Royal College of Podiatry publishes new framework to develop podiatrists' musculoskeletal skills
The Royal College of Podiatry (RCPod) has published a new framework to develop podiatrists' skills in managing musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions of the foot and ankle.
The framework allows clinicians who follow the pathway to serve patients who access musculoskeletal services better.
The Musculoskeletal capabilities framework can be read and used by all podiatrists, from undergraduate level to consultant. It supports a new effort to finally provide a standardised care pathway for the management of MSK conditions and increase the generalist capabilities of all podiatrists to establish the profession as effective first-line practitioners in this area.
Three of the UK's most senior authorities on MSK provision co-authored the framework, and the guidelines will:
- Inform the curricula and learning objectives at undergraduate and master level programmes
- Contribute towards the RCPod’s approved continuous professional development (CPD) content on the management of MSK conditions
- Inform wider policy about MSK practice at a national level
- Promote best practice in MSK provision within podiatry and act as a personal motivator for practitioners working towards achieving short and long-term career goals.
“Podiatry associates, physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, physician associates and other professions can all manage Musculoskeletal conditions. That is why we want podiatrists to build on their knowledge of the management of MSK conditions and establish themselves as the dominant, go-to profession to manage these issues. Podiatrists already understand anatomy, pathological gait, clinical testing, and many of the other aptitudes that are the essential foundation to developing their MSK capabilities further. This framework allows them to build on and incorporate those skills so that patients can benefit when they access MSK services".
The full Musculoskeletal Capability Framework can be found here on the RCPod website.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
About the Royal College of Podiatry
The Royal College of Podiatry is the professional association and trade union for registered podiatrists in the United Kingdom. For more information about what we do, visit cop.org.uk.
About the authors of the Musculoskeletal Capability Framework
The Musculoskeletal Capability Framework was written by:
Contact: For all media enquiries call: 020 7234 8659 or email press@rcpod.org.uk