Detailed job description and main responsibilities

As Clinical Lead you will be:

·       A visible AHP leader and role model for the Podiatry service with the responsibility and

     accountability for professional standards.

•    Professionally accountable and maintain the standards of professional practice as set by the      appropriate regulatory body applicable to your profession or role.

•    Accountable for identifying and ensuring improvements in patient safety, patient experience and effectiveness of service.

•    In conjunction with the Professional Lead for AHPs, lead the implementation and delivery of the

     clinical service improvement plan.

•    Providing expert advice to the Community Division on all Podiatry matters

•    Ensuring effective contribution to the delivery of the organisation’s objectives

•    Providing line management for Senior Podiatrists, Podiatrists, Support Workers and the Admin

     Team.

•    Managing the budget for the service ensuring efficient and effective use of resources

•    Required to contribute to the planning and execution of cost improvement programmes ensuring the quality of care is risk assessed and managed appropriately.

Ensuring safe and effective clinical practice 

• Work with the Professional Lead for AHPs to embed systems to deliver high quality person-centred care with compassion, dignity and respect and good health outcomes. 

• Monitor and ensure Team leaders deliver on-going improvements in standards of Podiatry services through the development of effective systems and processes. 

• Implement agreed systems across the Care Group/Division to evidence and monitor the Podiatry contribution to national and local standards of care. 

• Identify risks relating to Podiatry, developing & implementing action plans to mitigate them as well as alerting the Professional Lead for AHPs and ensuring they are recorded on the appropriate risk register.

• Lead the development of Podiatric research agenda within the Care Group. 

• Engage in clinical practice to develop the skills of others.

• Monitor complaints about Podiatry and incidents related to Podiatry within the Care Group, ensuring appropriate responses and implementation of action plans effectively resolve issues identified. 

• Implement agreed systems to identify opportunities for learning and sharing good practice. 

• Take timely action when professional standards fall short of those acceptable.

• Implement agreed systems to deliver patient safety and prevention of harm assurance. 

• Ensure the implementation and monitoring of practice standards that meet all Infection Prevention standards. 

• Ensure learning from the root cause analyses of incidents, complaints and claims are translated into learning and improvement within designated areas. 

• Participate in a range of formal management processes, investigation, hearing and implementation of findings where Podiatry staff’s professional/personal conduct or professional competency is called into question. 

Enhancing the patient experience 

·   Undertake clinical activity, with a visible presence to patients and staff, whilst monitoring the quality of care and experience of patients in all clinical settings.

· Embed processes to engage patients and the public in service developments, to seek their views on existing services and to respond to their ideas and concerns. 

· Take action to address poor patient experience identified through trend analysis/complaints and report outcomes to Care Group/Division. 

· Lead corrective actions when patients/carers raise concerns regarding care standards.

· Support the effective flow of patients through the service, professionally leading and advising the clinical team to maintain the best patient experience in times of increased demand on capacity. 

· Monitor and identify standards in relation to cleanliness and environment and ensure corrective actions are taken. 

· Respond appropriately to patient concerns and questions raised via PALs and other informal feedback mechanisms.

· Ensure that everyone within sphere of care is treated with dignity and humanity, understanding individual needs, showing compassion and sensitivity, and provide care in a way that respects all people equally. 

Professional Leadership 

·       Provide line management for Podiatrists within service area 

• Oversee the Podiatry pay and non-pay budgets. 

• Provide leadership and direction to all Podiatry staff in designated areas. 

• Undertake annual performance development reviews of Senior Podiatrists ensuring each has a personal development plan to optimise their performance and potential for career progression. 

• Develop and promote a positive culture within the Care Group/Division to enable continuous quality and service improvement. 

• Act in accordance with the HCPC Code –Standards of conduct, performance, and ethics for Podiatrists. 

• Promote a positive image of Podiatry internally and external to the Trust. 

• Be an effective leader of change, embedding a culture of continuous quality improvement. 

• Implement agreed systems to ensure the Podiatry workforce is fit for purpose in relation to statutory and mandatory training. 

• Ensure the HCPC Standards to support learning and assessment in practice for education are met within the department. 

• Provide Clinical Supervision for Podiatry staff within the Care Group/Division. 

• Ensure the Professional Lead for AHPs is briefed on all professional issues within the department. 

• Lead a culture of continuous quality improvement through use of audit, patient feedback and reflection by self and within the designated clinical areas. 

• Participate in the recruitment and selection processes of the Trust. 

Continuous Service Improvement 

• Contribute to the redesign and planning for the modernisation of Podiatry. 

• Facilitate effective multi-disciplinary team working at service level setting clear and measurable improvement outcomes. 

• Monitor and manage the performance of Senior Podiatrists against job descriptions and agreed performance monitoring frameworks.

• Develop and implement an effective workforce plan to support service delivery and quality standards. 

• Contribute to the review and development of roles ensuring they add value to the patient pathway.

• Contribute to a Care Group/Divisional training plan for Podiatry to inform the education and training commissioning and in-house provision. 

Ensuring Effective Contribution to the Delivery of the Organisation’s Objectives 

• Prepare and participate in Divisional/Care Group investigations and disciplinary hearings as required. 

• Take a lead role for defined projects or pieces of work as agreed. 

• Contribute to the delivery of the Trust’s strategic objectives. 

• Work in collaboration with the Professional Lead for AHPs to ensure cross cover arrangements in times of absence. 

• Ensure dissemination of knowledge and implementation of plans related to the organisation’s quality and safety agenda, supporting the preventing harm campaign and adherence to “Always Events”. 

• Demonstrate by self and through designated service areas compliance to the pledges of the NHS Constitution