Clinical Specialist Podiatrist (Diabetes) Permanent Contract. Full Time Hours. Purpose of the Role: The Podiatrist, Clinical Specialist will be responsible for leading the development and provision of a high-quality service to patients with active diabetic foot disease. In this role the Clinical Specialist Podiatrist, will be responsible for the co-ordination of strategic planning and development of specialist diabetes foot services in the MUH including integration with podiatry services in the Community Healthcare Networks (CHN) and the Chronic Disease hubs. The Clinical Specialist Podiatrist will: As a member of a multidisciplinary team, undertake specialist assessment of patients who have active diabetic foot disease. Work inter- professionally liaising closely with the other members of the MDT. Provide expert clinical leadership to the developing MUH Foot Protection team. Be responsible for the provision of a high-quality service. Work in conjunction with other team members in coordinating and developing the service to meet the needs of the service user group and the objectives of the organisation. Develop, manage and evaluate the Podiatry service in conjunction with other MDT members as deemed necessary to meet objectives and service key performance indicators. Possess skills and expertise greater than those expected of a senior grade therapist. This includes research and prior experience in development work on topics and techniques related to active diabetic foot disease. Develop Podiatry service in line with relevant national Clinical Care Programmes andevidence based podiatry practice. Develop and maintain high standards of clinical practice within this area through clinical evaluation, audit opportunities and evidence-based practice. Contribute to a structured process for education of colleagues, undergraduates and other disciplines in this clinical specialist area in collaboration with peers. Clinical Practice: Act as a recognised expert podiatric resource for specialised clinical advice to patients, peers and other MDT members. Ensure professional standards are maintained in accordance with The College of Podiatry (UK) Guidelines on Minimum Standards of Clinical Practice for Podiatry. Responsibility for own clinical and administrative practices in line with MUH policies procedures and guidelines as well as national models of care and national podiatric best practice. Treat and manage a specialist clinical caseload for those with diabetic foot disease. Undertake specialist podiatry treatments and interventions as appropriate to your grade, skills and competencies in the acute setting. Provide standardised high-quality diabetes foot management to patients with active Diabetes foot disease. Adhere to national and international guidelines on diabetes foot management. Develop specialised, tailored management plans following an in-depth accurate assessment and diagnosis of the patient, using highly advanced and specialist skills in patient management. Ensure timely referral to other services in the foot protection team or other as required. Ensure the service is integrated with podiatry services in the Community Healthcare Networks and Chronic Disease Hubs. Identify the need for change in own clinical practice, and that of colleagues, within the context of changing demographics, economic and legislative needs. Provide clinical leadership that will influence and assist in the development of quality improvements in diabetes foot management. Have in-depth understanding and knowledge of a wide range of podiatric interventions and be able to apply them in a clinical setting as required. (Nail surgery, rheumatoid Arthritis, MSK). Quality, Safety and Risk Management: Work in a safe manner with due care and attention to the safety of self and others. Implement internationally developed standards in care for the diabetes foot and avail of evidence based interventions to achieve these standards as agreed locally. Develop and review appropriate clinical care pathways for patients with diabetes and facilitate these with other specialists within the team and wider networks. Ensure that every patient is to be treated as an individual and provided with a high quality service in terms of dignity courtesy, kindness, interest and efficiency. Lead and collaborate on the development and implementation of local and national standards of practice, clinical protocols and clinical pathways for diabetes foot management. Actively participate in relevant Special Interest Groups including local governance and implementation groups on a regular basis as required. Support and stimulate and partake in research in your specialist area. Participate in local and national audit, benchmarking and quality assurance measures in own specialist area and facilitate these in the National Diabetes Programme. Participate in the development, co-ordination and implementation of strategy relevant to the National Clinical Programme for Diabetes or other HSE developed programmes for the diabetic foot. Provide clinical and non-clinical risk management, set standards and measure clinical effectiveness in own specialist area. Research, Audit, Evaluation and Development: Implement research and audit tools to improve clinical practice and patient outcomes. Use work items provided by the MUH in accordance with training and instructions, including personal protective equipment. Develop and review policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines for managing diabetes patient care within the acute setting. Plan, develop and review innovative service developments across own specialist services within the team. Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role and your working environment for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc. and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role. Work Practice: Provide a specialist podiatry service for those with active diabetic foot disease in the acute setting across all care settings- in-patient and out-patient. Liaise with other members of the foot protection team, patients, carers and others, on matters relating to the management and treatment of diabetes patients with active foot disease Provide clinical support to the foot protection team members and networks by maintaining an effective range of communication skills to instruct, inform, and negotiate to achieve active patient participation, a cohesive approach to treatment and successful case management. Be responsible for collating and monitoring data relating to the specialist area and to prepare activity reports on this area. Participate in collaborative interdisciplinary research Implement agreed policies, procedures and safe professional practice by adhering to relevant legislation, regulations and standards. Participate in the business planning aspect of the diabetes specialist team and contribute to the business planning process for the Podiatry service. Participating in business planning aspect of diabetes foot protection service in relation to biomechanical services, aids and appliances and orthoses. Partake in the allocation of work amongst staff within the clinical area so as to ensure a high standard of service to patients and a good staff morale. Education and Development: Provide case supervision to less experienced Podiatrists in own specialist clinical area. Oversee the mentorship and supervision of podiatry students. Remain up to date with all MUH mandatory training, complete MUH induction training. Maintain a personal development plan with the relevant podiatry clinical grade and Podiatry management. Be committed to personal development and acquisition of further skills and knowledge in own specialist clinical area in order to maintain and further develop a high level of clinical expertise. Plan, develop and provide specialist training / teaching for podiatry staff within the MUH to facilitate others in the setting up of new and the further development of clinical services for diabetes foot management. In collaboration with all members of the FPT, the Clinical Specialist Podiatrist (Diabetes) will lead on providing diabetic foot education MUH staff. Supervise, mentor and provide peer support of less experienced members of staff within the team. Liaise with relevant outside agencies such as universities and professional bodies in order to promote the profession. Each candidate must on the latest date for receipt of completed application form to this office possess: 1. Statutory Registration, Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc. Eligible applicants will be those who on the closing date for the competition: (i) Be registered, or be eligible for registration, on the Podiatrists Register maintained by the Podiatrists Registration Board at CORU. AND (ii) Hold the B.Sc (Hons) Podiatry at level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) maintained by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), National University of Ireland, OR (iii) Hold the B.Sc (Hons) Podiatric Medicine at level 8 on the NFQ maintained by QQI National University of Ireland, OR (iv) Possess a qualification equivalent to (i) or (ii) which has been validated by the Department of Health, OR (v) Be on the list of Podiatrists / Chiropodists approved by the HSE to practice in the publicly funded health service on or before 30th April 2010. AND Must demonstrate evidence of continuing professional development relevant to the required area of specialism, in the form of post-graduate qualifications or courses relevant to a specialist diabetes foot service. Have 5 years full time (or equivalent) post qualification clinical experience of which 4 years must be consecutive in the required area of specialism. Must demonstrate achievement in the areas of clinical audit, quality improvement initiatives, practice development, teaching and research. Must possess the requisite knowledge and ability, (including a high standard of suitability, management, leadership and professional ability), for the proper discharge of the duties of the office. Closing Date: 1pm on Tuesday, 8th July 2025. MUH reserve the right to create a panel for this post from which permanent, fixed term and specified purpose vacancies of a full or part time duration may be filled. Mercy University Hospital (MUH): MUH is a growing voluntary hospital in the heart of Cork City. We have over 1,500 staff providing complex diagnostic, medical and surgical care through our inpatient, day patient, outpatient and emergency services. We are a teaching hospital, a centre of national and international excellence, and are renowned for our research and tertiary services. Providing 24/7 acute surgical, acute medical and critical care, MUH now has multiple sites across the city and continues to expand. We support staff development with approx. 100 promotions annually.We prioritise work life balance with 28% of our team working part time hours. We offer nationally agreed enhanced Salary Scales, Pension Scheme, excellent holidays, canteen, and Study Leave and Assistance.From Cardiac Care to Intensive Care, our varied specialist services offer real career choice to our team.And we live by our 5 Core Values ofCompassion, Excellence, Justice, Respect and Team Spirit. Skills: CORU Reg Podiatry Qualification Exp in Diabetes Care