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Students and foot & health practitioners

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by StudentPod28, Aug 20, 2017.

  1. StudentPod28

    StudentPod28 Member


    Members do not see these Ads. Sign Up.
    I recently noticed that foot and health practitioners can practice covered by P/L insurance after a short course, as a level two student Pod would it be possible for me to start a part time business offering a similar service to FHP?
     
  2. William Fowler

    William Fowler Active Member

    You can.
    However, why would you want to engage in a professional activity that was designed to get around the health professional registration laws? That is an ethical and moral decision that you will have to make.
     
  3. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    Your question makes no sense. FHPs can practice with no training whatsoever. Or they can train, and work with PI insurance. There is also a route for FHPs to become final year Pod students (which I think is what you are alluding to) - then Pods like the rest of us.
     
  4. StudentPod28

    StudentPod28 Member

    Sounds like the wild west
     
  5. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    That is the marketplace you will be entering when you qualify.
    It helps to know these things.
     
  6. Dieter Fellner

    Dieter Fellner Well-Known Member

    Take it from someone who entered Podiatry through the 'back door' via Smae.
    And then onto the Diploma in Podiatric Medicine, then Podiatry Bsc (Hons), then Podiatric Surgery and finally, the American Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.

    Don't sell yourself short.

    Follow the approved route.
     
  7. Rizal

    Rizal Member

    Hi David, I'm very intrested to understand how an FHP is able to go through the route which you spoke about. " route for FHP to enrol as final year POD student".
     
  8. StudentPod28

    StudentPod28 Member

    Thanks for the advice, ur right no point taking shortcuts, it's not fair on the public or fully qualified pods that have put the work in..... the fact that someone can do a two week course then roll up at a clients house with a scalpel is crazy.
     
  9. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    The route is - accredited 60 HE Credits gained from the FHP course, Diploma in Higher Education (Pod Assistant) at QE Uni in Edinburgh (two years part-time), then onto third year pod student at QE. This may not be final year - I'm not sure if the QE pod course is four years?
     
  10. Rizal

    Rizal Member

    Thanks David, good advice....cheers.
     
  11. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    David post 9#

    I'm not sure if you mean Queen Margaret Uni Edinburgh;

    https://www.whatuni.com/degrees/pod...garet-university-edinburgh/cd/55000172/14986/

    or Glasgow Caledonian;

    http://www.gcu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/search/?kw=podiatry

    but either way, it's a 4 year degree course.

    CF
     
  12. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    QE - thanks for the info.
     
  13. RICHARDS

    RICHARDS Member

    As an FHP, you can make a great income. I have a friend who trained at smae and earns above 60k, so can anyone tell me why one would pay the university fees to become a POD ?
     
  14. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    I think any FHP earning 60k a year would be in the minority. There are, however many Pods whose gross income exceeds this.

    I don't have a problem with FHPs, but I don't think there is any doubt that the more and better you train, the better your income and job satisfaction is likely to be.
    FHPs hit their ceiling once they qualify. They cannot. for example, administer local analgesia or carry out any technique which requires local analgesia, they cannot train to supply or administer prescription-only medication, they cannot work in the NHS except as an assistant, and they cannot do further training to become a surgeon.

    Hence why SMAE provided a stepladder for FHPs who wish to become Pods.
     
  15. RICHARDS

    RICHARDS Member

     
  16. RICHARDS

    RICHARDS Member

    Hi David, thank you for your reply to my question.

    The person trained at same but can do NHS patients, he qualified in year 2000 I think. Why is it now by doing the same course you cant be called a chiropodists or deal with Westfield members.
     
  17. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    Prior to the inception of the Heath Professions Council (now the Health and Care Professions Council) anyone could call themselves a chiropodist. The title is now protected in law, and to become a chiropodist/podiatrist you must successfully complete a podiatry degree.
    The SMAE course is not comparable to a three-year full-time course in Podiatry.

    A scheme called "Grandparenting" allowed those without a degree in Podiatry to become registered as chiropodists/podiatrists if they did not already possess a State Registration Certificate. This finished many years ago, hence the clear demarcation between chiropodists/podiatrists and FHPs.

    I hope this makes it all a bit clearer.
     
  18. RICHARDS

    RICHARDS Member

     
  19. RICHARDS

    RICHARDS Member

    Thank you for your well documented explanation .
    I must say it all sounds very political to me . I personally think it's down to the individual whether they want to just do the basics for £30.00 per patient and concentrate on building that type of customer base up. Alternatively one might like to dig deeper I guess and maybe charge slightly more . Thank you for your help David, Much appreciated .
     
  20. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Richards, I agree that it's individual choice as to what strata of the market a practitioner chooses to aim at. However, the more skills a practitioner has, the more interesting the work can be.

    You mention an FHP earning £60k a year - is that gross or net?
     
  21. RICHARDS

    RICHARDS Member

    Good day Catfoot. Tend to agree with you regards to PODS having more interesting challenges .

    The person I mentioned earning 60k is net income. He is mobile , so not many overheads to worry about either. He is actually an Chiropodist through what David mentions as Grandparenting, although he went through the smae route .
     
  22. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    I'm sorry, but I take that figure with a pinch of salt. Even if a practitioner is mobile they still have overheads.

    I did some calculations and for £60k gross, working on 46 weeks actually trading per year, putting in 8 hours days - for a 5 day week = £32-50 per hour. For a 6 day week = £27.00 per hour. I calculated this out for a clinic. If you factor in travelling times that will increase the time not earning by at least 2 hours per day, so they will be 10 hour days. They you need to add on the time spent in decontaminating and preparing instruments, another hour per day. So far we are up to 11 hour days and we haven't factored in all the other duties such as filing, writing referral letters, telephone calls, ordering stock and materials, book-keeping, CPD etc.
    If we are looking at £60k net, earnings would have to increase by another third at least so that would be £42 per hour working a 5 day week or £36 per hours for a 6 days week. And this all assumes that all the patients are available and don't cancel at the last minute.
    IMO no-one can work continually at this pace without burning themselves out. :confused:
     
  23. RICHARDS

    RICHARDS Member

    Hi Catfoot,

    They actually work 44 weeks a year . Several nursing homes , football club and rest private clients . This is not a debate if one is earning what . I'm just answering your question my friend . The fact is that I know. I guess believing Is seeing. Curiosity kills the cat I guess, lol.
     
  24. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Richards, I do know it isn't a debate about earnings.
    But I do know that there are only so many patients that any practitioner can safely treat in a day.
    That is why I was curious as to how this practitioner achieved the figure you quoted and am inclined to disbelieve it.:)
     
  25. Dieter Fellner

    Dieter Fellner Well-Known Member

    Seems to me it's ALL about the income potential versus the benefits of advanced training and costs incurred.

    Medical pedicure v medical and surgical services.

    I started my foot career with Smae in the early 80s.

    I shudder, in hindsight, when I recall the appalling paucity of training, both academic and practical.

    Just my 2c.
     
  26. RICHARDS

    RICHARDS Member

    Thank you for all your help and views.
     
  27. Jbluesky

    Jbluesky Member

    Hi I'm new to the forum and looking for some advice if possible..I am a qualified reflexologist and therapist looking at doing a FHP course...can anyone recommend a college..I am based in Nottingham..Any one on the forum who has done a course and now practicing I would be grateful of information on how much work available and how they rated the course.. I am 55 years old..thanks in advance
     
  28. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    I wouldn't recommend any course that produces an unregulated footcare provider as the market is reaching saturation point for for these type of practitioners (well certainly in my area it is and from what I hear from other pods it's much the same all over the UK.)

    Just have a look on yell.com and you will see how many there are in your area - and those are the ones who advertise. There are so many that operate "below the radar" using mobile 'phones.

    If you already have a therapy qualification then you already have a useful skill. What's wrong with promoting that? :)
     
  29. Rizal

    Rizal Member

    Jblusky, I would recommend the FHP college.
     
  30. Jbluesky

    Jbluesky Member

    Thank you...I will take a look at their website
     
  31. Jbluesky

    Jbluesky Member

     
  32. Jbluesky

    Jbluesky Member

    Thank you for taking time to reply..my reasons for wanting to do the FHP course is because in my current work I come across many clients needing corns nail problems treating.. I have to refer them to a FHP as my qualifications don't allow me to treat.
     
  33. StudentPod28

    StudentPod28 Member

    I would have to add why would u want to spend ur life cutting nails and reducing callus, when I do a patients assessment I'm thinking why have they got callus or pathological nails and what can I do at a biomechanical level to correct it, does this involve orthotics or rehab etc . U will always just be a toe nail cutter as a FHP which in all fairness is the same as a lot of old school private podiatrists out there . The reality is without real pods , FHPs would keep reducing callus until the individuals foot was falling of, plus if your undercutting real pods with basic footcare who is gonna be around to handle complex cases like nail surgery etc , if pods can't make enough money they will move onto other careers . ... so I guess you really are doing the public a disservice.
     
  34. Jbluesky

    Jbluesky Member

     
  35. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Student Pod28, you have nailed it here;

    "I would have to add why would u want to spend ur life cutting nails and reducing callus, when I do a patients assessment I'm thinking why have they got callus or pathological nails and what can I do at a biomechanical level to correct it, does this involve orthotics or rehab etc . U will always just be a toe nail cutter as a FHP which in all fairness is the same as a lot of old school private podiatrists out there . The reality is without real pods , FHPs would keep reducing callus until the individuals foot was falling of, plus if your undercutting real pods with basic footcare who is gonna be around to handle complex cases like nail surgery etc , if pods can't make enough money they will move onto other careers . ... so I guess you really are doing the public a disservice."

    The whole point of Podiatry is to diagnose the root cause of the problem and deal with it - not to treat it symptomatically.
    IMO every person who pays for treatment for a foot problem has the right to know ; what the condition is, how it occurred, how it can be treated, and how it can be prevented in the future.
    I do not believe that FHPs have the underpinning knowledge to do this - hence they are reduced to the cut-and-come-again market.

    I would urge anyone with a serious interest in footcare to do the degree course in Podiatry.​
     
  36. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Why not send them to a pod for a comprehensive service?
     
  37. Rizal

    Rizal Member

    Each time I receive an alert to read msg from this thread i would only see online bashing and name calling. Personal I’m quite surprised to see such behaviour coming from Health Care Professionals. It’s disappointing.
     
  38. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    I would be pleased if you would justify these comments ^^^ by highlighting the posts containing the "0n-line bashing and name calling".

    I look forward to seeing your response :)
     
  39. Rizal

    Rizal Member

    Well if I were you, I would be more professional in what I say and advise on this forum.
    I’ve met and have been treated by good Podiatrist who are respectable and well mannered. Remember social media is a powerful tool indeed.
     
  40. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member


    So please respond to my question about where these posts are that include "name calling" and" bashing" that you take offence at.

    And if you have been advised by a Podiatrist who you consider to be "well-mannered" etc why do you need to post here?

    Are you intimating that I am not "respectable and well-mannered"? If so please justify your comments.

    You are correct in saying that "social media is a powerful tool indeed" but at the moment IMO you are looking like an idiot as you can't seem to justify your statements.
     
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