tests, such as, bloods and to interpret and act accordingly on data provided therein

 15. To refer on urgent/emergency or exceptional cases to other healthcare professionals and communicate (in writing or emails) with other health or social care colleagues to ensure the patient receives other services/ care required.

16. To promote multidisciplinary team working.  To work in close collaboration with the specialist team including diabetologists, vascular surgeons, specialist diabetes nurses/dietitians and tissue-viability specialists in all care settings to ensure a holistic approach to the management of the at-risk and high-risk patient is met.

 17. To support the podiatry clinical network in developing and delivering the CPD training and developing training programme in the specialist area of diabetic and ischaemic foot care.

Managerial/Leadership:

1. To actively participate in and at times lead team meetings as appropriate. 

2. To play an active role in the promotion of quality & safety within the clinical environment.

3. Represent Podiatry service at local and regional meetings as required.

4. To undertake clinical and managerial supervision with staff members designated to you and deputise for the service manager on a rotational basis with other leads in the service where appropriate.

5. To take the lead in interpreting corporate policy and co-creating local guidelines for and with the team to follow.

6. To lead the team of clinicians and support staff in the provision of pro-active high-quality podiatric care and supporting peer reviewing of staff.

7. To be actively involved in the recruitment, selection and local induction of staff.

8. Responsible for organising own workload and responsibilities to meet personal and organisational objectives and using your experience, knowledge and skills to make clinical judgements.  Having highly developed time management skills to create appropriate balance between clinical and managerial roles. 

9. To use the non-clinical time appropriately by using it for but not restricted to audits/research/projects/lead work/meetings/education and training and recording this in the daily rotas.

10. Work with the Service Manager to set work for staff around financial targets, stock management and clinical outcomes.

11. To liaise with Service Manager in setting up new service delivery projects.

12. To undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by the Service Manager.

13. To participate in the services Clinical Governance initiatives and the development and implementation of standards, guidelines and protocols.

Please see the Job description for further information on the expected role.