HEE and RCPod seek views about the process to accredit educational providers and individuals who meet the Standards for the Foot Health Workforce

Health Education England (HEE) and the Royal College of Podiatry (RCPod) have today launched a consultation seeking views on the process to accredit educational providers and individuals who meet the Standards for the Foot Health Workforce.

The Standards for the Foot Health Workforce were published by HEE in 2021, and provide a structured career ladder for the foot health support workforce. The Standards detail the skills required by the NHS to serve in a range of roles in foot health up to, but not including, HCPC-registered podiatrists. They form part of a process to increase the foot health workforce to meet growing demand, whilst ensuring that everyone working in the field of foot health operates at an appropriate and safe level.

Following publication of the Standards, in March 2022 HEE appointed the RCPod to lead an expert group of stakeholders to create and review an accreditation pathway. The RCPod has worked with a cross-sector review group to develop the process now proposed, which includes Standards of Education and Training for education providers, and provides a route for individuals already working in foot health, who can demonstrate that they have the appropriate skills and knowledge, to qualify for work as a foot health practitioner (FHP), foot care assistant (FCA) or assistant practitioner in podiatry (AP) within the NHS.

The College is now consulting with podiatrists and other interested parties to ensure that the proposed process is fair and transparent, protecting the future of training and standards of the foot health workforce.

The process and supporting documentation set out:

• How to accredit education providers who meet the agreed Standards for the Foot Health Workforce;
• How to accredit individuals who are working in the foot health support workforce and can retrospectively demonstrate that they meet the Standards; and
• An annual monitoring and evaluation method to support the development of the accreditation procedure.

In addition to the new process, the RCPod has worked with others to create supporting documentation, handbooks, and guidance, as well as a set of Standards of Education and Training (SETs) and portfolios.

The SETs are based on the Standards for the Foot Health Workforce and contain the key attributes an education provider must include in their programme to ensure that qualifying students meet the levels stated and are proficient in their practice.

Those who already practise in the foot health workforce can gain accreditation by demonstrating their skills via a showcase portfolio of work related to the Standards for the Foot Health Workforce.

Chairman of the Royal College of Podiatry, Michelle Scott, said:

“By standardising training and care provision for patients, we are not only stepping further towards securing the future of the foot health workforce we are also improving patient care.

“With increased demands on foot health services, developing a skilled support workforce enables care to be improved. Currently there are no agreed standards of education for this provision”.

Royal College of Podiatry Clinical Director, Dr Paul Chadwick, said:

“By developing the support workforce, the career progression into podiatry will be enhanced; upskilling and sustaining foot health professions. We want to know what podiatrists and other interested parties think and we encourage people to respond to our consultation and share their views with us.”

The views of participants will be analysed by the RCPod with a thematic analysis to explore opinions and trends. This analysis will be used to generate a consultation report for HEE, and its findings will be made public. All consultation responses and data will also be used to inform edits to the documentation.

The Consultation closes on 8 February 2023 and can be found on the Royal College of Podiatry website.

More about the review group for implementation of the Standards of the Foot Health Workforce

The following stakeholders took part in the formulation of the process to accredit educational providers and individuals who meet the Standards for the Foot Health Workforce:

• The SMAE Institute
• Stonebridge College
• The Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists
• Learn Direct
• Health Education England
• The Royal College of Podiatry
• Service users
• Podiatrists in independent practice
• NHS service managers
• Podiatry academics
• Representatives from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales (academic and NHS)
• Foot health practitioners
• Representatives of the support workforce

• Canonbury
• OSGO
• The Royal College of Podiatry
• The Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists
• The SMAE Institute