RCPod appoints new Chief Clinical Advisor
Dr Helen Branthwaite brings over 25 years of expertise in podiatry, musculoskeletal care, and academia to her new leadership role at the Royal College of Podiatry
The Royal College of Podiatry (RCPod) has today announced the appointment of Dr Helen Branthwaite as its new Chief Clinical Advisor.
As Chief Clinical Advisor, Dr Branthwaite will guide the clinical work of the College and play a key role in helping it achieve its 2025-2030 strategy. She will provide leadership on all clinical aspects of the College’s work.
Dr Branthwaite will be the RCPod’s primary clinical expert, and she will work with the College's clinical governance structure to offer guidance on complex healthcare issues, best practices, and emerging clinical trends in podiatry. She will help to shape the RCPod’s clinical policies and initiatives that support both members of the College and the wider podiatry profession.
Commenting on the appointment, Jane Pritchard, RCPod Chief Executive and General Secretary, said:
“I welcome Dr Branthwaite as the new Chief Clinical Advisor. We led a robust selection process, and I am certain that her appointment will support the RCPod in taking decisions on clinical issues efficiently and effectively and help to advance the scope and status of the profession.”
Speaking about her appointment, Dr Helen Branthwaite said:
“I am honoured to take on the role of Chief Clinical Advisor at such a pivotal time for the Royal College of Podiatry. I look forward to working closely with the College’s members, its clinical committees, its Council, and its Leadership Team to improve clinical practice, create new ideas, and to help our profession grow.”
The appointment is the first of two that the RCPod will be making to its Clinical Leadership and Education Department. The RCPod will announce a new Head of Education and Academic Quality Assurance in due course.
This year marks the start of the RCPod’s new five-year strategy and its transformation journey. You can read more about its plans here.
About Dr Helen Branthwaite
Dr Helen Branthwaite qualified as a podiatrist from Salford University in 1996. She later earned an MSc in Sports Injury from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2001 and completed her PhD at Staffordshire University in 2015.
With extensive experience across the NHS, Dr Branthwaite has worked as an Advanced Musculoskeletal (MSK) Practitioner in both community and acute care settings. She continues to practice in the private sector, providing expert care in MSK podiatry.
For over 15 years, Dr Branthwaite led the MSc in Clinical Biomechanics at Staffordshire University, mentoring numerous research projects that have resulted in published papers and advancing knowledge in the field.
Dr Branthwaite has previously been the MSK project lead for the Royal College of Podiatry, where she developed educational resources and championed the recognition of MSK practice both within the profession and beyond.