Support worker pathways

What is a podiatry support worker?

Podiatry support workers are healthcare professionals that assist podiatrists as they provide care to patients with foot and lower limb issues. They play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of a podiatry service, and in providing quality care to patients.

Support workers are not fully qualified podiatrists. Typically they have undergone far less formal training and do not hold a BSc in podiatry. They also do not hold HCPC registration and are not regulated.

Podiatry support workers have a range of responsibilities in a podiatry service or clinic. They can include:

• Administrative tasks (scheduling appointments and storing patient records)
• Clinical tasks, like preparing patients for treatment, sterilising equipment and providing assistance to podiatrists during procedures
• Basic foot care under the supervision of a qualified podiatrist, such as nail trimming and foot hygiene.

Where do podiatry support workers work?

Support workers work in lots of different healthcare settings. They can be found wherever there are podiatrists. Predominantly they either work in the NHS or in an independent practice.

Support workers can be known by different titles, like Podiatry Assistants or Foot Care Assistants.

Foot Health Practitioners are another group that make up the support workforce. They can be employed in both the NHS and the independent sector. This group have received similar training levels to other support workers and are similarly unregulated by the HCPC and do not hold a BsC in Podiatry.

How can support workers become qualified podiatrists?

There are options for support workers to become qualified podiatrists, including:

• Taking the podiatry degree apprenticeship (in England), whilst still working as a support worker
• Speaking to the nearest podiatry school to ask them at what level their current training maps onto their degree programme; it may be possible to complete the degree in less time, if a support worker already holds certain core skills or knowledge
• If a support worker already holds a degree in any other subject, they can do the pre-registration Masters and become qualified after two-years of full-time study.