Chiropody:- Supply And Demand?

Hi
Perhaps a Chiropodist of 15 years standing who decided not to apply for HPC registration perhaps ??
Just a thought
Cheers

Derek

 

15years experience!

Hi Fron,

Quote:-"Incidentally theres a FHP around here advertising as 15years experience! In what I wonder?"

Could it be in Chiropody I wonder? That is going to be his/her problem when asked to expand on his/her statement, "15years of what?", bearing in mind the only answer he/she can give and how it can be interpreted and understood by those listening to him/her, under the Law!

Another twist and turn in the FHP. saga I fear?

Regards,

Colin. (Couldn't resist Fron but still on your side!!!).

 

Hi Derek, Snap!

Regards,

Colin.

 

Ahh Colin

Great minds and all that rubbish

Cheers
Derek

 

Effect Supply by how you vote in the HPC. Council Election?

Hi All,

I do not think that this subject should be aired in it's own right in the Forums whilst the HPC. elections are actually taking place.

But if, however, it by chance would effect the 'SUPPLY' of Chiropodists? Not so much the higher grade Podiatrists in the NHS. but the development of the Chiropody Assistants under any other name, (With their lower grades), just maybe it should be added to this Thread on Supply effecting Demand! FHP. representatives holding sway here in Chiropodist/Podiatrist Register. Some of course do hold a dual role in their own Bodies, rightly so!

The 'Candidates' Election Statements' shows the most comprehensive list that it's possible to produce in the political spectrum. I hope that some or all will not fall between many stools? No attempt to produce an opposition candidate to stand against the Occupying Power! A symptom of disunity perhaps?

Regards,

Colin.

P.S. I have already voted, I know my own mind. As Professionals I would hope the majority would know theirs too, bearing in mind comments about to be made in another place I suspect. Conspiracy, probably not?

 

Generic, Multi-skilled 'Health Worker'.

Hi All,

I would like to draw attention if I may to the Australia Forum Post by Hylton Menz entitled, 'Health workforce design for the 21stCentury,' Post No.1!

He is quoting Prof. Stephen Ducketts' paper which is proposing a full appraisal and change in various parts of the health structure in Australia!

He has touched on something that has been dogging me for years now when I look at the Health Service and elsewhere in my own experience, and see change for the wrong reasons taking place sometimes.

An example in my local parish Church, we suddenly find ourselves running short of money? Apart from the members of the Congregation putting the hands in their pockets and increasing direct debit, envelope giving etc., we decided not to replace the Verger when he retired. At the time we had four Priests and a gaggle of Readers and keen Church Workers! But no it had to be the Indian's position that was going to get the chop, (Never the Cowboys)!?! The same happened in our local libraries etc. Never the expensive councilors, only the lowly security staff to go!

In the NHS. it was the State Enrolled Nurse and the low-graded Chiropodist? In the case of the nurse she either retired or was promoted to SRN. via. educational qualifications I believe? Result, who gives the bed- pans or feeds the sick who are to weak to eat? Do they starve? I hope this is a gross inaccuracy and there is a rebuttable, but that in certain quarters of the public is the general perception today? Then again money saving has produced a situation where ward-maids in hospital no longer look after their own wards' cleanliness, and no longer consider that a particular ward to be their own personal responsibility! MRSA. is having a wonderful time! But of course we are told that the powers-that-be are busily correcting this aren't we!

Academia has persuaded the powers-that-be in the NHS. and elsewhere that it would be a wonderful idea for us all to have a degree rather than be of practical use in the situations we find ourselves in and trained for the problem solving needed at times to function in that job?

Does SEN. ring a bell? The similarity with grand-parenting springs to mind. Is that what Mark Russel and his Camp, (Camp used in a very loose sense Mark here of course with no overtones if you are reading it!), was working towards in the recent past!!!

Regards,

Colin.

P.S. I would point out that I come from both camps, practical training with qualifications in a particular sphere, and a combined honours, (Although when I compare myself with someone like Hylton Menz I really begin to wonder about that?).

P.S.S. Hylton quotes Prof. Stephen Duckett in one small part of his Australian Thread as follows, "the development of a generic, multi-skilled 'health worker' to perform many of the tasks of physios, OT's, and possible podiatrists." You should go over and see on that posting the new construction of the two year degree and two year specialists degree needed to get to where the new podiatrists are at now. I remember the NHS. trying to get something similar with it's own university degree recently but without enough takers to make it viable if I remember rightly?

P.P.P.S. This posting put here to avoid the decision making of the posting on nursing substitution for chiropodists to fulfill the DEMANDS of our PATIENTS not met at present??? There are three similar threads on nursing substitution in existence at this time, and sorry but thinking back I'm responsible for one of them!

You will always find someone to do the work created by the DEMAND! If those invented for that purpose do not fulfill their obligations for various reasons, someone else will.
Is this to strong I wonder, or am I touching on some open wounds here? This Thread was produced to explore SUPPLY and DEMAND wasn't it! Nurses moving into the role of footcare, FHP's. etc. are all produced to do just that!!!

 

Can anybody help?

Hi

I am thinking of undergoing the training for FHP and I would welcome any comments or advice. Is there room for more FHP,s and how are they regarded by fully trained Podiatrists?

Regards
Judith

 

FHP. Training?

Hi Judith,

Take time to read round this Forum. Put FHP and then UK into the search box on the Home Page, When it says it hasn't got any, It's lying it has!

There is also a Thread on Podiatry Assistants which may help you to see the back-ground of FHP's.

I assume you live in the UK. if so go to,

http://davidmhol.proboards29.com

Look for two Threads on FHP's. in UK-podiatry forum, second down? (I think I won my argument on there, others might well not agree with me, discerning mind please Judith, you are about to enter a mine-field possibly???

Don't let me put you off, go to,

www.thealliancepsp.com

Start from there.

Regards,

Colin.

PS. Regarding how Podiatrists view the existence of FHP's. What tranquilizers has your Doctor got you on?

PPS. Read one Forum against the other, above, that I have given you for a little bit of enlightenment, and don't let some of this lot in the UK put you off before you have searched for the information. Remember Podiatry has now gone to degree level after the 9th. of July this year, have you considered that path?

 

Colin

Many thanks for your help. A lot to read and think about. Would really love to become an FHP but have got to make sure I can earn a living from it!

Thanks again

Regards
Judith

 

Judith,

May I ask what made you consider FHP and did you ever consider Podiatry?

I am interested in whether your path was chosen because you don't have 3 years to spare to give you a firm grounding in a new career. Or is it that you really don't know anything about the Podiatry Degree option.

I am only interested in what led you to the FHP path.

Personally I think you should consider the Podiatry Degree route as you will be able to make a living either via the NHS or PP but at least you have the option, so far the NHS are not employing FHP's.

 

Hi Judith

I happily back up Akbal in this. Further:

To give yourself the best future opportunities available and avoid many frutrations in progressing yourself in the future seriously consider a way of doing the degree training.

Degree training today will expose you to much more than FHP training and (academically at least) teach you to think more for yourself, question methods and much more.

If you are going to throw money at any chiropody training, throw it at the degree Pod way. Doing this full time will expose you to much more than you could now get in FHP training.

This said from someone who did not originally train this way many years ago but would do today. Mind you, just to put the cat among the pigeons I would probably go more for a double and do physiotherapy as well (maybe even instead!) but something called lack of brains seems to get in the way!

Cheers
Ian

 

Akbal/Ian

I was originally searching the internet for information on Podietry training but very quickly realised that the 3 year degree course plus an access course was not something I could do, mainly because I couldn't tie myself down to that much training financially but also because I have a very young son whom I wanted to work around during my training. It was then that I saw 'Train to be an FHP' on the web and was very interested. Since then have been trying to get as much info as possible about it before I embark upon it.

Do you think I would be making a mistake to go down the FHP option? It is either that or a different career and believe me I've been thinking of career options for many months now and have not come up with much.

Regards
Judith

 

Hi Judith

I certainly do not want to put you off FHP training but would encourage you to go the degree route as a preferrred way. I do acknowlege and understand your circumstances though.

At this time however, the whole future of the role of FHP's is uncertain. Chiropody has now come under the umbrella of the HPC and a previously divided profession is having to come to terms with this new identity and all it implies. At present FHP's are outside the remit of the HPC but I cannot think that this will be for long. So to commit yourself to a financial outlay in a training that is currently uncertain as to its future seems precarious to me.

Watch this space is all I could say and see if the next 12 months makes the furtuer of FHP's any more certain and then decide.

Ian

 

Judith,

I would suggest that you contact all of the universities that do a Podiatry and ask if any do a part time degree would take longer but there is far less risk with a degree than setting yourself up as an FHP.

Akbal

 

Akbal/Ian

Thanks for your advice/comments. Unfortunately I will not even be able to do a part-time degree course as I cannot be that long not earning a wage, neither can I wait to decide as I have a redundancy offer from my current employer now! Oh well, I'll just have to read through all the info I've got and make an informed decision about it. I'd still really like to do it though.

Regards
Judith

 

Hi Judith,

You will also have to factor in the start-up business costs of being a FHP, think of £1000's, not £100's. Personally I wouldn't recommend FHP as a career unless you were prepared to go the whole way, ie. degree in podiatry.

If you want patient/client contact why not consider reflexology? Make sure the course is a good one though. Very low overheads and the client base consists of the "worried well" who can spare the cash. In podiatry the client base is skewed to the elderly who do not have the cash!

Have you considered teaching? The Open University may be an option whilst working part-time.

Regards,
Graeme

 

FHP's Please help

If there are some FHP's out there willing to share some info I would be most grateful.

I am about to embark upon the training for an FHP and would like some idea about my earning potential. I currently earn £20,000 pa. and need to earn at least this in my new career. Can this be realistically achieved and within how long a timescale?

Thank you in advance

Judith

 

re how long

Dear Judith,

FHP not a particularly good idea.

But anyway it seems that you want to get a quick fix educationally and be up and running asap.

So off you go.

After you have successfully completed the course you will have to decide how to go about earning from FHP.

Quickest is low fee car boot merchant.

No premises to pay for etc etc.

Rewards are very low and the work will be tedious and boring.

A few years ago a Massage therapist friend had a very successful £100k pa practice . He had a simple philosophy if you want a £5.00 pt charge £5.00.

If you want to run a business then £60.00 per hour is what is needed. This is income not profit.

It takes about 5 years to have a practice up and running with a sound client base and a decent turnover. This hopefully leads to good profitability hence money in your pocket.

If you earn £20k in your current job i would suggest that as a car boot merchant you would need to turnover about £25k pa.

If you have premises etc then you will need to turnover about £40k to give you the equivalent of £20 salary.

There are many perks on top of a basic salary but also hidden costs such as holiday sickness pension etc etc.

So FHP and quickie course does not a £20k salary make.

If you wish to do this look at all the advice given and then go to Uni and get your degree. In the long run this would probably be more successful and rewarding.

Seriously as an alternative do a Sports Massage Course at night school and go into sports massage therapy.

regards David

 

FHP`S help

Dear Judith
Having passed a diploma at the west midlands school I am now in my 4th year of practice earning about 50k for this year 4 days a week.
13k 1st year , 17 k 2nd year, 3rd year 25k , 4th 50 k,
1st 18 months was as a domicillary practice then part dom, part clinicfor 18 months. 2nd and 3rd year profits down because of re investment in clinic and doubling up on major plant ie I now have two spray drills 2 autoclaves 2 ultra sonic cleaners 15 instrument set`s.
location location location is the key with good comunication skills customer satifaction is your main prioraty word of mouth will spread like wild fire. my tip is. keep the customer satisfied, I always end treatment sessions with "IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN HELP YOU WITH"
One of the main reason`s for the discourse in chiropody / podiatry is the vast sum`s the unregistered are earning for simple routine treatment.
not as some would have it protection of public,more likely protection of the state registered