In line with our commitment to current and future education development we have recruited a highly skilled full-time education officer to the team at Head Office. I am therefore delighted to introduce Samantha (Sam) Connolly who joined the team in April.

As you know, as an organisation we have a long history of supporting professional education at all practice levels in podiatry, chiropody and foot health that dates back to our founding years in the 1930’s. Our Licentiate and Diploma courses in Chiropody were highly regarded in the days before the statutory regulation of Chiropody and Podiatry, whilst in more recent years we have provided various types of postgraduate training that has proved enormously popular in subjects as diverse as steroid therapy, advanced regional anaesthesia, platelet-rich plasma, dermal fillers and botulinum toxin in the feet and associated structures.

Currently, the Institute is one of the board members of the Foot Health Consortium that has been set up by NHS Health Education England to take forward the concept of a structured learning framework in Foot Health that will help to address both the subject of the training standard of the (currently) unregulated FHP workforce, as well as the shortage of student recruitment into University podiatry courses by looking to establish a nationally agreed education framework for the FHP workforce. Such an education and recognised qualification framework is hoped to establish opportunities for level 3, 4 and 5  FHP’s being recognised as able to provide support in the NHS workforce, as well as being an entry ‘staircase’ into University education for those who wish to ultimately complete degree training to gain HCPC registration as a Podiatrist.

There are exciting times ahead in our profession, and I know that you will join me in welcoming Sam and supporting her efforts as she takes us forward into that future!

Martin Harvey, Chair.

Samantha Connelly – introduction:

I am a qualified tutor in Further Education and has worked within FE for 13 years both as a tutor and a personal tutor.  I also have a BSc (hons) degree in Business and Management along with a Foundation degree in Business Information Systems. I have been in Education and Training for the last 21 years and I cannot think of a better profession than to help and support others to achieve their ambitions. I understand the barriers to learning and also how to motivate learners. I am highly skilled in meeting targets and deadlines and in mentoring and supporting learners. I am committed to Education and Learning and Development and have always looked to further my own knowledge as I believe we can always learn.  I have always strived to ensure that every learner maximises their true potential and achieves their goal.

I have coordinated two projects that promoted apprenticeships across Lancashire and built up a network and both apprentices and employers in order to support the project and reach out to all organisations and Schools across Lancashire. Recently I was Learning and Development Coordinator for a port.  I developed all of the tracking and monitoring systems and worked with the tutors in the creation of training manuals and all training documentation in line with Health and safety and quality standards. I enjoy developing systems and I am highly skilled at ensuring quality processes are in place to ensure quality of provision.

I am looking forward to this new chapter in my career with the Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists and in supporting and assisting all of our learners and members in their further development.

We are delighted to announce we have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association. This establishes a solid partnership setting out the intention of our two organisations to work together to ensure good care for people living with and affected by MND.

Six people per day in the UK are diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). MND is a rapidly progressive and terminal disease that attacks the motor neurones in the brain and spinal cord.[1] It can leave people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk and eventually breathe. It affects people from all communities and a person’s lifetime risk of developing MND is around 1 in 300. It kills a third of people within a year and more than half within two years of diagnosis. There is, currently, no cure for MND and whilst research into one continues, other research and therapeutic efforts are firmly focussed on managing symptoms and maximising the quality of life for people living with it.

We will be working with the Association as a therapy group that may be in a position to sign post patients to their GP if we suspect there is an underlying cause to the symptoms we are presented with

[1] 1 Bäumer D, Talbot K and Turner MR. Advances in motor neurone disease. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 2014; 107:14.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about the Association please visit their website www.mndassociation.org which holds excellent information resources, information about current research and contact information MND Connect helpline. Alternatively contact Jennifer Bedford at Jennifer.bedford@mndassociation.org.

Additionally, if you are a Podiatrist and have any experience of Motor Neurone Disease we’d love to hear from you. Email our team media@iop-uk.org

Today, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) has launched its annual Diversity Data Survey to increase its understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) among its registrants. The survey will help the HCPC create and develop strategies, policies and regulatory processes that are inclusive and fair.

Jacqueline Ladds, Executive Director, Policy and External Relations comments:

“We’re committed to being an inclusive and diverse regulator and ensuring that our services are accessible and free from discrimination. We’ve launched this survey so that we can get a better understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion across our professions and use it to inform our improvement work in these key areas.

“We’ll use the findings to help create and develop policies, regulatory processes and strategies, which accurately reflect the diversity of our registrants. That’s why we are asking all our registrants to get involved, to ensure they complete the survey and to spread the word using #HCPCMyEDI.”

As part of HCPC’s commitment to enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion across the professions, the regulator hopes to hear from all HCPC registrants in this survey, which will be open from 15 December 2020 – 14 March 2021.

Since last year, HCPC has pushed for a stronger focus on EDI, with the development of a strategy to engage all stakeholders on these issues. The organisation has also created an EDI Forum, which guides HCPC on a range of relevant issues and concerns. The Forum also provides advice on the development of HCPC policies and procedures. The HCPC also routinely undertakes equality impact assessments for all major pieces of work.

Jacqueline Ladds, Executive Director, Policy and External Relations continues:

“We want to understand the issues that our registrants face and identify the measures that can be put in place to support them better. Our first Diversity Data Survey last year provided a good starting point, but this year we want more registrants to get involved to help create a deeper understanding. We know that sharing this kind of data is incredibly personal, and can feel daunting, but doing so will help us implement the best regulatory policies and processes for registrants and for service users and patients.

“As well as increasing our understanding of the equality, diversity and inclusion issues and challenges faced by our registrants, it will also create a picture of HCPC registered allied health professionals, healthcare scientists and practitioner psychologists in all four countries of the UK, working across health and care settings. This could help address wider workforce planning issues, and boost the understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion issues across the sectors.”

IOCP Midland Regional Director David Ayres has represented The Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists and our membership at the HCPC’s EDI development meetings.

Notes to editors

The Health and Care Professions Council is an independent regulator set up by the Health and Social Work Professions Order 2001. The HCPC keeps a register for 15 different health and care professions and only registers people who meet the standards it sets for their training, professional skills, behaviour and health. The HCPC will take action against professionals who do not meet these standards or who use a protected title illegally.

The HCPC currently regulates 15 health and care professions. Each of these professions has one or more ‘protected titles’. Anyone who uses one of these titles must register with the HCPC. The full list of protected titles can be found here.

Requests for interview should be made through the HCPC Press Office on 07585 992 942 or press@hcpc-uk.org.

We are delighted to have welcomed so many new members. We are run by podiatrists for podiatrists, and with your continued support and invaluable feedback we continue to grow, expanding our connections and networks to bring you the best support, advice, collaborations and of course our unrivalled insurance packages!

Key benefits of IoP membership 2024:

• Community Trade Union – pay monthly trade union advice and support with FREE online learning
• Discounted rates with HMCA
• Regional networking
• Exclusive access and discounted rates to our CPD courses and events

…and all existing membership benefits, including access to industry leading malpractice insurance, quarterly Podiatry Review, monthly e-newsletters, and more interaction with our elect committee for help, advice and support when you need it!

Terms and Conditions of membership

Membership of the Institute of Podiatrists is granted at the absolute discretion of the Membership Committee.

Membership is not an automatic right, it is a benefit for members who adhere to our reasonable rules and treat other members, staff and partners with respect.  We may, in the event of misuse of membership, using reasonable discretion, decide to suspend or terminate your membership at any time.  Failure to pay membership fees is not the only reason to terminate membership, conduct and misuse of membership can also lead to that result, such as, but is not limited to, behaviour which is troublesome or shows lack of respect towards fellow members, staff, or partners; criminal actions; or actions which are generally perceived to be immoral, unethical or contrary to the IoP’s membership rules.  In the event of an application being declined or membership being terminated no correspondence will be entered into.

4 easy ways to renew:

1. Renew online – simply sign in to the members area here iop-uk.org/members/login/

2. Pay by bank transfer 

3. or by direct debit 

4. By phone 01704 546 141

or

join us by visiting https://iop-uk.org/application-form/ leave your details and we’ll do the rest!

NOTE: Colleagues applying for membership from the Republic of Ireland who wish to take advantage of our insurance, please be aware the insurance is tailored to your scope of practice and our insurance partners may need to discuss this with you prior to agreeing cover and premium.

Health Education England, along with the Foot Health Consortium are launching a consultation to seek the views of stakeholders on a draft set of standards for the foot health practitioner and podiatry support workforce.

The consultation will be open from Monday 23 November 2020 – midday Friday 15 February 2021.

The Standards have been developed to support the NHS to effectively use the full skills mix of the foot health workforce to meet demand by providing a clear understanding of the footcare treatments that foot health practitioners and the podiatry support workforce can safely perform. The needs and safety of patients is central in this work.

We would therefore value your feedback about the standards via the consultation and look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions as we take this vital and important next step.

Please visit the HEE consultation webpage for the consultation survey link and two important documents that will help you respond to the consultation.

The Consultation on standards for the non–regulated foot health workforce sets out the background to the work to develop the Standards. It then explains more about how the Standards have been developed and how it is proposed they will be used. The draft Standards on which we are seeking your feedback have been published alongside this consultation document.

Visit the HEE website for the Standards and Consultation document that will accompany the consultation

In 2019, we gathered as a Consortium of Foot Health Leaders to address the problem of the falling recruitment numbers on traditional routes into podiatry. The priority of the Consortium is to develop a foot health career ladder and educational resources that will support and increase the number of podiatrists and podiatry support workers working in the NHS.

The work of the Consortium has enabled a better understanding of the workforce that provides foot care, with the aim of optimising this workforce for the benefit of those who use the services of any practitioner, in England, who work in this arena.

These Foot Health Education and Training Standards are the result of a year’s work to increase the supply of podiatrists in the NHS workforce. We also want to ensure that the NHS recognises the knowledge and skills of the wider foot care support workforce.

The Institute of Chiropodists & Podiatrists has agreed with HMCA to offer discounted rates for medical plans, dental plan, hospital cash plans, travel plan, income protection and vehicle breakdown products.

Are you paying too much for your present private medical plan? Why not take a look at the HMCA plans and compare the benefits and subscriptions offered? You may transfer to HMCA at any age and without a medical examination; there will be no break in protection and there is a 14 day money-back guarantee.

HMCA only offer medical plans to membership groups and can offer up to a 40% discount off the underwriter’s standard rates. This is a comprehensive plan which provides generous cash benefits for surgery and other charges

Who are HMCA? – HMCA has specialised in providing benefits and services to associations and professional groups since the 1970s. HMCA is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

For further information and quotations contact HMCA by telephone on 01423 799949 or visit the exclusive HMCA Institute of Chiropodists & Podiatrists website here: https://www.hmca.co.uk/icp

HMCA/S PLC (trading as Hospital and Medical Care Association, HMCA and HMCA Members) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:307587). HMCA/s PLC is a company registered in England, company number: 01362094, registered office: Beech Hall, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 0EA.

We have updated our suggested ‘traffic light’ system of stop, proceed with caution and go, whilst advising that all specific laws concerning COVID-19 should be rigidly adhered to. We have also advised members of the College of Foot Health to adhere to these standards as well.

Please click here to download your copy

Traffic Lights Nov update

We are proud to work in partnership with Community trade union, we believe a good modern trade union is not only essential to a positive and safe workplace but more importantly gives self-employed workers like us a strong and collective voice.

Community is a proud champion of the five million strong self-employed and freelance community across the UK, including chiropodists and podiatrists.

For many people, self-employment is the answer to finding a good work-life balance and can be extremely rewarding. It can also mean longer hours, less pay, more worry about your finances and employment. By partnering with Community we want to give you that help, as well as campaign on the issues that matter to us as a sector.

As a member of Community, IOCP/COFH members can:

Advice and support

Community union provides advice and support through their service centre of expert legal advisors, dedicated to supporting members with any questions or help members may need.

Whether its advice on client relations, self-assessment tax returns, debt recovery and late payments, welfare benefits, discrimination and health and safety issues – Community can help.

Campaign and organise

By building and strengthening our collective voice as part of Community, we can ensure our voices are heard. Community is a proud campaigning union and the strength of their membership paired with their political affiliations means they can take the issues you care about and make sure they are heard across the UK at every level.

Pay and conditions

Community can support you at work with individual representation to get the best deal, and secure fair treatment and fair pay.

Education and training

By becoming a member of Community, you can access bespoke education and training opportunities that works well for freelancers and the self-employed. This includes access to hundreds of free online courses to develop key business skills.

Discounts and savings

You can save money on a range of leisure, insurance and retail products through Community’s discounts on a range of professional and personal products and services.

To join follow the link from the November members e-newsletter or login to the members area of our website

Join our work to protect and grow the foot health workforce to meet patients’ needs. We are asking the Foot Health Community; Podiatrists, Foot health Practitioners and Assistant Practitioners in Podiatry to watch our webinar and respond to our survey so we can capture feedback from across the professions.

Join the discussion, watch our webinar, complete the survey.