Healthcare professionals specializing in the lower limb (feet, ankles, legs), providing high quality clinical care to people of all ages
Occupational Profile
Podiatrists are registered healthcare professionals specializing in the lower limb (feet, ankles, legs), providing high quality clinical care to people of all ages. A Podiatrist’s job is to work to protect people’s feet, providing preventative advice, care, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a range of problems affecting the lower limb. Keeping mobile and retaining independence affects the quality of people’s lives. Podiatrists aim to reduce the impact of disability and dysfunction and have a role in rehabilitation. They play a pivotal part in reducing the risk of amputation, infection, pain, deformity and hospital admissions. They will undertake a range of podiatry interventions including wound care, routine skin and nail care, nail surgery, scalpel work or care for long term conditions. They provide musculoskeletal assessment and then instigate a treatment plan to improve or enhance movement or reduce pain. They prescribe functional insoles for the management of foot / lower limb conditions.
Day to day activities include:
- assessing patients, differentially diagnosing conditions
- agreeing and negotiating treatment plans in partnership with the patient
- treating lower limb conditions such as nail and skin pathology, musculoskeletal conditions, pain and wounds
- dealing with people with challenging medical and social conditions and their complications, providing evidence-based interventions
- offering holistic patient-centred health education
- clinical management and administration including keeping records, appointment management, stock control and maintaining the clinical environment
Summary of standard
https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/podiatrist-degree/
Full standard
