What is a Foot Health Practitioner?
A Foot Health Practitioner’s primary role is to help people with their foot problems, not just by using treatments but also giving advice on the type of shoes and hosiery they should wear to keep their feet in a healthy condition.
There are many foot conditions that you will be taught to recognise and either treat or refer on where necessary. You will also be shown how to refer patients to a Chiropodist/Podiatrist or a General Practitioner for further treatment where appropriate.
Part of the training will include practice management which will assist you with setting up and promoting your own practice to give you the right start in your new career.
Once fully trained, how you practice will be up to you as long as you remain within your given scope of practice. Most people start by providing a domiciliary (home visit) service since the initial overheads for this are less than that of a clinic-based practice.
The main areas you will be dealing with will be cutting and thinning nails as well as the treatment of ingrowing toe nails. You will also be shown the best way to treat fungal nail infection. As well as toe nails you will be shown and trained on how to remove callus (hard skin), how to remove corns and how verrucae can be treated. You will also be shown how to construct pads to deflect pressure away from sensitive areas.
A caring career
Most people will develop foot problems at some stage in their lives, and as the average age of the population increases, so does the demand for the services of Foot Health Practitioners. The services provided will range from relatively minor disorders to major disabling problems.
When patients present in discomfort and you, as a Foot Health Practitioner, are able to alleviate, prevent, or correct these disorders, great satisfaction can be derived from this and the gratitude expressed by patients following treatment.
Prospects
More trained Foot Health Practitioners are required not only to accommodate the population increase but also to promote awareness of preventing and treating foot disorders.
Just as importantly, with the decline in foot treatment available under the NHS, there is now even more need for Foot Health Practitioners.
Every patient is different and during your career you could meet and care for hundreds of people.