Royal College of Podiatry Award winners 2021

Nina Davies MSc Podiatry BSc (Hons) MRCPod

Recipient of the Diamond Award

Nina is a clinician with diverse experience across populations, contributing nationally and internationally to advance the podiatry profession, particularly children’s podiatry.

Nina works for Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust as an Advanced Podiatrist (Paediatrics), seconded as project lead, integrating the management of long-term conditions across Leeds for nurses and allied health professionals. She is a visiting lecturer at Staffordshire University, delivering contemporary modules in paediatrics for the MSc Podiatric Biomechanics programme, equipping the next generation of podiatrists for clinical practice.

Nina is actively involved in research to support her roles; this includes involvement in NIHR funded and independent projects associated with falls, orthotic use in children, podiatry outcome measures, idiopathic toe walking and children’s footwear.

Nina’s work provides clinical leadership and focuses on supporting podiatrists and health care professionals to deliver quality, evidence-based, patient and family centred care, integrating public health into clinical practice.

To raise the awareness of paediatric podiatry and support consistency of practice, Nina has led collaborative publications. These include the Royal College of Podiatry’s (RCPod’s) Children’s Podiatry Clinical Framework and policy positions. Nina regularly presents at conferences and actively participates in the Children’s Podiatry Special Advisory Group and online platforms.

Trevor Prior BSc (Hons) FRCPodS FFPM RCPS (Glasg) FRCPodM

Recipient of the Ernst Runting Medal for Distinguished Service

Working across the three sectors of NHS, education and private practice brought many challenges during the pandemic. Trevor’s NHS base at Homerton was at the forefront of the first wave and, following an ITU upskilling course, his colleague Scott Reid and Trevor began working as proning team leads. More of the team joined them in subsequent waves and on one shift, most of the team were podiatrists.

Whilst there was some initial apprehension, working with a wide range of professions of all grades demonstrated teamwork at its very best. Proning became an integral part of trying to save many of the sickest patients. Although for many, it was unfortunately insufficient.

Trevor cannot praise enough all the staff who adapted to remote working and the dedication of those who continued to see the at-risk patients.

Working in the community and visiting patients’ homes, with the associated risks and when much of the country was fearful, demonstrated their commitment to patient care. That many patients avoided hospital admission is a testament to their skill.

Trevor is happy to accept this award on behalf of all his colleagues who worked through this pandemic and, in particular, the whole team at Hackney – he is honoured and privileged to be team lead.

Joanne Casey BSc (Hons) MRCPod

Recipient of the Ernst Runting Medal for Distinguished Service

Joanne is an Advanced Podiatrist who has been practising for over 19 years and divides her time between Kings College Hospital (KCH) in London and her private practice in Oxfordshire.

When the first wave hit in March 2020, Joanne’s passion and dedication to healthcare drove her to volunteer to work full-time on the front line at KCH to support the 450+ patients admitted, at its peak, with COVID-19. This involved using her transferable skills and some training to work as a Tissue Viability Nurse to treat COVID-19 infected and acute trauma patients. In addition, Joanne assisted with the training, co-ordinating and testing of FFP3 masks of all staff; was a nightshift runner on ICU, supported the dermatology department with their staff skin hub and delivered donated laundry bags, headbands/caps and scrubs.

Initially, Joanne continued to commute from Oxfordshire and hired a bike to get from Paddington, to avoid using tubes and buses. As the situation developed, she camped out on a friend’s floor near KCH, with a colleague to enable her to work longer hours, including weekends.

Joanne, like all health and social care workers during this pandemic, worked tirelessly and selflessly to put others before themselves in the face of fear and uncertainty. Joanne sees this award as a reflection and recognition of the professionalism shown by healthcare workers who responded to this global crisis.

Victor Lawrence BSc MB BS PhD FRCP

Honorary Citation

Victor trained in London (UCL and Bart’s). After completing his PhD, he took up his current post as Consultant Physician in Diabetes and Endocrinology at St Mary’s Hospital, Isle of Wight. Together with colleagues in podiatry, Victor developed a strong and multidisciplinary diabetes foot care service that takes great pride in its low rates of major amputation.

In particular, Victor has nurtured extended scope roles of the team, including being a Designated Medical Practitioner for non-medical prescribing podiatry colleagues, who are now also trained in requesting blood tests, X rays, swabs, and other investigations. Victor developed the role of Consultant Podiatrist to which Stephanie Stanley was appointed in 2019. There is a strong emphasis on teaching and training within the service that attracts students from the University of Southampton, some of whom have subsequently joined the team after qualification.

Clare Babbs DPodM BSc MRCPod

Recipient of the Long Service Award

Clare qualified from the London Foot Hospital and gained
her degree at the University of Westminster in 1992.

After graduation, Clare joined Epsom NHS Trust. In 1996, Clare began working at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Shortly afterwards, she also took on the role of podiatrist at the Royal Marsden. Since 2003, Clare has worked in private practice to fit around family life, bringing up her two daughters Eloise and Alicia with her husband Colin. In 1993 Clare joined the Guildford branch, helping to organise the Guildford one day conference for many years as Vice Secretary and Secretary. In 2008 Clare relocated to Ashford with her family and soon after joined the Kent branch.

For the past ten years, Clare, as branch Secretary, has been working with the committee to provide education and a social network for Kent members. Clare has found podiatry a fulfilling career helping others.

It has enabled her to spend time with her family, meet interesting people
and make wonderful friends, especially at Kent branch.

Steven Childs BSc (Hons) MRCPod

Recipient of the Long Service Award

Steve graduated from the University of Brighton in 1998 and has mainly worked in the NHS in East London. He currently works as the Biomechanics/Paediatrics Lead at North East London Foundation Trust where he has been in his post since 2015. Steve’s current interests are podopaediatrics, MSK pathology and biomechanics.

Steve joined the London Postgraduate Study Group (LPSG) Committee in 2001 before being elected as CPD Organiser in 2005 when the LPSG became the London district branch of the then Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. After a year’s sabbatical spent travelling, Steve rejoined the committee in 2007 and was elected in dual roles as Secretary and CPD Coordinator which he carried out until early 2017 before stepping down. He was also the London district branch’s South-east Regional Committee (SERC) representative from 2008-17. Additionally, he represented the branch at various Delegate Assemblies.

Steve was instrumental, along with Nat Padhiar and Maire Murphy, in setting up the annual Podiatric Sports Medicine Conference, which began in 2012 to coincide with the hosting of the Olympics in London that year.

Phil Emery MRCPod

Phil qualified as a podiatrist from Chelsea school in 1978 and worked briefly within the NHS and then started working within private practice in 1981. He set up his own private practice in Whitstable in 1985.

He went on to obtain his Honours degree at Central London Polytechnic in 1991. He was treasurer of Kent branch from 2008 to 2021.

Elaine McLaughlin BSc MRCPod

Recipient of the Long Service Award

Elaine was one of the first podiatry degree graduates from Durham School in 1993. Later that year, she established Carlisle Road Foot Care. Three premises later, Elaine now has a bespoke podiatry clinic employing fourteen staff, six of whom are podiatrists. Elaine has been an active member of the Northern Ireland branch over the years, holding the roles of treasurer and Private Practice Representative.

Elaine aims to provide a first-class service ensuring both staff and patients are happy.

Hamish Stewart FRCPodM FFPM RCPS Glas

Recipient of the Long Service Award

Hamish graduated in 1980 from the Edinburgh School of Chiropody. He was a staff side representative for the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists from 1986 to 2007 and became a Senior I Podiatrist in 1986 with a special interest in foot orthoses and biomechanics. Between 1990 and 2015 he worked part-time in the private practice partnership Stewart & Jones.

He became a Fellow of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists in 2008 and was Podiatry Lead/Manager for Caithness and Sutherland trust from 2008 to 2013. He has been a Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow since 2012. He was a Podiatry Lead at north unit NHS Highland from 2013 to 2020 and retired in 2020. Hamish has also been a member and chairman of the Highland branch of the College for several years.

Hamish has been very lucky to work in a wonderful part of Scotland, possibly the best in the United Kingdom. He has worked in a profession that has developed from felt pads and nail cuts to one with sophisticated gait analysis and orthoses production, foot surgery, wound care, acupuncture, manipulation therapy, becoming prescribers of medicines, steroid injectors and ultrasound users.

Ben Yates BSc (Hons) MSc FRCPodS FACPS

Recipient of the Meritorious Award

Ben has been Consultant Podiatric Surgeon at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon since 2003. He has pioneered podiatric surgical management of the high-risk foot in the UK, has lectured at national and international conferences and authored several papers in this subject area. He has developed a podiatric surgical fellowship of the high-risk foot programme.

Ben was formerly the Head of Podiatry at both University College Northampton and La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. He was the sole editor of “Assessment of the Lower Limb - 3rd edition” published in 2009. He worked for two charities in Kolkata, India for six months in 1992 treating leprosy patients and undertook surgical missions in both the Ukraine and Vietnam. He has been on the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery board for ten years as chair of the Central and Wales deanery. Ben helped develop the successful HCPC annotation of podiatric surgery programmes and authored the memorandum of understanding with the Australasian College of Podiatric Surgeons. He chaired the faculty’s annual surgical conference from 2014 to 2016.

Selina Begum BSc (Hons) MSc BSc Podiatry FRCPodS

Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (FRCPodS)

Selina graduated with a BSc (Hons) at the University of Brighton in 2006. Since then, she has worked as a specialist in orthopaedic footwear in various NHS Trusts. Selina thrives on teamwork, and this has encouraged her to work closely with her colleagues to achieve positive outcomes for patients with complex foot pathologies as well as service development.

Selina attained a Masters in the Theory of Podiatric Surgery at the University of Huddersfield in 2015 and completed her surgical training with Mr Julian Pavier at Newark Hospital, achieving Fellowship in Podiatric Surgery in 2019. Selina currently is striving to continue her surgical training and ultimately has a desire to become a Consultant Podiatric Surgeon and lead her own department.

Andrea Gledhill FRCPodS

Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (FRCPodS)

It has been Andrea’s career-long ambition since the age of 18 years old to succeed as a Podiatric Surgeon. An ambition that became reality following the birth of her two children in 2008 and 2010, when she returned to her studies. Andrea began her MSc in Podiatric Surgery in 2011 and achieved her Fellowship in October 2019 under the tutelage of Mr Stephen Finney.

Since then, Andrea has undertaken Independent Prescribing and Annotation and in 2021 she secured a Podiatric Surgical Registrar position with Mr Ben Yates and Mr Matthew Cichero at The Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where she is working towards her Certificate of Completion in Podiatric Surgery Training.

Jade Tang BSc (Hons) MSc FRCPodS

Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (FRCPodS)

Jade is an independent prescriber and is proudly annotated as a Podiatric Surgeon. In 2018, she established a southern deanery journal club for surgeons in and around the London area and has chaired and presented in both regional and national surgical conferences.

Jade graduated with a BSc (Hons) from the University of East London in 2010. After qualifying, she went on to work as a podiatrist for Homerton NHS Trust. Jade gained experience in routine care, the high-risk foot, and biomechanics. Jade achieved a Masters in Podiatric Surgery at the University of Huddersfield in 2015 and completed her surgical training at West Middlesex University NHS Trust.

Jade achieved a fellowship in Podiatric Surgery in 2019.