Anyone qualified by SMAE

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Has anyone who qualified at Smae Institute had the same problem as me. I have not paid my subscriptionfor this year due to my losing contracts through the recession. I informed Smae but instead of being helpful I had a telephone call with a lot of abuse and shouting. I have now had a letter from Smae saying that I have to return my Diploma and I will be taken to court for my subscription and late charges although they say they have stopped my insurance still want the full amount. Fortunately I have insured with another company. Does this mean that anyone qualified with Smae can only be qualified if they pay their subs. I thought if you qualify then that is it for life.

 

hi ,you will always be qualified but they will come after you for the money and will put charges on top

 

The thing is if I am not insured they cant expect all the money as part of the subscription is the insurance.

 

when you joined the smae association you accepted the fee to join,which includes the insurance they wont split it. I came out of smae 18 months ago because of the charges. The post office does insurance for us for about £45

 

Thanks, that is cheaper than I am paying now. I wouldnt have minded if they had been a bit more helpful but when I phoned to explain that I could now pay the lady (or not)just screamed at me.

 

ha ha sounds about right,pay the lady and move on

 

Should have gone to uni and done the degree.

SMAE is a commercial organisation that sells courses that are not HPC registrable.

So you have got what you paid for.

sad outcome for you. And if what you havew said is true then they have shown thier true colours.

 

At the time I qualified there wasnt a Uni course. This was nearly 40 years ago. In fact most Chiropodists werent even qulaified. They justy said they were a chiropodist and that was that. I do agree that doing the University degree is a better way as then everyone has the same qualification and patients no who they are being treated by. I have worked full time and always been complimented on my knowledge by patients but I think that is years of experience more than the course I did. I wouldnt bring Smae down as at the time they offered some type of qualification.

 

shimmer,
40 years ago it was possible to train as a chiropodist and obtain State Registration. It was then, a two-year full-time course at a recognised School of Chiropody. There were 5 in the UK at the time.

You chose instead to go with a private trainer and fast-track your way into Chiropody. Like anything else in life, you get what you pay for. I have heard this story about SMAE asking for their certificate back for non-payment of fees many times. They are a business/training organisation who raison d'etre is to make money.

Nuff said.

CF

 

I did not fast track my way into Chiropody. I spent 4 years doing a Smae course and also helping a fully trained Chiropodist. Yes I paid for it but as I have found out to my cost with my sons University course that also has to be paid for. Lets face it University is now for the well off. As the University's say they have to be a going concern and they have to make money so you can get what you pay for if you are well off enough..

 

shimmer,
I am a bit puzzled by your posting and don't understand why it took you 4 years to qualify with the SMAE. I thought the correspondence course had to be completed within a year after which you could attend the practical sessions? Did you keep failing the modules, which held you back? Most people I know who trained with SMAE did it within 18 months.

Just curious.

CF

 

Hi,
I'm a bit confused about SMAE qualifications - if a chiropodist is SMAE trained can they register with the HPC - I know of a few SMAE qualified chiropodists who claim to be HPC registered

 

Not sure, but i think SMAE run a variety of courses and of course have an affiliated membership?

 

When I qualified you could take as long as you wanted. I never failed any module and usually received over 85% marks. As I have said I have worked as a Chiropodist for 40 years and never had a claim against me. I also earned alot of money, sending 4 children to Independant schools and now own 2 houses abroad as well as our house in England. Although I agree with University courses there is always a thought that a degree is the " B all and end all". I have worked with podiatrist with degrees whose bedside manner is appalling. The degree is only the start of it. Understanding, sympathy, friendliness are also part os the Chiropody requirements. I have never charged a fee under the private going rate and yet still have patients I had years ago. You can have done a SMAE course and be HPC registered through the grandparenting scheme. I didnt pay my SMAE sub due to the revolting woman on the end of the phone.

 

shimmer

I understood from your original post that you didnt want to renew your subs because of a loss of contracts due to the recession- yet you have obviously done well out of the profession even though you took so long originally to get the qualification . I am not sure if you took advantage of the grandparenting scheme or not as you do not make it clear.
You have your practise, does it really matter if Smae want their diploma back? Its rather academic at your age surely?

Cornmerchant

 

I did take advantage of the grandparenting scheme and I am HPC registered and I still work full time, in fact I ahve worked a 12 hour day today. Yes it does matter if Smae want their certificate back. If you are awarded a degree from a University would you give it back. The Diploma is a certificate to show I passed the course. I intend to work until I am 70 years old although with reduced hours as I am still fit and healthy and enjoy the work. There is still masses of work out there especially as the NHS seems to be losing all its funding.

 

Hi Shimmer - I just sent you a PM but you have just answered it in this posting! :wacko:

 

I dont think its especially clever to brag that you worked a 12 hour day today! Can you really offer patients the best treatment after working such long hours?


Cornmerchant

 

hmmmm...on the other hand, the NHS often make nurses work 12 hour shifts...I agree, not good for practitioner or patient

 

I am not bragging but have to do it to accomdate my number of patients. I am sure if you ask my patients they get the same treatment at the beginning of the day as at the end. I have always worked at least 3 days a week for 12 hours a day and no one has ever complained as my husband also does in his professional job. Perhaps you ought to try a good days hard work or do you not have enough long standing patients.

 

Ah shimmer

I now see where you are coming from- you work part time for the extras and your husband supports you with his full time job. You see, I have never been that lucky. I have to do it all by myself.
I am pleased to say that my books are very healthy and I have a very good income and lifestyle- however I would not consider working a 12 hour day as it is unfair to the patient. Have you ever come across the 'hips' that were done privately in the late hours of the evening? Your long hours are done purely to suit yourself , not the patient.

Cornmerchant

 

I work long hours to supprt 4 lots of indepant school fees. I have never asked my husband to support me and in fact did not get married until my late thirties. I find your tone offensive as I believe any woman who lives off money paid by a man has a very low name. I have done it all by myself. I still own my own house fully paid for by my Chiropody and support my children. My hours are done as alot of my patients work and have to make appointments in the evening or at the week-end. Alot of professional people who are self employed work 12 hours as did my parents. You do seem to assume alot.

 

shimmer

Maybe you just have different values to me. I would get a bit of help from your husband if I were you.
I assume nothing. I only know what you have stated in your posts.
Congratulations on a successful business.

Cornmerchant

 

All,
IMO anyone who is doing 12 hour working days in Podiatry practice needs to examine their working arrangements and find better ways to organise their workload. Regular long hours are not good for practitioner or patient.

I would suspect in this instance that there isn't anything more challenging happening than the compulsory/complimentary SMAE end-of-treatment foot massage "to promote circulation" and certainly no high-risk patients or nail surgery.

Cynically yours

CF

 

I really dont feel there is any need to be deliberately provocative Cornmerchant and Catfoot

 

I would like to stick my head above the parapet at ask whether FHPs are welcome in Podiatry Arena, as the underlying feeling is that they are not...

 

I suppose it all depends on your definition of "Chiropody/Podiatry", footsie.
I was being cynical because I don't believe anyone can complete a 12 hour day effectively in footcare unless it is very basic stuff and patients that are ambulant.

I once did 4 nail surgery ops in a day. 2 morning & 2 afternoon with a half hour gap between each one and 1 hour for lunch. At the end of the day I was so mentally exhausted I had a hard job remembering my own name. The main stressor was concentration and the realms of paperwork that required completing.

I certainly couldn't have fitted in another 2 that evening.

10 simple nailcuts each taking 10 mins, in a morning, in a dedicated nail-cutting clinic was a doddle compared to that. I could certainly have done another 10 after lunch without raising a sweat.

CF

 

Footsie,
What gives you the inpression that FHPs are not welcome on Pod A?

CF

 

From the postings on this thread...?

 

I do not need any help from my husband. He is not a chiropodist or anything like. I can afford to employ people to help me in the house and garden so what would my husband do. As he says " There are people who do those things". I would not contemplate doing 12 hours nail surgery or anything like but I spend 30 minutes with each patient which includes nail, corns, calus and any advise the patient requires. Everyone seems to have got very excited about earning money for this career. I am in business and to that end must give an efficient, reliable and good service or my patients would not return and they do, some coming for over 20 years.

 

Working in the NHS we regularly see 6 nail surgery patients per day, 3 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon with the only break being at lunch. Yes there are 2 of us, which I believe there should always be, and I am tired but I wouldn't say it was mentally exhausting.

Shimmer - Unfortunately I have never dealt with SMAE but good luck sorting everything out.

 

Have I understood you correctly here - the post office does insurance for chiropodists? And for £45? Could you provide details please.

 

I have every admiration for anyone working in the NHS. You do wonderful work with ever decreasing funding.
Thankyou PAUL_UK

 

I wonder how the posters to this thread who appear to be anti-Smae feel about the fact that this web site runs adverting by this company.

I have never heard anything good about the management structure of Smae. I son't know anything about the quality of the course itself.

 

They are ads by Google which I think scan the web page for certain key words and then displays adverts linked to these.

 

nice side step!

 

footsiegirl- I suggest you go with your feelings

shimmer- it was you who brought money into the thread. Catfoot and myself have misgivings about the quality of care given in a 12 hour period but if you are only massaging feet/egos then I guess it is safe practise.

I assume your children are also your husbands, therefore when I said ' help' I meant in the financial sense not in the chiropody sense! Surely you do not pay all the school fees etc yourself, and buy houses abroad? If so, I guess I am just not charging enough!

Cornmerchant

 

<<footsiegirl- I suggest you go with your feelings>> Cornmerchant

Thanks for your suggestion Cornmerchant...

 

That`s harsh CM. Not everyone feels the same way as you. They are just as welcome here as anyone else wanting to learn and/or share. Whilst I appreciate that Michael was referring to new grads in another thread, I agree with his sentiment;

I`m sure my post will just further your animosity, you and I never have really seen eye to eye, eh? But there really is no need for put downs.

Bel