| To join the Volitional Register, please print this form or download in MS Word format
FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONERS
Foot Health Practitioners study for a Diploma in Foot Health Practice. They are autonomous practitioners skilled in the delivery of routine foot care to the general public, being trained to diagnose and routinely treat the common disorders of the foot. FHPs are taught good clinical practice and safe techniques for the delivery of comfort. They accept the limit of their remit and recognise when and how to refer onwards to other practitioners. Committed to Continuing Professional Development, FHPs are keen to demonstrate their professionality in terms of skill delivery, update and improvement. They have no deliberate intention of working outside regulation and actively seek formal recognition and registration at a level appropriate to their skills. A Volitional Register exists for the demonstration for this fact.
The Alliance recognises that as life expectancy extends, the incidence of Diabetes mellitus increases, clinical obesity puts stress upon the foot and the NHS is increasingly involved in the care of those with high risk leg and foot pathologies, there is a need for a skilled autonomous workforce that can safely deliver routine foot care to the public.
The Alliance believes that members of the population should retain and be able to exercise genuine choice in where they can go to find help. Some will prefer to pay a private practitioner rather than accept a state-determined service which must inevitably be constrained by finance and time apportionment limitations.
Certainly, within living memory, there has always been a shortage of provision locally and nationally. Where a shortage is identified, it is not right that any person wanting to do the job should be prevented from doing so, particularly if that person is prepared to undertake training to enable safe delivery of the service.
INTRODUCTION
Government agencies would wish that all practitioners who work upon members of the public should be regulated. The mechanism of regulation is registration, certain standards and competencies being assured by acceptance to, and continuing membership of a register. Those whose standards fall below these standards and competencies may be struck from the register with attendant loss of title, loss of credibility and inability to procure insurance. Registration exists to protect the public, and the Volitional Register of Foot Health Practitioners seeks to extend this protection of the public whilst affording dignity to the otherwise unregistered safe, skilled and trained practitioner.
It is a demographic fact that a population of 60 million demands foot care in volume greater that that which can be delivered by HPC Registered Podiatrists alone. Not all require the attention of a Podiatrist (specialist). Many generally healthy people need simply the help of a Foot Health Practitioner (generalist/routinist), who does not have need of the depth of knowledge of the podiatrist but is nevertheless capable of unsupervised delivery of a much-needed service.
The Voluntary Register of Foot Health Practitioners is open to all privately practicing practitioners, regardless of where they trained. Those who previously trained as chiropodists in private schools may have rejected the HPC Chiropody/Podiatry register, perhaps being prepared to loose the title, feeling it inappropriate or irrelevant to their circumstances. Equally, there are those who now hold a Diploma in Foot Health Practice who seek recognition.
The Volitional Register demonstrates to the government and the HPC that FHPs take their work seriously, are prepared to work safely and ethically, and uphold appropriate standards of behaviour and acceptable delivery of their services.
ADVANTAGES OF VOLUNTARY REGISTRATION
1. Protection of your title – if the volitional register is seen to work then it may be made the basis of a statutory register which will prevent non-qualified FHPs using and devaluing your title. |
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2. Volitional Registration demonstrates professionality, and verifies that we are not simply using a alternative title ‘to avoid regulation’.
3. Professional input – you help to regulate your profession and influence its direction.
4. Protection against rogue practitioners – upholding your standards in the eyes of the public.
5. Recognition of your profession – your occupation will never be formally recognised by Europe, the Government, Department of Health, the NHS or the public unless you support a recognised register.
6. Defined standards of conduct, performance and ethics – clear rules for professional behaviour.
7. Fitness to Practice – surety that practitioners are of good health and character.
8. Written standards of proficiency published expectations of vital skills, knowledge and efficiency.
9. Consistent standards – all of your colleagues must attain appropriate standards of proficiency.
10. Voluntary registration is the best/only way to demonstrate that we deserve and want recognition.
The Voluntary Register for Foot Health Practitioners was presented by the Alliance to Professor Norma Brook, Marc Seale and Kathy Scott of the Health Professions Council on 31st January 2005.
That the Register exists at all is volitional (voluntary), i.e. it is not a statutory register.
That Alliance members are required to be members of the Volitional Register is a condition of Alliance membership.
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VOLITIONAL REGISTER OF
FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONERS
Entry to the Register requires proof of training and demonstration of satisfactory completion of your training course. You must also prove that you are fully insured. Membership is automatically void where insurance has been allowed to lapse.
Those who have trained overseas and those trained at certain establishments within the UK may be required to complete further training before acceptance on to the register - the Registrar will advise.
Membership of the register does not indicate competence. That is not the purpose of this register. The Registrar reserves the right to refuse entry to the register and is not obliged to give reason or enter into dialogue.
APPLICATION FORM – must be accompanies by the fee of £15
Please make cheques payable to: Voluntary Register of Foot Health Practitioners
(The fee is purely to cover the administration costs of the Volitional Register and is renewable annually)
“I hereby apply to have my name entered into the Volitional Register of Foot Health Practitioners".
“I undertake to uphold the rules and code of ethics of the Volitional Register".
“I support the principle of protection of the public by regulation".
“By adding my name to the Volitional Register, I demonstrate that I have no intention of avoidance of regulation by use of the title ‘Foot Health Practitioner’.”
Signature: ………………………….. Date: …………………..
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Part 2 Issued |
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Volitional Register No .
Office use only
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Return to: The Registrar VRFHP 3 Pendorlan Avenue Colwyn Bay Conwy N Wales LL29 8EA
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