Advice Please on FHP course

Ah well. Since the advice was not FOR university trained pods....

 

Well, no, it wasn't, Robert. It was from someone who trained privately as a chiropodist some time ago for someone who was thinking about embarking on an FHP course.

In the present situation such advice IMO is downright irresponsible.

If you check out the thread I started on "The future of UK Podiatry/Footcare" you'll see why I have serious concerns.

Dido

 

Hi All, I've just found and registered on this site. I have been contemplating doing a FHP course for a couple of years but for some reason (probably the concern over how can one do a distance learning course followed by two weeks clinical practice vs. a full time 3-year degree course) do similar work and particularly what is one learning during the 3 years that couldn't be shortened into two or one? I say this because although I am an ex-nurse, I know nothing about feet apart from what I know about my own! Anyway, my dilemma is that I am currently working abroad (Middle East), I am 57 and will retire from here at 60. I will still need to work and am trying to find something I can do for up to 10 further years to provide me with an income. I see all the controversy about FHPs vs fully trained podiatrists/chiropodists but surely there's a market for both - if only the FHPs could be properly registered and monitored by a good regulatory body? My observation is that there is a shortage of foot care practitioners everywhere whether they be FHPs or podiatrists/chiropodists. I think if I did a FHP course and offered a service limited to dealing with hard skin, corns, verrucas, cutting toenails, etc. etc. it might give me enough pin money to keep me from penury. I cannot face a three year full-time degree and neither could I afford it - I already have a recently awarded BSc in Health Studies (just pointing out I could do the degree if I wished to!). The other good thing I see about the FHP is that one wouldn't necessarily need a "surgery" but could visit people at home and work abroad - I may live for at least part of the years following "retirement" in Cyprus. Another point I wish to make is that I approached at least one university in Northern Ireland (I am from Southern Ireland) and the attitude there was that I would have to go through hoops, etc. to be granted a place. Having achieved my BSc (Hons) though the Open University where no such entry restrictions apply, I was not impressed by the attitude of that university. It would be great if there was one that offered the theory part of the course to be done through distance learning followed by perhaps six months to a year of practical work. Oh well!

I look forward to your comments.

 

Hi All, I've just found and registered on this site. I have been contemplating doing a FHP course for a couple of years but for some reason (probably the concern over how can one do a distance learning course followed by two weeks clinical practice vs. a full time 3-year degree course) do similar work and particularly what is one learning during the 3 years that couldn't be shortened into two or one? I say this because although I am an ex-nurse, I know nothing about feet apart from what I know about my own! Anyway, my dilemma is that I am currently working abroadI am 57 and will retire from here at 60. I will still need to work and am trying to find something I can do for up to 10 further years to provide me with an income. I see all the controversy on here about FHPs vs fully trained podiatrists/chiropodists but surely there's a market for both - if only the FHPs could be properly registered and monitored by a good regulatory body? My observation is that there is a shortage of foot care practitioners everywhere whether they be FHPs or podiatrists/chiropodists. I think if I did a FHP course and offered a service limited to dealing with hard skin, corns, verrucas, cutting toenails, etc. etc. it might give me enough pin money to keep me from penury. I cannot face a three year full-time degree and neither could I afford it - I already have a recently awarded BSc in Health Studies (just pointing out I could do the degree if I wished to!). The other good thing I see about the FHP is that one wouldn't necessarily need a "surgery" but could visit people at home and work abroad - I may live for at least part of the years following "retirement" in Cyprus. Another point I wish to make is that I approached at least one university in Northern Ireland (I am from Southern Ireland) and the attitude there was that I would have to go through hoops, etc. to be granted a place. Having achieved my BSc (Hons) though the Open University where no such entry restrictions apply, I was not impressed by the attitude of that university. It would be great if there was one that offered the theory part of the course to be done through distance learning followed by perhaps six months to a year of practical work. Oh well!

I look forward to your comments.

 

Brennajm
I suspect your post is deliberately provocative if you have truly read all previous posts on FHPs. I think you lost any support you may have found whe you said "pin money"!!

Cornmerchant

 

No, cornmerchant, I was not being deliberately provocative. I found this "arena" by lucky chance this evening and posted. I should have chosen my words more carefully and am sorry if the use of the phrase "pin money" offends you or others. At my age, I am not expecting to make a fortune from being a FHP as I do not wish to work full time but what I do need is a profession (and here again I can imagine I'll be criticised for the use of the word profession and FHP together) where I can work alone. However, having said I do not wish to work full time, I do believe there is enough work out there for a qualified FHP who is satisfied to do the menial tasks and I would be one such. :boxing:

 

Brennajm
It was just that your post sounded very like one that was on the arena not so long ago.

You can believe what you like however the real world may be a little different to your expectations. The menial work you would be so happy to do is being farmed out to the third sector for foot care- Age concern are a voluntary sector, while social enterprise companies such as Caremart are taking over in the north.
As a pod in PP I am very happy to do whatever is required for a patient ,even a simple nailcut, and many of my colleagues think the same way. We have to earn a living and not the "pin money" that you so glibly talk about.

Cornmerchant