RCPod approves podiatry badge for Girlguiding movement and will manage its national rollout

In March 2021, Dr Sally Abey, Head of School of Health Professions at the University of Plymouth (UoP), responded to a call from Health Education England (HEE) for programmes aimed at stimulating supply in podiatry to tackle workforce shortages. Working with HEE and Girlguiding Devon, UoP created the STEP-UP challenge. This is a way to promote podiatry as a career and increase young girls’ knowledge and awareness of the foot and lower limb. The scheme was also designed to address and help to overcome any unintentional barriers that young girls might have towards the subject.

The challenge is also aimed at:

• Demystifying feet and lowering the potential apprehension around them
• Increasing young girls’ knowledge of feet and gait
• Showcasing the different aspects of podiatry as a career
• Encouraging girls to think about foot health, footcare and careers in healthcare sciences.

The STEP-UP challenge is a series of podiatry-inspired activities that includes tasks like creating a foot first aid kit, walking challenges and learning about the bones in the foot. Those who successfully complete the challenge earn a podiatry-themed badge.

1,500 badges were initially made available. Following a successful local launch, the College’s Academic and Clinical Governance Board and its Clinical Senate have now approved the scheme for endorsement and have agreed to govern it in the future.

Dr Paul Chadwick, Clinical Director and Acting Chief Executive Officer at the Royal College of Podiatry said:

“This is an example of how local innovation can have a national impact and I commend Dr Sally Abey and Karen Reed at the University of Plymouth for creating this scheme. The Girlguiding movement has over 400,000 members with huge reach. The College is committed to developing people’s interest in and understanding of podiatry from a young age. This is an ideal way to do that, and this is how you encourage the next generation of podiatrists. We are proud to support it and look forward to helping to roll it out across the country”.

Karen Reed, Academic Workplace Tutor on the University of Plymouth Podiatry programme said:

“It’s hugely pleasing that the College is endorsing the STEP-UP challenge. We designed it to go right across the Girlguiding sections, from six-year-old Rainbows to teenage Guides and Rangers. The activities are hugely varied and educational and underpinned with a science theme. Following the initial success of this scheme locally, it is the right time to make this more widely available and I’m excited to see how far this can go”.

The RCPod is currently working on a plan to govern the scheme and ensure its adoption across its regional and national networks.