Point-of-Care Ultrasound for podiatry

HCPC registered podiatrists only.

POCUS, Point-Of-Care Ultra Sound is becoming ever more popular in Healthcare. In Podiatry its usefulness can in many ways be compared to the Vascular Doppler Ultrasound which nowadays most podiatry clinics regard as an essential tool and which is almost universal. POCUS is a point of care diagnostic tool to assist you in gathering the information that you require at the point of you delivering such care or assist you in deciding upon making an appropriate referral. It can give you information in the same way that a vascular doppler, or a Semmes-Weinstein 10g monofilament or a 128 Hz tuning fork, or a Buergers test can. POCUS aid’s your treatment decisions in cases of suspected neuromas, fractures, tendon, ligament and MSK pathologies, epidermoid cysts, arthropathies and so many other encountered scenarios in your clinics.

Cart-based high power machines are exceptionally useful in specialised clinics, but lack the ready usability of the increasing available number of portable (some pocket-sized) ultrasound probes that utilise either smart phones or tablets as the viewing screen.  The probes connect to phone, tablet or iPad by either USB / Lightening connector or Wi-Fi depending on the machines make.,

The virtue of POCUS machines is their relative simplicity of operation compared to that of cart-based wired machines. Many portable POCUS machines have a good selection of pre-configured settings for MSK, vascular, colour, power doppler, guided injections and numerous other day-to-day applications. User- operated settings on such machines, where needed, are virtually all onscreen and easily comprehensible and usable after a surprisingly modest amount of training. Increasingly, the prices of such POCUS  devices are now similar to the cost of a quality autoclave, making them a  truly viable purchase option in all levels of general practice.

The IoP, utilising the advice of leading POCUS advocates, authors and trainers in general and emergency medicine, has produced a course that provides an intensive, invaluable ‘hands-on’ practical day under the guidance of expert POCUS tutors. On completion of this course delegates will be at the required standard to commence immediate use of POCUS in their own practices.

This course is designed to give an appropriate understanding of the basic theory and technology applying to Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) devices which tend to be hand portable and either wired or wireless and operating at more limited frequencies than will be utilised in specialised clinics that are necessarily staffed and operated by highly trained  Sonographers and Radiologists who undergo many years of training and experience to be able to provide a systematic structured assessment. It is purposely designed to not be brand-specific and whilst mentioning and utilising different makes, it in no way is designed to sell or promote one particular brand/product.

Course delegates will complete a full hands-on practical day, utilising various machines, to practice image recognition, identifying important structures and conditions such as:

• Tendons
• Ligaments
• Nerves
• Tissue calcification
• Arthropies
• Neuromas

Course Tutors

Martin Harvey

Martin is a Consultant Podiatrist, he has two clinics in Birmingham, one at hospital dealing with NHS secondary care referrals and a private consulting clinic . When extended medicines use became possible in podiatry, he qualified as one of the very early supplementary prescribers and subsequently worked on the Department of Health independent prescribing project a few years later which successfully developed independent prescribing for Podiatrists and Physiotherapists,  as well as the NICE single prescribing framework project. He is passionate about maximising medicines access and use in podiatry. A special interest for a number of years has been injection therapies which he firmly maintains are grossly underused in both NHS and independent general practice podiatry. As director of education for the Institute of Podiatrists he uses the opportunity of that platform to share his passions about  the foregoing.

Gaynor Wooldridge

Gaynor Wooldridge, is a consultant podiatrist working within a multidisciplinary clinic in Kent. She has a passion and commitment to the field of foot health, with special interests in research, injection therapies, wound care and diabetes. She is a great believer that continuing professional development is central to the ‘lifelong learning’ approach so vital within healthcare.

This is an accredited Certificate in the Introduction and Application of POCUS use in Podiatry by The Institute of Podiatrists.

Lunch and refreshments are provided.

CQC registration is NOT required for the use of POCUS. Use of POCUS and Ultrasound is covered by Band 4 insurance of The Institute of Podiatrists