Foot Health Practitioner

Foot Health Practitioner courses

Hello Rowen

I too have been investigating the Foot Health Practitioner courses and have just today decided to go with the SMAE Institute. It has taken me 4 months to come to a decision! I compared the available course suppliers and made my decision on who I felt provided the better course content, cost, practical training and post graduate courses - of course everyone has their own requirements and your's will be different to mine. I also contacted some local Foot Health Practitioners from the Yellow Pages (not much competition at the moment) and most of them had trained with SMAE and all were very busy!!

I live on the south coast so none of the course suppliers are very local - the nearest being about 2 hours drive away on a good day, so that also had some bearing on my decision, although I will have to get B&B for my two weeks clinical work regardless.

I've been driving my partner nuts with this so he's really glad I've made my mind up, and I'm excited about starting the course and just want to get on with it now.

I hope this has been of some use to you. Good Luck!!

Regards
Mandy

Thanks.SMAE is the nearest to me so I am in the same position regarding the other colleges being quite a distance away. Sounds like we are thinking along similar lines as I have been contacting other practitioners via Yellow pages too. I hope I can make a decision soon as its driving me crazy as well as my husband! I'm still investigating the market locally to try and make sure there is enough business there, I don't want to rush in as its quite alot of money to spend. I hope in long run though,doing the diploma will make for the basis of flexible and profitable career for me after having had kids.

Hello Rowen and Mandy C

I've been looking at doing the course and like you have come to the same conclusion about the SMAE Institute. I've booked myself in on an open day just to confirm it is the right place for me to gain my qualification.

I have two friends that are in the 'foot' business. One is a chiropodist and she is flat out with work and has to turn people/feet away (I will say that although she is a chiropodist - she only does what a health foot practitioner does). My other friend, again has full books and can take no more people on. She trained as a Health Foot Practitioner.

From speaking to my chiropody friend, if you advertise well and like she did, put loads of flyers out, then you can make a very successful business from it.

I hope this helps and if you are going to look around at the SMAE Institute on Tuesday, 15th January let me know.

Bye for now:)

Hi Debbie Do Da

Thanks for the advice. My next step will be to go and have a look round on one of their Open Days. Its great to hear other people having the same ideas. I hope to go up an see them in the next few weeks but probably won't be on the 15th but good luck, let us know how it goes! What area are you in, did you investigate any of the the other colleges? I'm really looking forward getting my brain going again after having the kids, it sounds like the studying is quite intensive. I guess that's what you want though if you're paying all that money for the course.

Thanks

Hi Rowen

I also got details from the college based in Blackheath and the college in Bude. I live in Warwickshire, so technically Blackheath was the closest, but I particularly like the continued support and the updates once the course is completed at SMAE.

Once I've been on the 15th I let you know how I get on.

Bye for now

Foot Health Practitioner course

Hello Rowen and Debbie

Sadly I won't be able to get up to the institute on the 15th either, but I'll be interested to hear what you have to say about it. I've gone ahead and enrolled anyway, so I'll have to pay a visit to the institute retrospectively. I'm really looking forward to it now and just want to get on with it.

Let us know how you get on.

Regards
Mandy

Health Foot Practitioners Course

Hi Mandy and Rowen

Well I battled through the rain on the M40 yesterday and made it to Maidenhead. I must say the open day was well worth the visit. We were given an overview of the theory and the practical sides of the course. The additional courses which were available. The full costs of setting up a practice - which was most useful, expected earnings. We had a tour around the clinic there and quized some of the students and their tutors.

At the end of the session I came away confident that The Smae Institute was the right place for me to gain my qualification. The staff, tutors and principle were very friendly and helpful. The continuing support is also there during and once you've passed the course. I signed up there and then - and have had my head in books all morning!

Mandy - you have made the right decision with this college.

Bye for now
Debbie

Hi Debbie

I have booked on for a visit on 29th Jan which I am quite excited about especially since you had a good experience! Were there many any other people on your Open Day? My main reason for going to see them is to make sure, as far as I can, that after completing their course I will feel confident to do the job. I also want to make sure that their course has some professional recognition with the various regulatory and health organisations.

I'm pleased you had a sucessful visit and I will let you know how I get on!

Louise

Hi Louise

I don't think you will be disappointed. There were 6 people taking a look at the course, myself and another lady signed up on Tuesday, and the lady I sat next too said she was going to also.

I feel confident that once I have completed the course I will have full knowledge on foot health care. The college also offers additional training weeks for either extra training or brush up on your knowledge once you've set your business up.

Hope this helps.

Debbie
Bye for now

Hello Rowen

cost, practical training and post graduate courses -

I think you willl find post graduate uasully mean after doing a degree. The bit on there web site is linking to a university, this is for people who where given grandfarther rights to use the name chiropedy and who registered to with the HPC.

If you want to know about feet, then you will need to do a degree in podiatry, for three years. You are wasting your money doing this coarse as it will not realy teach you enough to realy understand what you are doing, visit to see what podiatry is about, before you waste your money.

Foot Health Practitioner Courses

I found this old thread and was wondering what people's experience was of these courses?

It would be interesting to have some feedback.

Thanks

FHP course

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yipee. people in the same position as me!!!

Hi All,
I can't tell you how relieved I am to see others in the same position as me and taking so long to decide. SMAE sounds good and I think I'd like to try and make the open day in Jan, or maybe in Feb. I'd like to know if being a FHP as opposed to a registered chiropodist makes any difference to your business/income. I know there can be snobbery out there. Also, if someone has a foot problem, don't they look up in the old Ypages, a chiropodist, not a FHP. Please advise. Look forward to hearing from you.

I have seen in the Yellow pages foot care practioners advertising also. I am going on the SMAE open day course tomorrow!

Hi

I have just completed a Level 4 Higher Diploma in Foot Health Care through The Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists.

I completed the course in Sheffield. Most lectures at weekends (very convenient as I work full-time) and two separate 3 weeks intense training- treating at least 80 pairs of feet each 3 week course.

The cohort I was in the 2nd group of people to do the course and there were a couple of issues with organising the lectures- fortunately that person has gone- but all in all I feel very competent and able to start my own business.

I have got all my equipment now and I am ready to begin in the new year!

I have a friend who completed the Chiropody course through Scholl back in the 90's.

I studied very hard for this course and the training was very throrough and intense and the trainers were amazingly helpful and trained as Chiropodists and Podiatrists.

I would recommend people to do this course or a similar one with at least this amount of training (6 weeks).

I was put off of the SMAE course and various others due to the practical training being less than the IOCP one, however, I'm sure these courses are perfect for others and they are trained to the highest of standards and as they say...training does begin when you are on your own.

Also the Chiropodist I know is not bothering registering with the HPC again as she said it is quite honestly not worth it for the part time work she does and it would not affect any of her clients. She will be now calling herself a Foot Health Practitioner!!

Louise

Foot Health Practitioner Courses

Hello Louise,
I am interested in the course you took and what your Scope of Practice is as a Foot Health Care Practitioner? What sort of conditions would be beyond your scope of practice and how would you know when to refer on to a Chiropodist/Podiatrist?
It would also be interesting to know where you see yourself in the footcare market.

Serenam,
The answer to your question about income is that (degree-trained)Podiatrists earn a great deal more then FHPs as they have a much wider skill base and can provide a more comprehensive service to their clients.

Regards

P

The answer to your question about income is that (degree-trained)Podiatrists earn a great deal more then FHPs as they have a much wider skill base and can provide a more comprehensive service to their clients.

Regards

P

IMO that statement isnt always correct. I used to have a degree trained podiatrist working part time in my clinic....her other job was in the NHS part time.

The therapists in the clinic referred quite a few clients to her, as they had foot problems, and we wondered why no-one ever returned for second treatments (we thought maybe she was so good that they didnt need to), it was only when two of our clients that we had referred told us that she had said they didnt have problems (thats £35 please). Concerned, two of our therapists who had different foot problems checked in with her, only to be told they didnt have problems!! Needless to say, she no longer works in our clinic, and apologies were made to our clients!! On the other hand, the FHP that we then referred to (who was actually fully booked out for a couple of weeks), found the problems and treated them.

The moral of the tale is, there is always good and bad in every profession....having a degree doesnt always make one a better therapist. Yes podiatrists are trained to deal with more problems, but its clear that not everyone is using their skills properly!

There are questions you need to ask before going on a course. Elizabeth Dutton who trains people to become foot care practitioners has put a [url]report here[/url].

You can see her [url]foot care clinic site here[/url] and her [url]membership site here[/url] (free to join, and it doesn't matter who's course you are on!)

Liz is about to fit me with orthotics - her comment about my feet was, "No wonder you keep getting a bad back!" I spoke to several of her students that day and they loved the course. Great atmosphere and training!

~ Jacqui

FHP/Pods scope of practice

Hello sportstherapy,
Of course you are entitled to your own opinion from your own experiences but as patient/clients' records are confidential no-one will know what these "problems" you refer to actually were. I have had many patients come to me over the years worried about various lumps and bumps etc that were normal anatomical features. All they have needed is reassurance before discharge.

Podiatry and foot health practice are two different animals.

Podiatrists try to empower their patients by encouraging them to take responsibility for their own foot health in as many areas as possible such as applying emollient, basic foot hygiene, correct footwear etc. They don't do "pampering" treatments or encourage a "cut & come again" mentality. The empahasis is on diagnosis, cure and discharge whenever possible.
The charge of £35.00 is not excessive for a first examination/assessment by a degree-trained health professional who has put in 3+ years of full-time study. I paid £45.00 when I first registered with my dentist, had an examination which took 10 mins and was told there was "nothing wrong" and "see you in 6 months"!

FHPs have a very small range of skills so some need to "pad out" treatments with footbaths, foot rubs etc. and other "pampering".
It is probable that these clients did not have their expectations met in the "pampering" area and that is why they were dissatisfied.

Degree-trained Podiatrists have access to local anaesthetics and many advanced techniques which is why they have a very wide skill set. It is unfortunate that the pod you mention didn't have the opportunity to use these skills.

On the other hand, if you really feel that this pod did not have the competence to deal with certain problems then you can take the matter up with the Health Professions Council, which regulates Chiropodists/Podiatrists to ensure they meet certain core Standards, who will investigate the matter for you.
See

So, if you really feel that this pod did not meet the Standards of Proficiency as laid down by the HPC then it is your duty to report them to ensure that they can be encouraged to do just that.

No such national regulator exists for FHPs incidentally, so the public have no right of redress in this area against any non-HPC regulalted practitioner.

Hi Podorama,
thanks for your response. I am fully aware of the differences between podiatry and FHP, and yes the podiatrist in question was IMO not displaying competence in the cases I mentioned, and I did point the clients in the direction of HPC, just as I have with clients that have had similar cases with physiotherapists, osteopathy, chiropractic, dental etc. If it was a therapist that is not unregulated, then I would point the client in the direction of either the professional association they belong to, or trading standards, which I have done on different occasions.

This is one of the reasons I am a firm believer in regulators, whether they be statutory or voluntary, because at least the unhappy client has somewhere to go to air their grievances.

I disagree with your comment regarding the public having no redress against FHP. There is always somewhere to go, but yes, I think they should be regulated, and I would go so far as to say that I think anyone involved in therapy should belong to either a Professional Association or be regulated, because there are far too many therapists of all persuasions that give quite shoddy treatments and the client feels that there is nothing they can do, other than put it down to (bad) experience, but thats my opinion.

Hi sportstherapy,
I certainly agree with what you say about regulation and it is a pity you seem to have had a bad experience with a pod.
However, I'm afraid we must differ when it comes to our opinions on FHPs.
As there is no national standard for training their skill base is very variable. There is no national regulator, therefore is no external body that can stop poor practitioners continuing to practiise. "Foothealth Practitioner" is not a Protected Title and can be used by anyone regardless of training levels.
Chiropodists/Podiatrists must meet a national standard and can, in extreme cases, have their Title removed. There is no such sanction for FHPs.
I have taken over many clients from FHPs who have either undertreated (and not solved the problem) or overtreated (usually with excessive debridement of lesions or excessive use of caustics for verruccae) and have always encouraged the client to report the matter to the Professional Body concerned. As these practitioners are still practicising it would appear that nothing has been done.
As there are some courses for FHPs that provide only 5 days practical training I am surprised that I do not come across more problems when these minimally trained practitioners are using scalpels and strong caustics as treatment modalities.
However, these courses are perfectly legal and FHPs continue to be unregulated.

Podorama - I agree with you. I have spoken to several elderly people who have been treated by a FHP who has made their feet more painful and charged them what a fully qualified Pod would charge.:( Many elderly people wouldn't have a clue who or where to complain to and don't want to "make a fuss".

Personally I think it's only a matter of time before the FHP bandwagon grinds to a halt because the public ARE getting to know that the people who are charging them plenty to cut their toenails and maybe rub a bit of cream on, may have just done a couple of days training.

Our area is absolutely awash with adverts for FHPs. Every free newspaper, local magazines and newspapers are full!

Foot Health Practitioner - courses

Hi Twohoots,
I would agree with you that the footcare market is being saturated by these unregulated practitioners. The problem is that when this happens market forces take effect and drives the price down. As these practitioners operate on cost alone, as they have little else to offer and no USP, one can only speculate how long they will survive in the market place.

Since I posted the message of 15th Jan I have seen a course for FHPs that takes only 2 weeks and includes scalpel-work!

regards

Podorama

Oh, and don't forget Podorama - the £1500 price tag includes refreshments! GMS!!! "Not essential to have a basic knowledge of A&P"....... I think it's time I threw in the towel.

Just looked at that link.

I see they are "associated" with VCTC - who the heck are they?

I would certainly doubt that they are associated with VTCT, who are the UKs largest CAM awarding organisation, and who do not have any FHP qualifications. I also doubt very much that they are associated with FHT, as they are a PA (and this company is also claiming to be a PA), and FHT do not recognise BSY quals, and this looks like a BSY training school.

5 Days practical !!!:confused:

Wow, and you get a free foot stool and have TCFCP after your name! :rolleyes: