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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

The Alliance launched its new Alliance Maintenance Plan at the Hinckley Island OCF on Sunday 17th August 08. The plan was announced to more than 160 delegates and the meeting was supported by eight trade stands, all of whom reported lively business.

The Alliance Maintenance Plan is a business development tool which may be used to promote, improve and expand a practice at no cost to the practitioner.

It engenders patient loyalty, whilst assuring clients that they will receive attention when they need it and helps to budget for their foot care. It also offers a multiplicity of further benefits to both practitioner and patient.

The Plan is totally customisable to each and every individual patient and each and every practitioner. It has been devised in association with Dental Maintenance Plan Ltd and Balens Insurance Ltd, two well-known and highly successful ethical companies, each a leader in their own field of expertise.

Failed appointments cause 10-25% loss of takings in our practices. Just putting this loss back into the income will improve your business by 10-25%. The Plan means that if an appointment is not kept, then the practitioner still gets paid - by a monthly return from the plan - assuring a steady flow of income and evening-out good months and poor months. Patients who fail are re-scheduled at alternative times, so they need not lose out.

The scheme offers better value than many private insurance schemes that offer 'benefits' for services that may never be claimed. Under the Plan, the patient receives foot maintenance to the full value of all fees paid.

The Plan is entirely independant of HPC registration. No longer do you have to accept that you are not recognised by a private insurance company because you are not HPC registered.

The Alliance Maintenance Plan is exclusive to the Alliance. It is available equally to Podiatrists and Foot Health Practitioners, indeed all practitioners who hold Alliance membership.

See the home page for more information

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NEW REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE

Registrants that have already received their new HPC Registration Certificate have expressed disappointment at its size and appearance. Don't expect too much! If it were to be larger, it might cost even more.

The new identity card that you will receive carries two new security numbers on the reverse. We shall have to wait to learn the full significance of these numbers, but all these security measures must be very costly. Still, it's us thats paying.

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LISTEN, WE CAN PROBABLY HELP!

To the Branch Chairman of the Essex Branch of the Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists who is on the point of resigning because he gets told nothing ..... why on earth don't you ask us what's going on? We can almost certainly help ......

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STATE REGISTRATION NO LONGER EXISTS!

Since State registration ceased with the implementation of the Health Bill 1999, to claim to be 'State Registered' is to claim to be something that no longer exists. The HPC have advised that the meaningless 'title' should no longer be used. Those that now 'pretend to', claim and display this non-existent title do so with the clear and deliberate intention of perpetuating memories of previous legislation now no longer relevant, thus misleading the public.

State registration is not and never was a qualification. Even when current it was only an indication of status (being on the register).

Alliance members are perfectly entitled to complain to the HPC or Trading Standards about this deceit where it arises. So too, are members of the public.

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CPD AUDITS 2010

Registrants must be aware that, although they may not have been selected for audit this time, there is an ongoing requirement to continue to keep a 'continuous record' of their CPD activities. If you are selected for audit two years from now your CPD portfolio must be continuous and complete from this point onwards. Its not too soon to start.

Alliance members have been successful in retaining their place on the register.

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Some fantastic news, for not only did we reduce your Insurance costs this year, but we are now able to offer the same to our members in SOUTHERN IRELAND, representing a very big saving to them. They have always paid extra and higher premiums, an additional £50. Now, along with the reduction and savings enjoyed by yourselves (remember £13 decrease), they will be saving a massive £63.

Alliance insurance is with Zurich, and the wording has been carefully scrutinised by Balens Ltd to ensure its strength and suitability.

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MISSION TO THE UKRAINE

Victor and the team have returned from the Ukraine. Victor himself witnessed the spending of the money raised by the parachute jump - every last penny was spent on dressings and instruments. The amount of equipment they carried out would have incurred more than £1000 in excess baggage, but on explaining that it was necessary for the Salvation Army's humanitarian mission, the Ukranian authorities waived the charge.

Thank you to all the firms and individuals who have very generously contributed equipment and materials for this mission. The team left the place better than they found it and did a considerable amount of building work whist out there to improve the lives of the Ukranian people.

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NEW LINCOLN AND NORTHEAST REGION OPEN CLINICAL FORUM

The Alliance OCF network continues to expand. Soon the new Lincoln OCF will join the Yorkshire, North Wales, South Wales and West Midlands OCFs.

This will bring relevant, good quality CPD and more opportunity for social and professional interaction within easy reach of yet more Alliance members.

The inaugural meeting is to take place on 8th February 2009. Details will be announced on this website as soon as the programme is finalised and the venue decided.

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NEW LONDON AND SOUTHEAST REGION OPEN CLINICAL FORUM

Plans for the London & SE OCF are coming together nicely. Opening date will be announced shortly. Watch here for further announcements.

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Alliance Maintenance Plan has its first members

Practitioners and clients are doing fine and all are benefiting from the advantages that the plan bestows.

We look forward to its first birthday!

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LECTURES TO INSTITUTE MEMBERS

On Sunday 29th June, we attended the Blair Bell Education Centre at the Women's Hospital, Liverpool, to talk to around 30 members of the Western Region of the Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists.

Two presentations were delivered: Victor Fletcher spoke eloquently on 'Business Principles and the Marketing of Clinical Practice' and John Falkner-Heylings presented 'A Podopaediatric Condition - Femoral Anteversion'. Both lectures were very well received and generated a very great deal of interest and an amazing number of supplementary questions. Never before have we seen so many notes taken!

We were treated graciously and made very welcome. We thank the Western Branch for their kind invitation and look forward to future interaction with our friends in the Institute

"Dear Editor,

Having attended the recent Western Branch meeting of 29th June 2008, I would like to express my grateful thanks .......

The two speakers on the occasion were Mr V J Fletcher and Mr J Falkner-Heylings who I found to be very professional and passionate about their work .....

I found the meeting to be very informative and educational, but also a great way to do a little networking with other fellow professionals ........ thank you for a lovely afternoon."

Mrs J C MInstChP

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FIRST FHP FELLOWSHIPS

The Alliance has made its first Fellowship awards to FHP members .

The awards were conferred in recognition of energies expended on behalf of colleagues and support of the Alliance and its aims.

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UNITY - OF A SORT!

We note that the SMAE Institute will now be giving its FHP and Registrant Members equal status. The Alliance has done so since its foundation, suggesting that we've been right all along.

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We note with some interest

-the recent flurry of activity at the Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. The leading tutor appointed to see the intended City and Guilds course up and running has been 'replaced' following some sort of irregular, tripartate 'coup' ...well, that's how we heard it! If nothing else it means they have to rather expensively start again with the course curriculum.

Seems very curious to us. Perhaps he dared to ask for money to purchase teaching resources, or something like that? Anyway, it looks as though the much depended-upon City & Guilds in Foot Health course may be in choppy waters or may even have hit the rocks. The candidates lined up to do the course (at something like £3,000 per head projected) will just have to wait a little longer before they can start....

Try this short game if you've got a moment to waste:

....place a decimal point ( . ) correctly among the following figures

to arrive at the real number of interested candidates..... 0 0 1 3 5 0 0

Q. What would you call a student who chose to pursue this course? It can't be a podiatry student or a student of podiatry. And if, when the first year is completed, they choose to drop out and go to work instead? An FHP, perhaps?

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OOPS!

We understand that the Institute's Southwest Branch has definitely hit the rocks and is to close.

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NEW JOURNAL LAUNCHED

A new joint venture has bees been launched between the Society of Chiropodists and the Australasian Podiatry Council. This replaces the previous British Journal of Podiatry with all of its spelling mistakes and errors.

We are not to be disappointed - the publishing errors look set to be continued in the new online format, and there are very real signs that the mediocrity of the published research will continue much as before. At least we can be fairly certain of where its coming from....

...to be published in the Journal authors must stump up £850 for pre-publication expenses - unless, of course, they are members of the Society of Chiropodists or the Australasian Podiatry Council. As their reward, authors will have their papers listed in PubMed.

Get scratchin', possums!

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Retention of registration

Alliance members who were selected for CPD audit have retained their registration - demonstrating that Alliance CPD is at a level totally adequate to satisfy the requirements of the HPC and that Alliance members are fully capable of pursuing any such CPD as is required.

Cynical critics are fast running out of points that they can level at Alliance members. Alliance members have not been found lacking and have proven themselves capable of any and every test that has been applied to them. One day these critics may wake up, and smell the coffee ....

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Note Carefully!!

The Alliance seeks to warn practitioners that if you are not registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC) you have no claim to use any of the reserved titles of the thirteen professions regulated by the HPC.

Using these titles, or any implication that you are acting as or claiming to be an HPC registrant such as chiropodist or podiatrist is illegal and you risk prosecution for so doing. This is also interpreted as extending to use of related words such as chiropody and podiatry and derivitive words such as podiatric and chiropodial.

The Alliance advises that you avoid using these terms at all, in any context, and advises use of the term Foot Health Practitioner in the case of practitioners involved in the delivery of foot health and foot care. When answering the telephone you are advised to answer the question: "is that the chiropodist"? with either your name, or with a trading name. For instance: 'It's Andrew at Prime Feet' or 'It's The Foot Spa - Sally speaking' or 'I'm Terry, the practitioner, how can I help'? Practice this form of words and use it every time you go to the 'phone. In response to 'do you do chiropody'? or 'are you a chiropodist'? the answer must be something like 'No, I'm a foot health practitioner. I take care of your feet and leave you comfortable'. Do not simply respond with a direct 'yes' to these sort of questions!

Websites must also be checked closely and revised where necessary. Take care that you do not display the Alliance logo with the banner which reads 'The Alliance of Chiropody and Podiatry Practitioners' if you are an FHP. The correct logo for FHPs has a banner which reads 'The Alliance of Private Sector Practitioners'. Displaying the wrong logo is asking for trouble. The correct logo is available from the Alliance office.

Practitioners must be careful when placing advertisements that they are not placed under chiropody and podiatry classifications. Yellow Pages has a section Foot Health, and it is here that advertisements must be placed. In other publications there will be a Health and Fitness category or similar. If doubtful, seek advice. The Alliance can be contacted on 01492 531852 or 07703 576553.

This is not simply a disclaimer for the protection of our own backs. This is a warning from a responsible professional body concerned for the professional well-being of all of its members.....

IF YOU ARE AN FHP OFFERING 'CHIROPODY SERVICES'

YOU MUST STOP DOING SO IMMEDIATELY

CHECK YOUR WEBSITES, LITERATURE AND ADVERTISEMENTS

THE RULES ARE PLAIN AND HAVE BEEN EXPLAINED IN GREAT DETAIL!!

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CHAPTER AND VERSE

Some members are reporting that they are losing business due to accusations being made that they are 'not qualified' or 'not registered'. The Health Bill 1999 is quite specific, and you are fully entitled to pursue practice. If this happens to you the Alliance needs to know who, how and when so that we can take up the case on your behalf. Be assured - no Alliance member needs to suffer this sort of harassment - but the Alliance's solicitors must have details in order to act.

The Alliance can report success in three cases to date. Other cases are ongoing and our solicitors continue to follow their instructions. The HPC and Society of C&P have been fully informed in each case.

Note that your new 2008 insurance covers against slander and libel.

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The Alliance is concerned with the positive development of private practice and the progress of individual practitioner members

Regulated or independant, all practitioners have the same need of advice, protection, networking and development

Members already recognise that the Alliance works continually and tirelessly to these ends

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