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Post by foothealth on Jun 27, 2009 11:18:01 GMT
Hello all, I live in the south west of England and am thinking of training to become a Foot Health Practitioner. There is a training centre about 45 miles from me in Bude. Most of the course is done at home though and must be completed within 2 years. Only 5 or 10 days are spent and the training centre. I would be grateful of board members opinions on this training course. I do understand the after completing the course I cannot call myself a Chiropodist or Podiatrist. I would call myself a Foot Health Practitioner and would be able to treat Corns, Callus, Fungal infections and ingrowing toe nails. Once qualified I wonder if I could get enough clients to do this full time. I would hate to think that after paying and completing the course that the qualification is not recognised as being worth while. I would be interested to hear your views. www.openstudycollege.com/courses/foot-health-course.html
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Post by davidsmith on Jun 27, 2009 13:19:03 GMT
Dear Scared person Don't worry what's the worst that can happen eh! EH? Ah! well of course you will be hated and reviled by all who are real podiatrists and even those that have risen from the disgusting gutter of unregistered chiropody to the new heights of grandparent podiatrist will spit on you and tread you into the dust of your worthless vocation. Whereas those who see themselves as the righteous and redeemed shall sit upon the mountain of self satisfaction where they will be a s safe as houses. And, you may well ask, what shall happen to those house? . Well they shall be crushed by the hand of goodness and consumed in the fires of hell and daaaamnation for ever and ever and serves their pompous Rs's right too. Hope this helps LoL Dave
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Post by davidsmith on Jun 27, 2009 13:22:43 GMT
Oh! sorry I seem to have been unwittingly drawn into the parallel universe of TFS oblivion just for a few minutes there. Anyway normal service will be resumed as soon as I can stop these pesky troll like, self endorsing demons from chewing on my butt.
Love Dave
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Post by robertisaacs on Jun 27, 2009 20:39:02 GMT
Hey Foothealth
Don't mind Dave ;D. His sense of humour can be obscure sometimes!
You ask an emotive and difficult question. You see those who work with foot health are divided. Those who have taken the 3 year FULL TIME degree, or who had been working 3 years when the title was protected, are the only ones who can describe themselves a chiropodists. However similar work is undertaken by those who now call themselves foot health professionals (FHPS), a title which has no specific requirments.
As you can imagine this situation is not popular with many Podiatrists! Its a political hot potato with emotions which run very high on both sides.
Its too big a topic to cover in less than a book, however to answer your questions.
Not for a LONG while. Its usually reckoned that if you have good skills and good advertising you can accumulate about one days worth of work per year. So you'll need to have been qualified 6 years to work full time. This, however, is only a standard formula. Some do better, many do worse.
Depends by whom. To a pod with over 1000 hours clinic time and 3 years full time medical training a correspondance course with 10 days at the training centre will carry little weight. To most in the medical establishment the fact that you will not be HPC (state) registered will make you suspect. To the patients... it depends. After the first visit they will rate you on performance not qualifications.
Regards Robert
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Post by blinda on Jun 28, 2009 13:57:15 GMT
Hi Foothealth,
Welcome to the forum, I`m sure you`ll find much of the discussion here of interest to you.
Davidh has frequently said “FHPs are perfectly capable of ethical palliative footcare” and I would agree with that. I started my foot health career by undertaking a largely distant learning course, with 30 days clinical practice. This was adequate enough to enable me to safely treat the corns, callus and fungal infections that you speak of. Obviously, it is a recognised qualification otherwise you would not be able to obtain indemnity/professional insurance, which will dictate your scope of practice.
Robert`s pithy summation of the politics, is spot on. Whether your qualification will be recognised by other health professionals, is quite difficult to say. Personally, I was driven by desire for further learning and went on to do the full time degree, which I would most strongly recommend FHPs do, particularly if you intend to work full time. In my view, the distance learning course was not a waste of money or time; it provided me with a solid foundation upon which I could build my clinical and academic achievements, with the bonus of being able to practice and earn whilst learning more.
That said, if your circumstances do not allow you to take the degree path, as I said before, you can still offer a worthwhile service for your patients. However, I would advise you to create referral pathways to other chiropodists/podiatrists in your area so that you can refer cases which are beyond your scope of practice. This would certainly help you to run an ethical and rewarding practice in addition to earning the respect of other health professionals.
Hope you find this useful. Cheers, Bel
PS In addition to Daves` laments I add;
"O Pods, please don't burn us. Don't grill us FHPs. Don't put us on the barbecue Or simmer us with peas Don't braise or bake or boil us Or stir-fry us in a wok. Oh, please don't “footwasher” us Or baste us with hot fat. Don't fricassee or roast us Or boil us in a vat, And please don't stick thy unwashed class, In a Rotissomat"
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Post by davidsmith on Jun 28, 2009 17:26:48 GMT
Robert I prefer sophisticated and cutting edge, Dear old Spike would love it. BTW what would he be doing right now if he was still alive ------ Answer - Screamin and fightin like hell to get out of his coffin. Oh Oh! Great Idea Robert - How about 'Dragons Corner' for the Orthoped Forum. This is what I envisage Newbee Foot type people pitch up with their novel ideas for their services in the hope of bucket loads of encouragement and profound advice. We all make genorous and encouraging sounds as they approach, and then, without warning stab them in their patheticaly pleading puppy dog eyes with special pointed sticks, sharpened on our ever increasing sarcasm and wit. I think people would pay good money to see that. Why not run it up the flag pole and see how that one flies' Hey Ho! All done in the best POoossible taste! FootHealth - this is supposed to be encouraging because whatever we tell you there's only one way to find out for sure. So look on the bright side and follow your senses. For what it's worth Chiropody and Podiatry in the private sector seems to be on a low at the moment but some are still doing really well. My experience is that people are generally considering price more highly than before. So how would you fit into that scenario? but in two years things may be entirely different. Starting a business is a risk and requires much hard work and perseverance and only you will know whether your up to it. Love Dave
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10feet
Junior Member
Posts: 68
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Post by 10feet on Jun 28, 2009 21:52:33 GMT
Why am I picking up sincerity from Robert and Bel but cynicism from Dave? Can't help but think Dave thinks this is yet another input from "friends" across the way.
I think Dave may be right.
Have others considered yet the threat to the stability of the whole of foot care delivery from the 3rd sector provider as commisssioning is being rolled out? The 3rd sector provider not necessarily having its roots in Podiatry - supermarket provision, Age Concern provision, Virgin boss - Richard Branson provision.
Interesting times but this takes us off topic but I see 3rd sector provision threatening the livelihood of the FHP rather more so than the degree Pod/HPC registered Pod.
Food for thought.
Bel talks about palliative care from FHPs. What is palliative care?
Does a FHP have the ability act and react to foot conditions that require palliative care?
Bel had to undertake a degree to learn more - perhaps to understand what she was treating.
It is my opinion that every patient seeking paid treatment has a right to know what is being treated, why it has happened and how they can look after the situation now and into the future. The lack of a academic basis to the FHP training simply means they cannot deliver this knowledge.
Prime example "If a corn is not properly removed it will not get better."
Food for thought for the original poster perhaps? Somehow, like Dave, I doubt it.
Pete
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Post by blinda on Jun 29, 2009 14:35:19 GMT
Hey Pete,
Good to hear from you again.
Because Robert and I are nice people but when Dave smells flowers, he looks around for a coffin? ;D No, I think you may be right Pete, but I tend to look for the best in people, sometimes to my detriment.
I happen to agree with you regarding the 3rd sector provider, a very interesting topic to discuss, perhaps a new thread is in order?
We`re not talking `end of life` palliative care here, obviously, but I would view any care that alleviates symptoms, such as reduction of gryphotic nails, corn enucleation, callus reduction, etc as palliative care, that is to improve the patients quality of life. The FHPs that I have met do have the ability to offer such treatments and refer any conditions that are beyond their remit. My decision to undertake the degree was not to gain a fundamental understanding of foot conditions that I was treating, the chiropody course (which is no longer available) provided that. Of course I learnt more at uni, but I view my career as progressive and am still continuing to learn.
I agree that the patient should be informed about the aetiology of any pathology they may manifest and given the right advice on how to manage or treat it. I am not privy to the content of all the FHPs courses content, so cannot state whether they posses such knowledge, but would like to think that if they were to encounter something they could not deal with or explain they would refer on.
Yep, and I have seen patients treated by both FHPs and previously SR Pods who have not had their corns treated appropriately.
Cheers, Bel
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Post by dtt on Jun 30, 2009 14:45:04 GMT
Hi All I tend to agree with him on this one cheers D
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Post by davidsmith on Jun 30, 2009 17:42:05 GMT
Well I don't know, you try and help and all you get is cynicism ;D
Pseudonym - FootHealth, - no details, no response, yet, from FH despite overtly friendly replies from Bel and Robert. Is this a genuine shy person or a raider from the dark side testing the new chain of command and where their loyalties lie..
You decide but my money's on Darth FootHealth and not Luke Toothpaster with a shiny smile
Cheers Dave
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10feet
Junior Member
Posts: 68
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Post by 10feet on Jul 3, 2009 21:11:11 GMT
Bel
I am going to try and reply without cutting and pasting as I have confessed to Robert in a post on his other thread that this can take things out of meaningful context.
Lets save the 3rd sector debate when Robert is "content" about the new content. Give the man a chance.
Interesting use of the term Palliative Care. Agree it is not end of life but it is about correct management of conditions that, as Podiatrists, we cannot effectively cure and discharge, but the aim is to put as much distance between appointments as possible by providing patients with comfort and quality. I don't believe that FHPs have the ability to provide such treatment. Yes they can make patients more comfortable but cannot achieve an appropriate distance between appointments dependent upon the presenting condition(s). It is more likely that deplorable phrase best describes their work - cut and come again. There will be the minority that do improve to palliative care level; equally there will be Podiatrists that only achieve cut and come again, unable to climb out of that lower market provision.
To provide palliative care, one needs to be able to think and react to new problems; beating them before they start if you can. This is the difference, in my opinion, between the levels of training for the general practitioner in Podiatry and the FHP. Having the evidence base, the education to understand the evidence and the honed practical skills.
True, I don't know the content of FHP courses either but I think we have a pretty good idea that such a short course does not provide an adequate learning outcome to provide palliative care.
Lets go back to my statement about not enucleating corns properly. A corn is a symptom of a mechanical problem within the foot/lower limb. Enucleation of a corn, however adequate or inadequate, will not always resolve the problem. Achieving treatment that changes the foot mechanics, therefore the pressure/shearing, that results in the corn is primarily the way to resolve the problem in many cases. Of course patient compliance being a huge factor to cure
I have yet to find one FHP, locally, that delivers this knowledge to their patients choosing the "not properly done" or the "roots were left behind" options, exposing a lack of understanding of one of the simplest foot conditions. Granted, a few of our Podiatry colleagues do the same. They're just lazy.
This is where I would advise the original poster to seriously consider the investment into being able to do, but not to understand. Why not "risk" being a Podiatrist?
Pete
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Post by dewdrop on Jul 6, 2009 6:07:15 GMT
As a new member, I would like to say that the above reply contains sound common sense and is a lot more helpful to the OP than other responses on this thread.
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Post by robertisaacs on Jul 6, 2009 14:52:41 GMT
As an OLD member....
I'd pretty much agree.
The Longer course, almost by definition, must offer more treatment skills / options. With it, one can offer more complete treatment to the patient which makes for a far more satisfying day to day work.
Karma for thee pete.
And welcome dewdrop
Regards Robert
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Post by blinda on Jul 6, 2009 20:32:05 GMT
Hi Pete,
I also agree with your post on the whole. Perhaps the term `cut & come again` may be more accurate but then again I am not in a position to comment on whether all FHPs can, or cannot, react to new problems as they have vastly different training and skills. I`m not disputing that pods can deliver an evidenced based approach to patient care as this is what our education affords us.
Yes we do have lazy pods and FHPs who don`t/won`t (or don`t know how to) address the biomechanics of HDs, the cut & come again brigade. My post to Foothealth was based purely on my own experience and as stated before, I would exhort anyone considering embarking upon a career in `feet` to undertake the fulltime degree course.
Cheers, Bel
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