Find out more about our 2022 Award winners
The Royal College of Podiatry was delighted to host this year's Award winners at a lunch reception held at the House of Lords on 23 September. With thanks to our sponsors for the event: Weightmans, Marsh, Gait and Motion Technology Ltd, Clover and Hive
Dr Emma Cowley PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons), FRCPodM, FFPM RCPS(Glasg), FHEA, CSci
Recipient of the Gold Medal Award
Dr Emma Cowley PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons), FRCPodM, FFPM RCPS(Glasg), FHEA, CSci
Recipient of the Gold Medal Award
Emma qualified as a podiatrist from LSU Southampton in 1995 and worked in the NHS whilst studying for an MSc in Clinical Podiatric Biomechanics. During the 1990s she undertook short-term volunteer roles in rural Ukraine and Nepal with people living with diabetes and leprosy.
In 2002, Emma moved into higher education where she completed a part-time PhD before moving to the University of Southampton in 2019.
In 2011, Emma co-founded the special advisory group ‘MSK:UK’ and as co-chair worked with colleagues to prepare evidence for parliamentary debate (work dress codes petition), form a position paper on musculoskeletal podiatry, participate in the formation of the NHS England Musculoskeletal Capability Framework for First Contact Practitioners, and lead authorship of the RCPod’s Podiatry Career Framework and Musculoskeletal Capability Framework. Emma also served as a trustee of the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance until 2020 whilst maintaining a small private practice.
Emma’s career impact story is about capacity building in podiatry and as the current Dean of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine at the RCPod, she continues to focus on developing the impact and awareness of podiatry. Emma is @emmacowleyphd on social media. Listen again to her BBC Radio 4 Made of Stronger Stuff podcast and TEDx Talk.
| The Gold Medal Award This award is granted to an individual podiatrist who has demonstrated excellence throughout their professional career. The award is for somebody who has made a significant and sustained impact in improving the quality of life of service users or who has excelled at and surpassed the responsibilities and requirements of their professional/clinical role. In each case, the awardee will have demonstrated outstanding service over a sustained period of time. The award may also be bestowed upon an individual who has provided consistent, sustained and effective leadership at branch or regional level in the UK. |
Deborah Delves MSc FRCPodM FFPM RCPS(Glas)
Recipient of the Gold Medal Award
Deborah Delves MSc FRCPodM FFPM RCPS(Glas)
Recipient of the Gold Medal Award
Debbie has been awarded the Gold Award in recognition of a sustained contribution to the profession over many years. From first becoming a branch committee member in 2004 to being a founder member of the Private Practice Committee, Debbie worked tirelessly to promote the profession and support members. In 2008, Debbie spearheaded the original Private Practice Network initiative, establishing a framework for private practice networking and creating a new mindset of working together to reduce isolation within private practice. Debbie was elected to Council in 2008 and became Chair of Council in 2016. Debbie’s chairship covered a period of huge change for the professional body, seeing the organisation becoming more member-focussed. During her tenure as Chair, she laid the foundation for achieving Royal College status by unifying the two arms of the professional body (the College of Podiatry and the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists) into one organisation. Debbie continues to support the profession behind the scenes, both supporting those with established practices and as a coach and mentor for those developing their practices.
| The Gold Medal Award This award is granted to an individual podiatrist who has demonstrated excellence throughout their professional career. The award is for somebody who has made a significant and sustained impact in improving the quality of life of service users or who has excelled at and surpassed the responsibilities and requirements of their professional/clinical role. In each case, the awardee will have demonstrated outstanding service over a sustained period of time. The award may also be bestowed upon an individual who has provided consistent, sustained and effective leadership at branch or regional level in the UK. |
Suzanne Taylor FRCPodS BSc(Hons) DPodM
Recipient of the Gold Medal Award
Suzanne Taylor FRCPodS BSc(Hons) DPodM
Recipient of the Gold Medal Award
Throughout her career, Suzanne has made a substantial contribution in leading other podiatrists, podiatric surgeons, and assistants to stretch themselves to reach their full potential. From pushing forwards NHS-funded posts for assistants to train as podiatrists in London at the turn of the century, to more recently implementing the ‘fair access’ criteria for training opportunities within surgery. As Dean of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery at the RCPod, she has helped people to grasp opportunities, by both mentoring and leading by example. As a clinician and leader, she has been a tireless advocate for diversity and inclusion at all levels of training within podiatry. This award recognises Suzanne’s perseverance, as the tenacious conductor pulling the different strands of organisational input together to meet deadlines with positive collaboration, which has been key to the success of the HCPC annotation of podiatric surgery, and contributed to the development of the podiatric surgery apprenticeships. Suzanne has had four careers within the profession, NHS manager/director, AHP leader at board level, lead diabetic foot podiatrist, and consultant podiatric surgeon.
| The Gold Medal Award This award is granted to an individual podiatrist who has demonstrated excellence throughout their professional career. The award is for somebody who has made a significant and sustained impact in improving the quality of life of service users or who has excelled at and surpassed the responsibilities and requirements of their professional/clinical role. In each case, the awardee will have demonstrated outstanding service over a sustained period of time. The award may also be bestowed upon an individual who has provided consistent, sustained and effective leadership at branch or regional level in the UK. |
Margaret Moorehead MBE MRCPod
Recipient of the Gold Medal Award
Margaret Moorehead MBE MRCPod
Recipient of the Gold Medal Award
Margaret is a HCPC registered podiatrist who qualified in 1983. After working as a Health and Social Care (HSC) clinician for 15 years, Margaret moved into HSC management, as South Eastern Trust Podiatry Manager.
From 2008 – 2021, she was Assistant Director for Allied Health Professions in South Eastern Trust, with responsibility for setting strategic direction of AHPs, as well as governance, operational and budgetary management of six AHP professions,
Orthopaedic ICATS service, Community Rehab and Stroke teams. Over the years, she has worked with podiatry managers and senior colleagues, to develop the strategic direction of the podiatry profession across Northern Ireland.
Throughout her career, Margaret has been renowned for being passionate about providing patient-centred care and leading on service improvement and reform of services with staff. Her collective leadership style, has resulted in many
achievements and successes for SET AHP teams, including podiatry services, in regional and national awards.
These include:
- Successful management of AHP waiting lists
- Implementation of targeted 7-day working for AHP services within SET Hospitals
- Development of AHP services within prison healthcare
- Reform of Trust Community Equipment Service, with a focus on return, recycle, and reissue of equipment
- Leading on introduction of multi-disciplinary teams in GP practices, a Department of Health Social Services
and public safety strategic priority in NI - Margaret was awarded the MBE in 2016 for services to healthcare.
| The Gold Medal Award This award is granted to an individual podiatrist who has demonstrated excellence throughout their professional career. The award is for somebody who has made a significant and sustained impact in improving the quality of life of service users or who has excelled at and surpassed the responsibilities and requirements of their professional/clinical role. In each case, the awardee will have demonstrated outstanding service over a sustained period of time. The award may also be bestowed upon an individual who has provided consistent, sustained and effective leadership at branch or regional level in the UK. |
Hans Bakker
Recipient of the Honorary Fellowship Award
Hans Bakker
Recipient of the Honorary Fellowship Award
Hans arrived in the UK from his native Holland in 1975. He loved it so much that he never left again. After an initial sales career in a marketing field, Hans joined Hinders Leslies Ltd, the manufacturer of both Hapla and Zopla products, both widely used until today. Hans was responsible for the export sales.
The Observer newspaper business section quoted Hans Bakker at the time as a 24-year-old dutchman who spoke a daunting five languages. 1983 was the start of Canonbury in London's Islington, now close to 40 years ago. Hard work and the good fortune of representing houses of repute such as Cuxson Gerrard, Vasyli, Berchtold and latterly Namrol and Baehr gave the company a good foothold in both NHS and private sector podiatry. Hans is hugely grateful for the support of the profession over the years.
Hans is flattered to be considered by the RCPod for an award. He had a very enjoyable three years as an external trustee for the RCPod and was equally pleased to be able to participate in Health Education England (HEE) efforts with the promotion of podiatry. Finally, Hans has been so lucky to work with very committed colleagues at Canonbury. “When morale is good, you’re laughing!”.
| Honorary Fellowship Award The RCPod recognises a small group of individuals as honorary fellows. This category of fellowship is conferred upon individuals who would not normally qualify for fellowship of the organisation. Honorary fellowship is bestowed upon individuals who have made a substantive and significant contribution to the advancement of the podiatric profession in any of the fields of clinical practice, education, service management or research. |
Shelagh Morris OBE, MBA, BA, FCOT
Recipient of the Honorary Fellowship Award
Shelagh Morris OBE, MBA, BA, FCOT
Recipient of the Honorary Fellowship Award
Shelagh trained as an occupational therapist. She worked clinically in both health and social care services and with a range of patient/client groups. As District OT, she led a significant increase in recruitment. As Rehabilitation Co-ordinator she established a development group to raise the profile of AHP services. As Director of AHPs, she was responsible for a wide range of services including pharmacy, chaplaincy and patient advice services.
She joined the Department of Health in 2003. Her responsibilities included use of patient group directions by AHPs and service improvement in a range of AHP services to improve access. She was the policy lead for supplementary prescribing by physiotherapists, podiatrists and radiographers, then independent prescribing by physiotherapists and podiatrists. Shelagh was appointed Deputy Chief Allied Health Professions Officer at NHS England (NHSE) in 2013. Her focus was improving rehabilitation services and the establishment of a medicines mechanisms programme which extended work to other AHP, dental and healthcare science professions. Her work with HEE included the Framework for Advanced Clinical Practitioners.She was awarded the OBE in 2012 and retired in 2018. In 2021, she completed project work for NHSE relating to medicines mechanisms including their use by podiatrists.
| Honorary Fellowship Award The RCPod recognises a small group of individuals as honorary fellows. This category of fellowship is conferred upon individuals who would not normally qualify for fellowship of the organisation. Honorary fellowship is bestowed upon individuals who have made a substantive and significant contribution to the advancement of the podiatric profession in any of the fields of clinical practice, education, service management or research. |
Sarah Hart BSc(Hons) DPodM MRCPod
Recipient of the Royal College of Podiatry Award
Sarah Hart BSc(Hons) DPodM MRCPod
Recipient of the Royal College of Podiatry Award
Sarah qualified at Nene College in 1990, gaining her degree from Leicester University. She worked in Rugby and was soon promoted to student placement instructor and leading diabetes footcare. Whilst having a family, Sarah worked part-time in the NHS/private practice.
Sarah currently works for South Warwickshire Foundation Trust as Principal Lead Podiatrist for Diabetes and Tissue Viability and Diabetes Footcare Clinical Lead for Midlands NHSE/I with honorary roles at University Hospital Coventry and Warwick; George Eliot Hospital. Sarah has co-chaired the West Midlands Diabetes Footcare Network since 2017.
Sarah developed transferable leadership skills whilst volunteering in the Guide Association and during five years as Chair of Governors at a primary school. Developing the ability to work with teams, support and challenge, interrogate data, reduce inequality and improve/measure outcomes; this has influenced her to:
- Improve local National Diabetes Foot Care Audit (NDFA) audit data captured digitally via national quality improvement collaboration
- Lead local standardisation of pathways to improve diabetes foot outcomes, sharing them nationally
- Develop and support region network peer reviews
- Use her tenacity, drive, and enthusiasm to be instrumental in developing
a new Multi-disciplinary Footcare Team (MDFT) in Nuneaton - Reducing time to first MDFT assessment across Coventry and Warwickshire, improving patient safety and care close to home, staff retention and job satisfaction.
| Royal College of Podiatry Award This award may be conferred upon any individual member or fellow of the RCPod, of any age or duration of membership, who has undertaken significant voluntary work in the provision of podiatric services at local, national or international level. Recipients must have demonstrated extraordinary and exceptional commitment to the provision of voluntary service in podiatry. |
Malachy O’Mullan DPodM MRCPod
Recipient of the Royal College of Podiatry Award
Malachy O’Mullan DPodM MRCPod
Recipient of the Royal College of Podiatry Award
In September 1980, Malachy commenced his professional training at the Northern Ireland School of Chiropody and later graduated with a distinction in July 1984.
His professional career quickly commenced in the NHS in August 1984, providing hospital and community care in the Downpatrick and Newcastle areas of County Down.
In January 1986, Malachy relocated within the NHS to the Finaghy area of South Belfast and provided community care throughout the South Belfast district. Malachy was quickly promoted in October 1987 to a Senior 1 position within his South Belfast department.
Following his purchase of practice premises at 26 Finaghy Road South in Belfast, Malachy balanced his position within the NHS alongside building his private practice through evening and Saturday appointments. He successfully grew his private practice and resigned his position within the NHS in the Spring of 1998.
In February 2003 his practice was incorporated to “Foot Health Matters Ltd” and in 2018 Malachy celebrated the fabulous milestone of 20 successful years in full-time private practice. Malachy served as a committee member of the RCPod’s Northern Ireland branch from 1988 to 1994 and continues to actively support local branch activity and his professional colleagues.
| Royal College of Podiatry Award This award may be conferred upon any individual member or fellow of the RCPod, of any age or duration of membership, who has undertaken significant voluntary work in the provision of podiatric services at local, national or international level. Recipients must have demonstrated extraordinary and exceptional commitment to the provision of voluntary service in podiatry. |
James Craven BSc, MSc, FRCPodS
Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Sugery (FRCPodS)
James Craven BSc, MSc, FRCPodS
Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Sugery (FRCPodS)
James has successfully achieved his independent prescribing annotation as a podiatrist practising podiatric surgery, and obtained his Surgical Fellowship in 2021. He has presented at numerous regional conferences on surgical management of the foot and ankle. James has now been appointed to dual registrar positions in both Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (FT) and Great Western Hospitals NHS FT respectively. He is now working towards his Certificate of Completion in Podiatric Surgery Training (CCPST) under the tutelage of Mr Andy Naismith, Mr Ben Yates and Mr Matthew Cichero.
| Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (FRCPodS) Fellowship of the RCPod marks the point in a professional’s career where their expertise in a sub-specialty of podiatry is recognised. The Fellowship recognises the practitioner’s dedication to their patients, to their careers and to the academic advancement of both themselves and the profession. It takes the culmination of many years of diligence, commitment and endeavour to achieve the Fellowship in both Podiatric Medicine and Podiatric Surgery. Practitioners dedicate many hours towards self-directed learning, courses of study to increase their knowledge, and developing their skill base to become the very best practitioner they can be. Their patients and the profession are the ones that reap the rewards of this effort. |
Gurdev Singh Deogon BSc, FFPM RCPS (Glasg), FRCPodM
Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine (FRCPodM)
Gurdev Singh Deogon BSc, FFPM RCPS (Glasg), FRCPodM
Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine (FRCPodM)
Gurdev has 30 years of NHS experience in the interdisciplinary management of complex and late-stage diabetes foot disease. His clinical interests include Charcot Neuroarthropathy. Initially serving at hospitals in West London, he went on to establish a whole system integrated-care approach with multi-professional working in diabetes foot disease in Coventry. Gurdev previously co-chaired the West Midlands Diabetes Foot Network. In 2013, Gurdev was awarded a Fellowship of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG). Currently, he holds the post of Chief Podiatric Specialist for the Acute Diabetes Foot Service at the Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism.
| Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine (FRCPodM) Fellowship of the RCPod marks the point in a professional’s career where their expertise in a sub-specialty of podiatry is recognised. The Fellowship recognises the practitioner’s dedication to their patients, to their careers and to the academic advancement of both themselves and the profession. It takes the culmination of many years of diligence, commitment and endeavour to achieve the Fellowship in both Podiatric Medicine and Podiatric Surgery. Practitioners dedicate many hours towards self-directed learning, courses of study to increase their knowledge, and developing their skill base to become the very best practitioner they can be. Their patients and the profession are the ones that reap the rewards of this effort. |
Dr Noor Mohamed Janahi BSc(Hons) Podiatric Medicine, PGD/PGC Theory of Podiatric Surgery/ PhD DHSc, FRCPodM, FFPM RCPS(Glasg)
Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine (FRCPodM)
Dr Noor Mohamed Janahi BSc(Hons) Podiatric Medicine, PGD/PGC Theory of Podiatric Surgery/ PhD DHSc, FRCPodM, FFPM RCPS(Glasg)
Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine (FRCPodM)
Noor Janahi is a Chief Podiatrist practising podiatry in Bahrain since 2005. She is the first Bahraini to achieve this degree and the first Bahraini to practise the profession in the country. She has worked independently to develop podiatry, and established the first podiatry license and clinic (public and private) in Bahrain.
Noor continued her academic career and obtained a doctoral degree where she investigated neurological manifestations in patients with diabetic foot disease. She has a number of published articles and is continuously involved in part-time teaching in universities inside and outside her country. In 2015, Noor was awarded a scholarship from Harvard Medical School to be a participant at the Global Clinical Research Training Program. She is now a Harvard Medical School Research Associate. Noor has been awarded Fellowship of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine from the RCPSG and is currently a board member of the training and education committee at the college. Noor has been a member of the London Foot Clinic since 2013. She focused on expanding the services of the clinic to the Middle East, starting from Bahrain and the UAE, in order to provide such treatments for the podiatry patients and to further promote and advance the profession within the Middle East.
| Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine (FRCPodM) Fellowship of the RCPod marks the point in a professional’s career where their expertise in a sub-specialty of podiatry is recognised. The Fellowship recognises the practitioner’s dedication to their patients, to their careers and to the academic advancement of both themselves and the profession. It takes the culmination of many years of diligence, commitment and endeavour to achieve the Fellowship in both Podiatric Medicine and Podiatric Surgery. Practitioners dedicate many hours towards self-directed learning, courses of study to increase their knowledge, and developing their skill base to become the very best practitioner they can be. Their patients and the profession are the ones that reap the rewards of this effort. |
Ravi Krishân Modha BSc MSc FRCPodS Podiatric Surgeon
Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (FRCPodS)
Ravi Krishân Modha BSc MSc FRCPodS Podiatric Surgeon
Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (FRCPodS)
Mr Modha is an NHS Podiatric Surgeon who graduated from the University of Southampton in 2008. He began training in surgery in 2018 under the tutelage of Dr Timothy Kilmartin PhD, who greatly influencwards his CCPST (Consultancy) under the guidance of both Ms Sally Feeney & Professor Mark Tagoe, at West Middlesex Hospital, where he resides with his better half and two ced his desire to pursue research into the field of podiatric surgery. He is currently working tohildren.
| Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (FRCPodS) Fellowship of the RCPod marks the point in a professional’s career where their expertise in a sub-specialty of podiatry is recognised. The Fellowship recognises the practitioner’s dedication to their patients, to their careers and to the academic advancement of both themselves and the profession. It takes the culmination of many years of diligence, commitment and endeavour to achieve the Fellowship in both Podiatric Medicine and Podiatric Surgery. Practitioners dedicate many hours towards self-directed learning, courses of study to increase their knowledge, and developing their skill base to become the very best practitioner they can be. Their patients and the profession are the ones that reap the rewards of this effort. |
Madeleine Smither BSc MSc FRCPodS
Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (FRCPodS)
Madeleine Smither BSc MSc FRCPodS
Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (FRCPodS)
Madeleine graduated with first class honours from University of Southampton in 2015 and was recognised with a Dean’s list award in her final year. In 2018, she achieved a distinction in her MSc from the University of Huddersfield. Also in 2018, Madeleine began her surgical training under the tutelage of Professor Mark Tagoe at West Middlesex Hospital, achieving her fellowship in 2021. Madeleine continues to work as specialist registrar in podiatric surgery at West Middlesex Hospital, working towards her CCPST. Madeleine is a non-medical prescriber and is passionate about being a mentor for junior colleagues and those hoping to pursue podiatric surgery.
| Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (FRCPodS) Fellowship of the RCPod marks the point in a professional’s career where their expertise in a sub-specialty of podiatry is recognised. The Fellowship recognises the practitioner’s dedication to their patients, to their careers and to the academic advancement of both themselves and the profession. It takes the culmination of many years of diligence, commitment and endeavour to achieve the Fellowship in both Podiatric Medicine and Podiatric Surgery. Practitioners dedicate many hours towards self-directed learning, courses of study to increase their knowledge, and developing their skill base to become the very best practitioner they can be. Their patients and the profession are the ones that reap the rewards of this effort. |