Job summary The lead podiatrist is responsible for the strategic development, leadership and effective delivery of patient care with regards the prevention and management of diabetic foot disease. Recognised as an inspirational leader, advanced practitioner and clinical expert, they will work closely with other members of the MDT to improve the patient experience and clinical outcome and act as a key advisor for advancing podiatry practice locally and at regional, national and international level. The post-holder will be responsible for professionally leading and managing the hospital podiatry team to provide clinically effective and efficient services to patients. The post-holder will develop and provide training and education programmes about diabetic foot care and foot disease to all levels of staff and disciplines. Main duties of the job This post demands expert theoretical and practical knowledge of six core functions: 1. Clinical and professional leadership 2. Education 3. Quality and service development 4. Expert clinical practice 5. People management 6. Research and Evaluation About us Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence, and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel. In 2023NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the ten core principles Oxford University Hospitals promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment. If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism. Date posted 03 April 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 8a Salary £53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number 321-MRC-7070679-B8A Job locations Churchill Hospital Old Road Headington OX3 7LE Job description Job responsibilities 1. Clinical and Professional Leadership To provide clinical leadership and lead and develop a team of highly specialist podiatrists in the field of diabetic foot care. To provide appropriate advice on care practices, delivery and service development to both podiatrists working within the Diabetic Foot Pathway and other professions. To provide podiatry advice at the highest level to colleagues. To lead change across professional and organisational boundaries by developing and sustaining appropriate relationships, partnerships and networks to influence and improve outcomes. To maintain effective communication with other departments and services in order to ensure the best clinical outcomes. To guide and develop best practice clinical guidelines and standards, locally, nationally, and internationally, in order to enable the delivery of specialist services. To provide visionary leadership, motivating and inspiring others to deliver the best, multi- disciplinary, integrated care for people with diabetic foot disease. To facilitate change, practice development and robust evaluation of services and practice To explore and facilitate opportunities for change, facilitate staff ownership of change, and ensure robust systems of evaluation are in operation. To contribute to debates within the multi-professional arena by challenging current structures/traditional ways of working which may limit or inhibit services and to facilitate innovative ways of working in partnership with other care providers, when appropriate. To promote and facilitate patient and public involvement in the planning and delivery of client centred, evidence based practice. To promote and demonstrate best practice and advanced theoretical and practical skills at all times by integrating evidence into practice and creating innovative ways of incorporating new evidence into service delivery. To provide professional leadership for the podiatry service and provide Senior Management/Clinical Commissioning Groups with professional advice regarding podiatry services in relation to diabetic foot disease as and when required. To deliver professional leadership in national fora, representing podiatry and/or OUH NHSFT. 2. Education To lead and review the educational needs of the service and Diabetic Foot Pathway. To lead on the design and delivery of a best practice, evidence based model of diabetic foot care. To be responsible for the design and delivery of education and professional development programmes for staff. To promote and facilitate the development of a learning environment amongst the MDT by facilitating and supporting reflective practice and work based learning so that Podiatry services continuously improve and develop. To maintain and foster genuine partnerships with higher education institutions and other professional AHP bodies To provide expert education and training in Podiatry, locally, nationally and internationally by lecturing, training and through publishing in professional journals. To develop and undertake highly skilled teaching programmes for staff that support professional and personal development. To contribute to the development of guidelines and standards at local and national level and international level. 3. Practice and service development To lead and review the service provision and delivery. To contribute to client-centred services, working in partnership to provide seamless care across traditional health and social work boundaries, with team leaders, managers and service providers. To develop and evaluate models of service delivery which are patient focussed as part of a cycle of continuous service improvement. To promote and demonstrate evidence-based best practice, integrating current research theory into practice, through an advanced level of clinical reasoning and decision making and displaying innovative methods of incorporating new evidence into service delivery. To guide and develop best practice clinical guidelines and standards, locally, nationally, and internationally, in order to enable the delivery of specialist services. To explore and facilitate opportunities for change, facilitate staff ownership of change, and ensure robust systems of evaluation are in operation to ensure appropriate change management. To clarify referral pathways and establish new efficient working practices to facilitate timely, safe and appropriate discharges. To consistently evaluate systems of care, rehabilitation and research and plan for service development and improvement. To oversee the delivery of targets in line with national targets. To lead and present annual service reviews of Podiatry services. 4. Expert Clinical Practice To have overall responsibility for a caseload of complex patients with active diabetic foot disease. To assess highly complex cases using a range of assessment and diagnostic methods and reach valid, reliable and comprehensive conclusions and diagnoses. To provide expert clinical advice across the multi-disciplinary team. To undertake a detailed physical and psychosocial assessment of complex patients by using investigative and analytical skills and expert clinical reasoning in order to establish diagnosis and implement an appropriate treatment plan. To be responsible for the diagnosis and subsequent management of highly specialised treatment of patients with diabetic foot disease. To practice at an advanced level beyond the scope of podiatry treatments including referral for and interpretation of investigations (MR scans, X-ray, Pathology tests). To assess patients understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid consent, and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the ability to consent to treatment. To practice and promote confidentiality at all times, and adhere to data protection legislation, also ensuring that all staff do likewise. To provide advice to patients/ carers / families regarding treatment and future options available to them, often presenting complex and highly sensitive information to people with complex communication deficits which will require a high level of interpersonal and communication skills. To provide expert advice regarding the management of patients with diabetic foot disease to other podiatrists and healthcare professionals. 5. People Management To oversee the management of the hospital podiatry team. To supervise and act as a mentor to all grades of qualified and unqualified podiatry staff and students within the service. To contribute a professional perspective regarding the analysis of training required to support staff in their CPD. To maintain a cycle of appraisal for members of these teams including creation of personal development plans and identification of areas for development and recognition of personal strengths. To advise on issues relating to workforce planning within the specialist field. To maintain overall budgetary responsibility for the department. 6. Research and evaluation To support best practice in the clinical area and promote evidence based practice. To consider the outcomes of relevant research, evaluations and audits and work with relevant teams to implement research findings into everyday work. To guide practice development by supporting a culture of research and enabling staff at all levels to develop research skills and to integrate these into practice. To facilitate research in relation to podiatry practice and to support others in completing research projects. To create opportunities for research through the identification of gaps in evidence, knowledge or practice To lead service evaluation through selection and design of complex clinical audit, and through the dissemination and implementation of the findings. To support peer review. To collaborate with Trust nursing and AHP consultants to ensure a consistent approach to supporting research and evidence use. The job description is not intended to be exhaustive and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the post holder. The post holder might be required to work across the Trust at any time throughout the duration of his/her contract, which may entail travel and working at different hospital. Job description Job responsibilities 1. Clinical and Professional Leadership To provide clinical leadership and lead and develop a team of highly specialist podiatrists in the field of diabetic foot care. To provide appropriate advice on care practices, delivery and service development to both podiatrists working within the Diabetic Foot Pathway and other professions. To provide podiatry advice at the highest level to colleagues. To lead change across professional and organisational boundaries by developing and sustaining appropriate relationships, partnerships and networks to influence and improve outcomes. To maintain effective communication with other departments and services in order to ensure the best clinical outcomes. To guide and develop best practice clinical guidelines and standards, locally, nationally, and internationally, in order to enable the delivery of specialist services. To provide visionary leadership, motivating and inspiring others to deliver the best, multi- disciplinary, integrated care for people with diabetic foot disease. To facilitate change, practice development and robust evaluation of services and practice To explore and facilitate opportunities for change, facilitate staff ownership of change, and ensure robust systems of evaluation are in operation. To contribute to debates within the multi-professional arena by challenging current structures/traditional ways of working which may limit or inhibit services and to facilitate innovative ways of working in partnership with other care providers, when appropriate. To promote and facilitate patient and public involvement in the planning and delivery of client centred, evidence based practice. To promote and demonstrate best practice and advanced theoretical and practical skills at all times by integrating evidence into practice and creating innovative ways of incorporating new evidence into service delivery. To provide professional leadership for the podiatry service and provide Senior Management/Clinical Commissioning Groups with professional advice regarding podiatry services in relation to diabetic foot disease as and when required. To deliver professional leadership in national fora, representing podiatry and/or OUH NHSFT. 2. Education To lead and review the educational needs of the service and Diabetic Foot Pathway. To lead on the design and delivery of a best practice, evidence based model of diabetic foot care. To be responsible for the design and delivery of education and professional development programmes for staff. To promote and facilitate the development of a learning environment amongst the MDT by facilitating and supporting reflective practice and work based learning so that Podiatry services continuously improve and develop. To maintain and foster genuine partnerships with higher education institutions and other professional AHP bodies To provide expert education and training in Podiatry, locally, nationally and internationally by lecturing, training and through publishing in professional journals. To develop and undertake highly skilled teaching programmes for staff that support professional and personal development. To contribute to the development of guidelines and standards at local and national level and international level. 3. Practice and service development To lead and review the service provision and delivery. To contribute to client-centred services, working in partnership to provide seamless care across traditional health and social work boundaries, with team leaders, managers and service providers. To develop and evaluate models of service delivery which are patient focussed as part of a cycle of continuous service improvement. To promote and demonstrate evidence-based best practice, integrating current research theory into practice, through an advanced level of clinical reasoning and decision making and displaying innovative methods of incorporating new evidence into service delivery. To guide and develop best practice clinical guidelines and standards, locally, nationally, and internationally, in order to enable the delivery of specialist services. To explore and facilitate opportunities for change, facilitate staff ownership of change, and ensure robust systems of evaluation are in operation to ensure appropriate change management. To clarify referral pathways and establish new efficient working practices to facilitate timely, safe and appropriate discharges. To consistently evaluate systems of care, rehabilitation and research and plan for service development and improvement. To oversee the delivery of targets in line with national targets. To lead and present annual service reviews of Podiatry services. 4. Expert Clinical Practice To have overall responsibility for a caseload of complex patients with active diabetic foot disease. To assess highly complex cases using a range of assessment and diagnostic methods and reach valid, reliable and comprehensive conclusions and diagnoses. To provide expert clinical advice across the multi-disciplinary team. To undertake a detailed physical and psychosocial assessment of complex patients by using investigative and analytical skills and expert clinical reasoning in order to establish diagnosis and implement an appropriate treatment plan. To be responsible for the diagnosis and subsequent management of highly specialised treatment of patients with diabetic foot disease. To practice at an advanced level beyond the scope of podiatry treatments including referral for and interpretation of investigations (MR scans, X-ray, Pathology tests). To assess patients understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid consent, and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the ability to consent to treatment. To practice and promote confidentiality at all times, and adhere to data protection legislation, also ensuring that all staff do likewise. To provide advice to patients/ carers / families regarding treatment and future options available to them, often presenting complex and highly sensitive information to people with complex communication deficits which will require a high level of interpersonal and communication skills. To provide expert advice regarding the management of patients with diabetic foot disease to other podiatrists and healthcare professionals. 5. People Management To oversee the management of the hospital podiatry team. To supervise and act as a mentor to all grades of qualified and unqualified podiatry staff and students within the service. To contribute a professional perspective regarding the analysis of training required to support staff in their CPD. To maintain a cycle of appraisal for members of these teams including creation of personal development plans and identification of areas for development and recognition of personal strengths. To advise on issues relating to workforce planning within the specialist field. To maintain overall budgetary responsibility for the department. 6. Research and evaluation To support best practice in the clinical area and promote evidence based practice. To consider the outcomes of relevant research, evaluations and audits and work with relevant teams to implement research findings into everyday work. To guide practice development by supporting a culture of research and enabling staff at all levels to develop research skills and to integrate these into practice. To facilitate research in relation to podiatry practice and to support others in completing research projects. To create opportunities for research through the identification of gaps in evidence, knowledge or practice To lead service evaluation through selection and design of complex clinical audit, and through the dissemination and implementation of the findings. To support peer review. To collaborate with Trust nursing and AHP consultants to ensure a consistent approach to supporting research and evidence use. The job description is not intended to be exhaustive and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the post holder. The post holder might be required to work across the Trust at any time throughout the duration of his/her contract, which may entail travel and working at different hospital. Person Specification Shortlisting criteria Essential Registered podiatrist Specialist knowledge of podiatry and special interest in diabetes podiatry Experience working autonomously and unsupervised Desirable Master's degree Extensive experience working at senior level Person Specification Shortlisting criteria Essential Registered podiatrist Specialist knowledge of podiatry and special interest in diabetes podiatry Experience working autonomously and unsupervised Desirable Master's degree Extensive experience working at senior level 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Address Churchill Hospital Old Road Headington OX3 7LE Employer's website https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)