Podiatry and Musculoskeletal (MSK) Foot and Ankle Services
Are you looking for a rewarding career in the community where you could make a real difference to the lives of people.
Our Podiatry Service provides specialist care for patients with complex medical conditions that place their lower limbs at high risk of complications, such as diabetes. The team delivers expert assessment and management for urgent and painful foot conditions, playing a vital role in preventing deterioration and improving quality of life.
Clinicians are involved in a wide range of interventions, including acute wound care, minor surgery (such as nail avulsion), pain-relieving treatments, and tailored self-management advice. The service also undertakes screening and ongoing care for patients at moderate to high risk of developing foot complications related to their medical conditions.
The team works closely within secondary care multidisciplinary diabetic foot clinics, contributing specialist podiatry expertise alongside other healthcare professionals.
In addition, the Podiatry Service collaborates closely with the MSK Foot and Ankle Service, supporting orthopaedic triage assessments delivered by advanced practitioners with skills in imaging, injection therapy, and referral to secondary care. This includes providing specialist clinical assessments, gait analysis, and conservative management of non-traumatic and non-post-operative musculoskeletal foot and ankle conditions.
This role offers the opportunity to work within a highly skilled, collaborative environment, applying advanced clinical skills while making a meaningful difference to patients with complex needs.
The Podiatry Service forms part of Sirona’s specialist services division, providing care to patients across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) under our community NHS contract. The service delivers care from a number of bases across BNSSG, including outpatient clinics and GP practices. Podiatry also delivers a restricted domiciliary service for those people who are chair/bedbound. They receive referrals from GPs, Consultants and other healthcare professionals. Services and as part of an integrated system pathway refer patients onto specialist foot services in our acute providers where our Podiatrists work alongside diabetologists and vascular and orthopaedic surgeons.
Meet Our Teams
Our High-Risk Podiatry Service delivers both preventative and acute care to adults with diabetes who have moderate, high, or active foot risk, as well as to people with complex medical conditions whose foot health places them at increased risk of complications.
The team also provides nail surgery assessment and treatment for adults and children aged 7 years and over who present with ingrown toenails causing localised tissue damage.
Care is delivered across clinical and domiciliary settings, with clinicians working closely alongside primary care teams, community nursing services, and other specialist services to ensure coordinated, patient-centred care.
The service operates across 19 clinical sites covering Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, offering a varied and dynamic working environment.
Our multidisciplinary team includes approximately 58 staff, made up of podiatrists, support workers, and administrative colleagues, all working together to deliver high-quality care to our communities.
The clinical team is supported by dedicated operational, wound care, nail surgery, diabetes and vascular leads providing strong clinical leadership, governance and opportunities for specialist development.
The Podiatry Service delivers specialist care within multidisciplinary outpatient diabetic foot clinics at North Bristol Trust (Southmead Hospital) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (Weston General Hospital).
These clinics support people with urgent diabetic foot conditions, including active foot ulcers and Charcot, using a coordinated multidisciplinary team approach to optimise patient outcomes. The podiatry team works closely alongside vascular and orthopaedic consultants, diabetologists, orthotists, plaster technicians, and specialist nurses, ensuring timely assessment and comprehensive management.
As the acute end of the diabetic foot pathway, these clinics play a critical role in preventing deterioration and reducing the risk of serious complications. Clinicians rotate into the service to develop, maintain, and enhance specialist diabetic foot skills, supported by a structured competency framework.
The MSK Foot and Ankle Service is delivered by a team of expert clinicians, including podiatrists and orthotists, who use their clinical expertise, evidence, and shared decision-making to determine the best course of care for each patient.
The team focuses on diagnosis and creating individualised treatment plans that support patient self-care, rehabilitation, and the use of orthoses, referring patients to the MSK Interface Foot and Ankle Service for further investigations when required.
As a small, collaborative team, they work closely with Extended Scope Podiatrists, MSK Physiotherapy, and the High-Risk Podiatry Service, ensuring coordinated, multidisciplinary care across services.
The MSK Interface Foot and Ankle Service is delivered by a specialist team of two Extended Scope Podiatrists, working in close partnership with Sirona’s MSK Interface Service.
The team provides advanced assessment and treatment for people with musculoskeletal foot and ankle conditions, including associated soft tissue symptoms. Referrals are typically for patients who have already completed appropriate conservative management, such as lifestyle modification, pain management strategies, and medication advice.
Following comprehensive assessment, treatment may include steroid injections where appropriate. Clinicians can also refer for further investigations, including X-ray, MRI, and ultrasound, and make onward referrals to orthopaedics when indicated.
What is it like to live and work here?
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, in the South West of England, are stunning parts of the country and they have great contrasts.
Countryside walks, the seaside, one of the UKs best cities to live in, vibrant culture, diverse communities – just some of the best bits we love about these areas (even on the rainy days!).
Click the images to find out what we love most about…
We love Bristol because of its energetic and culturally diverse people. And we’re not the only ones because Bristol has been named as one of the UK’s best places in the Sunday Times Best Places to Live Guide in 2022.
Home of the International Balloon Fiesta and infamous street artist, Banksy, you can
immerse yourself in the vibrant arts and culture. Renowned for its urban landscape and quirky, Bohemian feel, Gloucester Road has a variety of places to eat as well as authentic independent shops.
With excellent transport links such as bus routes and cycle paths, it’s convenient to get around – we even have environmentally friendly buses! If you love sports and music, or enjoy a foodie festival, Bristol has a lot to offer – learn about our history and be inspired by our heritage.
Portishead is North Somerset’s second largest town after Weston-super-Mare and is filled
with charm and character. Surrounded by natural beauty, experience the iconic woodland and coastal views.
with charm and character. Surrounded by natural beauty, experience the iconic woodland and coastal views.
With beautiful sandy beaches and countryside to explore – it’s a great way to spend quality time together. Discover the stunning scenery or picture the peaceful scenes in North
Somerset’s quaint, rural villages.
We recommend taking a daytrip to the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare, famous for its donkey rides on the beach and amuse yourself for hours in the arcades. Or why not take a stroll along Clevedon’s famous pier?
Nearby Nailsea is close to the sea, yet right on the doorstep of Bristol’s bustling city life. If you’re looking to travel abroad, Bristol Airport is conveniently situated in North Somerset, just eight miles south of central Bristol, and is easily accessed by car, coach or bus.
South Gloucestershire is a place of outstanding natural beauty and has much to offer with
its characterful market towns and historic buildings, yet modern and contemporary feel. Picture acres of open green spaces – great for picnics in the park. Or explore the countryside by foot or bicycle and stop for a coffee along the way.
its characterful market towns and historic buildings, yet modern and contemporary feel. Picture acres of open green spaces – great for picnics in the park. Or explore the countryside by foot or bicycle and stop for a coffee along the way.
Situated near to Bristol and Bath and just a bridge away from beautiful South Wales, there are plenty of places to relax, socialise and meet new people, within just a few miles. You’ll have the best of both worlds with the city and the countryside close to home.
Or if you’re thinking of planning your next trip - why not leave the car at home? Bristol Parkway train station is easily accessible and offers convenience with a variety of trains frequently servicing the UK.
Want to be part of the team?
Did you know we offer NHS benefits including salary and pension? As an NHS Agenda for Change employer, we recognise continuous and reckonable service from other NHS employers. What this means for you, is to join us, you won’t lose out on accrued reckonable service benefits such as holiday entitlement, occupational sick pay and maternity pay.
Find out more and apply
If you have any questions or would like any further information before submitting your application, you can talk to:
Samantha Draper
Clinical and Operational Lead for Podiatry and MSK Foot and Ankle Services
Email samantha.draper@nhs.net
Do we offer any Apprenticeships?
Learn and Grow – would you like to advance your clinical skills with a training scheme which pays?
Sirona’s learn and grow your own ethos means that, whether you are 16 or 66, you can progress your career with us. Many of our staff joined us when they left school and have since progressed with us to achieve professional and academic qualifications.
Our Learning and Organisational Development & Design team will support you. Our extensive learning and development opportunities include an impressive range of apprenticeships, mandatory training, and additional support for IT, numeracy and literacy skills.
At Sirona, we offer Apprenticeships, Preceptorships, T-Levels and Work Experience.
Click on the video below to watch what it is like to join Sirona in the Podiatry team.
Resources
Leaflet Library
Musculoskeletal (MSK) Services – Leaflet Library
Sirona care & health Podiatry Service
