Point-of-Care Ultrasound for podiatry

HCPC registered clinicans 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 combines initial theoretical online e-Learning, an intensive, invaluable ‘hands-on’ practical day under the guidance of expert POCUS tutors, and required completion of a six procedure short post-practical reflective analysis log to rapidly bring delegates to 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.

The course utilises as a handbook (provided); ‘Ultrasound For The Generalist’ edited by Dr Sarb Clare MBE and Dr Chris Duncan who describe POCUS as: ‘the use of ultrasound to answer key clinical questions that have been guided by the conventional history ‘ and who go on to state ‘It is an invaluable tool in the arsenal of general clinicians and can avoid unnecessary delay in the confirmation and identification of pathology’

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 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.

Each course delegate will receive a copy of ‘Ultrasound for the generalist, a guide to point of care ultrasound’ Dr Sarb Clare, that will form part of the pre-practical reading.

CPD and accreditation; Delegates will be asked to complete a brief reflective logbook of six POCUS examinations carried out after the course, sending an anonymised copy to the education department for constructive review by a faculty member will generate a ‘part 2’ certificate in addition to the ‘part 1’ which will be issued once the pre-course theory (online) and the practical workshop day have been attended.

This course will be held at the postgraduate education centre, City Hospital, Nottingham. Cadaver foot and ankle models will be used.

Lunch is provided on the practical training day.

CQC registration is NOT required for the use of POCUS. This course is accredited by The Institute of Podiatrists and is covered by the Institutes insurance.