Accreditation of the support workforce

Background

The accreditation of the support workforce follows on from the work completed by the Health Education England-led Foot Health Consortium on developing a set of standards for the Foot Health Support Workforce in 2021 (The Foot Health Standards).

The RCPod has been approved as the provider of an accreditation pathway for existing and future programmes of education relevant to support worker roles, and as the provider of an accreditation pathway for individuals seeking retrospective and prospective approval who have undertaken non-approved programmes of education relevant to support worker roles.

Those working in the support workforce can work towards training as an HCPC registered podiatrist through different routes should they wish. The RCPod’s Podiatry Career Framework outlines the opportunities available from support worker through to podiatric surgeon.

Accreditation of individuals

The individual accreditation process will provide the existing foot health support workforce the opportunity to demonstrate that they work at, or above, the threshold of the Standards for the Foot Health Workforce and are therefore eligible to apply for a role in the NHS. The portfolio process enables you as a practitioner to be recognised for the skills obtained in the key themes set out in the standards. The portfolio process allows you to map your current experiences and skills to the set standards based on the themes of practice.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for individual accreditation you must have completed your foot health support workforce training and be actively working, or employed, as a foot care assistant (FCA), foot health practitioner (FHP), or assistant practitioner (AP).

Application process (see presentation below)

1. Submit your expression of interest application form to accredit.consultation@rcpod.org.uk   
2. The form will be assessed by the accreditation team and feedback will be given as to your success of applying for accreditation.
3. Once this has been approved you will be able to proceed to apply for the portfolio.

Fee

There will be no charge for the first 50 applications received until 31 March 2024.

In the recorded presentation below, Dr Helen Branthwaite guides you through the process of submitting a portfolio presentation as a support worker.

Accreditation of education providers

The accreditation of both clinical and education standards for all newly qualified FCAs, FHPs and APs in podiatry have been established for educational providers. Going forward, newly qualified practitioners who have completed a programme at an accredited educational provider will be able to work in the NHS.

The RCPod has developed an accreditation pathway for existing and future programmes of education relevant to foot health support worker roles.

Accreditation process

1. The education provider should contact the RCPod via email accredit.consultation@rcpod.org.uk expressing their intention to put their programme forward for accreditation.
2. The Education and Quality Officer will contact the education provider to arrange suitable dates for the accreditation visit.

Please note all visits will be face-to-face unless the RCPod advises otherwise.