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Has anyone tried lobying the ADF to create a full time role for Podiatrists? I'm thinking about writing a letter. Does anyone have any suggestions about how I might go about this, who I should write to, what points, facts etc I should include in my letter?

It just doesnt seem right that an organisation with such a high incidence of foot and lower limb conditions which can render a soldier ineffective; will offer roles for Physiotherapists, Dentists etc and not Pods.

What do you think?

 

I live in Adelaide & last year I contacted the ADF to enquire about being a Podiatrist in the reserves - I was told there was no position for a Podiatrist but I could go & do the 6-8 week course at Puckapunyal & enter the reserve as a general reservist. I thought that was sad in that here I was keen to join, had skills which should be very relevant to the ADF but nothing available. It seems very silly.

 

I was involved in writing to the Minister for Defence Material, Greg Combet, last year regarding this issue.

We highlighted comparisons to the US armed forces where podiatrists have been commissioned officers for decades, and the reliance on private podiatry 'contractors' to supply services to defence force personnel in Australia who require podiatry interventions.

In short, we got nowhere. Podiatry is not in the defence force radar in Australia.

What would help is if perhaps APodC commissioned a proposal to the ADF highlighting potential cost savings then we might start making some headway. Requires a substantial effort, and some face to face meetings with the top brass. Write to APodC to convince them to make it a priority.

LL

 

The honest truth is this will probably never change until someone at the upper echelons of either the Defence Force or Government sees a need and becomes your patron saint. You need someone with bad feet who has a podiatrist to thank for making them better or who helped their Mom. Of course, the opposite can be a powerful enemy if someone had a bad experience with a podiatrist.