Podiatry Team Leader

• Managing and supporting staff through supervision, appraisal, performance management, recruitment, induction and workforce development.
• Leading and contributing to service improvement projects, quality initiatives, audit programmes and the implementation of evidence-based practice.
• Monitoring service performance, activity and clinical outcomes to support achievement of local and national key performance indicators.
• Providing advanced clinical assessment, diagnosis and treatment for patients with highly complex foot and lower limb conditions.
• Acting as a clinical specialist within an agreed area of practice and providing expert advice and support to colleagues and multidisciplinary teams.
• Delivering and overseeing specialist high-risk podiatry services, including diabetic foot care, wound management, vascular risk assessment and limb preservation pathways.
• Assisting with risk management, patient safety, clinical governance and safeguarding within the team.
• Supporting education, mentorship and continuing professional development for students, newly qualified staff and established clinicians.

• Provide day-to-day management of podiatry staff and support workforce.
• Undertake recruitment, induction, supervision, appraisal and performance management processes.
• Support workforce planning, succession planning and staff development.
• Manage staffing resources and workload allocation to ensure safe and effective service delivery.
• Promote a positive culture of learning, improvement and staff wellbeing.

• Maintain an expert clinical caseload involving patients with complex and high-risk foot conditions.
• Deliver advanced assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning and evaluation of care.
• Provide specialist clinical interventions within agreed areas of expertise including wound care, diabetic foot management, nail surgery and biomechanics.
• Support clinicians with complex decision making and risk management.
• Ensure clinical practice is evidence based and aligned with professional standards and local policies.

• Lead and participate in service redesign, transformation and improvement initiatives.
• Develop and review clinical pathways, policies, protocols and standard operating procedures.
• Monitor service performance and contribute to the achievement of key performance indicators.
• Lead clinical audit, quality assurance and service evaluation activities.
• Promote innovation and identify opportunities to improve patient outcomes and service efficiency.

• Ensure compliance with professional, organisational and regulatory standards.
• Support incident reporting, investigation and shared learning processes.
• Promote patient safety, safeguarding, infection prevention and risk management.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and ensure data quality standards are achieved.

• Provide mentorship, clinical supervision and support for staff and students.
• Promote continuing professional development and evidence-based practice.
• Deliver training and educational opportunities across the team and wider organisation.
• Maintain own professional registration and specialist competencies.

• Develop strong multidisciplinary relationships across health and social care services.
• Represent the podiatry service at internal and external meetings as required.
• Work collaboratively with consultants, GPs, community teams and partner organisations to support integrated care pathways.
• Act as a professional role model and ambassador for the podiatry service.

Essential

• Degree (or equivalent) in Podiatry
• Current HCPC Registration as a Podiatrist
• Evidence of a postgraduate podiatry qualification equivalent to Master's Level
• POM Certificate
• Evidence of continuous and current clinical, professional, leadership and academic development, including attendance at postgraduate courses relevant to the clinical field
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development through maintenance of a professional portfolio

Desirable

• Clinical Leadership qualification or working towards completion
• Evidence of advanced training in high-risk foot management, wound care, vascular assessment or related specialist practice

Essential

• Ability to work across a range of community, clinic and hospital settings as required
• Willingness to undertake further training and professional development

Essential

• Advanced specialist knowledge of podiatry practices, including specialities such as diabetes, peripheral arterial disease, nail surgery, biomechanics and high-risk foot management
• Advanced knowledge of vascular assessment including Doppler ultrasound, ABPI/TBPI and clinical interpretation of findings
• Advanced understanding of wound healing principles, infection management, offloading strategies and prevention of ulcer recurrence
• Advanced knowledge of the evidence base underpinning podiatry practice
• Detailed knowledge of community-based and acute-based podiatry services and care pathways
• Experience of clinical audit, quality improvement, research and service evaluation
• Understanding of Clinical Governance and its application to patient care and service quality
• Experience of supervising, mentoring and supporting less experienced staff, students and assistants
• Knowledge of psychosocial, cultural and behavioural factors affecting health outcomes and treatment adherence
• Experience of working across both community and hospital settings, with the desire to work in both settings