This code states the standards of conduct that the Institute of Podiatrists expects of its members. It is also intended to ensure that members maintain the good reputation of the profession of podiatry
As podiatry/chiropody in the United Kingdom is a legally
regulated profession within the scope of the Health Professions Order 2001 (and
subsequent amendments) attention is specifically drawn to the provisions of
that act and the requirements of the legal entity created for its
implementation; the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The contents of
this document should be read in conjunction with the specific legal obligations
and requirements placed upon Podiatrists and Chiropodists as registrants of the
HCPC. Breaches of such legal requirements would additionally be regarded as
breaches of the Institutes own ethical code and be dealt with in the manner
laid down for such occurrence.
PROFESSIONAL DEFINITION
- "Podiatry/Chiropody”
means the scientific care of the foot and directly related structures of
the lower limb in health and disease in line with the best evidential
paradigms existing at the time of such care.
- "Podiatrist/Chiropodist"
is a protected professional title recognised in law and may only be used
by an individual registered with the HCPC if that practice is within the
United Kingdom. It is a criminal offence for such titles to be used by
anyone who is not currently so registered even if they possess
qualifications which relate to the titles such as diploma, certificates or
degrees in chiropody or podiatry or any variation thereof which could be
taken to imply they are currently registered as Podiatrists/Chiropodists.
Members in practice outside the United Kingdom must comply with any
legislation defining titles and their use that are applicable in their
country of operation.
SCOPE OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
- All
members of the Institute of Podiatrists absolutely agree to always seek to
ensure, to the best of their professional ability and endeavours, that in
dealing with clients they ‘first do no harm’
-
Registered
members of the Institute may undertake the surgical and mechanical
treatment of the foot and its directly related structures within the lower
limb in accordance with their specific training, professional liability
insurance cover and experience. This can include but is not limited to;
abnormal nails, superficial excrescences occurring on the feet, corns,
callosities and verrucae; the corrective and preventive treatment of
congenital or acquired deformities of the feet, and the provision of appropriate
appliances, orthoses and prosthetics. Non-prescription medicines which are
on the ‘General Sales List’ may be utilised by all members in the course
of their professional practice subject to that member having accurate and
comprehensive clinical knowledge of such use.
- UK
members currently HCPC registered as Podiatrists and Chiropodists may
utilise, sell and supply those pharmacy-only medicines which are laid out
in the amendment to the 1968 Medicines act recognised by the UK Medicines
and Healthcare Products Regulations Agency (MHRA) in its guidance
published in November 2006 or such amendments, and/or applicable statutory
instruments, as may from time to time and for the time being be made and
be in force. It is the professional responsibility of registrants to
ensure that they are appropriately trained to utilise such medicines and
that their knowledge is current and in line with the best practices
applying at the time of such use.
- Suitably
trained Podiatrists and Chiropodists with recognised qualifications who
are appropriately registered with the HCPC and annotated for local
anaesthetics (POM – A) and/or prescription only medicines, may
independently upon their own clinical judgement utilise injected local
anaesthetics and supply or administer the range of stated exempted
prescription-only medicines as defined in accordance with the current
legislation applying at any particular time (POM – S). Additionally,
members who are suitably qualified and registered and annotated with the
HCPC as supplementary prescribers may prescribe any appropriate medicine
in line with a clinical management plan agreed between themselves, an
independent prescriber (who must be a Doctor or Dentist with the right to
prescribe such drugs) and the patient referred to in such a plan. It must
be stressed that anaesthetics, exempted medicines and prescribing may only
be utilised by registrants currently so annotated on the HCPC register and
such right of use immediately terminates upon an individual leaving the
register for any reason. Members who are appropriately trained and
currently registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as
‘Independent Prescribers’ may prescribe on their own initiative all UK
licensed medicines for conditions that are within their scope of podiatric
practice and knowledge, subject to any restrictions, changes or amendments
made from time to time by statutory medicines legislation.
- Members
in practice outside the United Kingdom shall at all times comply with any
and all local legislation applying to their professional practice and
conduct.
- The
Institute recognises that an individual’s scope of practice may change due
to additional training or qualifications being undertaken. As a democratic
organisation committed to the ongoing development of the profession of
chiropody/podiatry, it does not seek to arbitrarily define or limit such
scope of practice and actively encourages its members to continue learning
and personal skills development to the very highest levels throughout
their entire professional careers. However, it is both the ethical and
legal duty of all members to only practice at any time within the scope of
their own competence as defined by training or qualifications recognised
by the board of education of the Institute, and within such legislation as
may be applicable at such time of practice.
- A
member has the right to examine, diagnose and treat the conditions for
which he/she has been trained and within the scope of the law, without
reference to a medical practitioner.
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
-
A
member shall at all times uphold the dignity and honour of the profession
in all their actions, manner and dealings with clients and colleagues
alike.
- A
member shall in all cases beyond their scope of practice advise or refer
the patient to consult an appropriately qualified colleague, medical
practitioner or other healthcare professional.
- A
member shall not give treatment to any patient, who to his knowledge is
under the current care of a medical practitioner, for a specific lower leg
or foot problem, without the knowledge of that practitioner.
- A
member shall not for any reason offer treatment and/or advice to any
patient known to be under the care of another member of the Institute
without the consent of such member.
- A
member having been employed as an assistant by another member, shall not
at the termination of such employment, or at any future time attempt to
induce any patient to leave the former employer's practice.
- The
friendly relations which exist between professional persons should not be
affected if another member should set up in practice nearby, or by a
patient changing practitioner. Institute members are expected to use their
discretion in not setting up in close proximity to other members.
- A
member shall not use the logo of the Institute without the written
permission of the Institute.
- A
member shall respect absolutely the confidence of their patients, other
healthcare professionals and medical practitioners. Members must abide by
the requirements of any legislation pertaining to the keeping and use of
personal information regarding patients, whether such information is in
physical or electronic format.
- A
member shall not offer to give tuition in the theory or practice of
Podiatry/Chiropody or Foot Health Care unless he is a tutor, a licensed
teacher, mentor or instructor of the Institute.
- All
Registered Podiatrists/Chiropodists shall:
(i) Abide by the Standards of Proficiency from time to time
required by the Health and Care Professions Council or the Department of Health
in Ireland: and
(ii) abide by the Institute of Podiatrists Standards of
Proficiency from time to time required: and
(iii) maintain a personal profile of their learning
activities and continuous professional development.
PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE
-
All
professional literature utilised by a registrant shall be factual, decent
and accurately reflect the qualifications, professional memberships and
registrations held by the member. In particular the member should not lay
claim to any skills or specialism’s with which they are not competent.
Current laws applicable to advertising shall at all times be complied
with.
PROFESSIONAL TITLES AND QUALIFICATIONS
- As previously stated, Podiatrist and Chiropodits are
titles that may only be used within the United Kingdom by persons
registered with the Health and Care Professions Council whilst such
individuals continue to have such registration. Their use in any other way
is unlawful.
- In the context of their professional podiatry/chiropody
practice, only such qualifications and designatory letters as are
recognised by the Board of Education and Executive Committee
may be publicly used by registrants.
Associates who are not HCPC registered podiatrists and
chiropodists shall use only such title or titles as may be approved from time
to time by the Boards of Ethics and Education of the Institute and shall in no
manner present themselves as, suggest or otherwise imply themselves to be,
podiatrists or chiropodists.
The Institute of Podiatrists Medicines and Procedures
Panel (MaPP)
The current panel is made up of 4 members, each of whom have
a wealth of experience in podiatry. The role of the panel is wide-reaching. Its
primary purpose is that of being an approachable source of definitive, current,
evidence based best-practice advice to institute members on the safety and
efficacy of the medicines and procedures that are currently utilised or
proposed to be introduced by our members. Additionally, the panel is a source
of expertise and professional advice concerning podiatric medicines utilisation
and procedures to the area of wider healthcare and medicine, as well as
responding to requests for advice and assistance from statutory bodies such as
the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulation Agency (MHRA) and others such
as the media. Any member may request current advice or guidance on specific
medicines and procedures matters by contacting the panel via head office.
The panel:
Gaynor Wooldridge is a Consultant Fellow of the
Institute. Currently working in private practice Gaynor has a multidisciplinary
clinic in Kent with a particular interest in injection therapy, specifically
autologous blood, dermal fillers, neural prolotherapy, viscosupplementation and
biotherapeutics.. Gaynor says: “It is a very exciting time for the IoCP
and podiatry, and I will work very hard to offer support and advice to members,
as well as liaising with external bodies to further progress and enhance our
profession”.
Abid Ali is a specialist musculoskeletal
triage podiatrist in the NHS he is also clinical director of the Biomechanix
clinic in Warwick. His specialist interests include injection therapies,
orthotic prescription, ultrasound, sports injuries and paediatric gait
anomalies. He is an experienced lecturer who regularly shares his wide
knowledge with branches and national meetings. He is also a consultant fellow
of the Institute.
Somuz Miah, has an extended-scope primary care
practice in Birmingham and also is a consultant at the Warwick Biomechanix
clinic. Somuz is a podiatrist independent prescriber and has substantial
experience in various pharmaceutical therapies, by injection, topical or oral
routes for a variety of podiatric pathologies. Somuz has taken on the role of
Treasurer for the current IoP executive board. He is also a consultant fellow
of the Institute.
Martin Harvey, has an extended-scope podiatry
practice in a multi-discipline NHS primary care healthcare centre in Tamworth,
Staffordshire. Additionally at this location Martin provides a triage service
for local physicians for suspect skin cancers, before decisions are taken as to
appropriate secondary care referral pathways. Martin is a podiatrist
independent prescriber and also teaches injection therapies for the lower limb
to podiatrists, medical doctors and nurses, both in the UK and overseas. Martin
also has admitting and out-patient consultant privileges at the Priory Hospital
in Birmingham and the Edgbaston Hospital Birmingham.
The Ethics committee. This is a detached board
of the national executive committee that operates in confidence under the
leadership of an elected Director of the national executive. All members are
elected officials of the national executive and bound by a strict confidentiality
agreement. Matters that come within the purview of the committee are not shared
externally to other board members or other members. A confidential secretary
role to the committee is fulfilled by the most senior employee of the IoP, the
company Secretary, who is likewise bound by the confidentiality requirements of
the committee.
The committee meets quarterly as well as being directly
approachable at other times for advice by members with ethics concerns. It is
non-judgmental and has access to confidential independent legal advice on
matters which affect members fitness to practice or similar factors. It is not
a general legal advice facility for any subjects outside ethical matters.
Members wishing to submit matters to the committee should in the first instance
contact the IoP Company Secretary, Jill Burnett- Hurst, in confidence by phone
or letter for guidance on how to proceed.