02/07/2025
In recent years, I’ve noticed increasing public confusion around foot care titles — especially when it comes to the use of words like “specialist”, “expert” or “professional.”
As a podiatrist, I’ve completed a degree in podiatric medicine, undertaken extensive clinical placements, and maintain registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) — a statutory regulator that holds us accountable to strict standards of safety, ethics, and evidence-based practice.
On the other hand, Foot Health Practitioners (FHPs) typically complete short training courses (often privately run) and aren’t regulated by the HCPC. While many FHPs provide basic foot care and play a vital role in community foot health, they don’t hold the same qualifications, clinical scope, or legal accountability as podiatrists.
🛑 Why does this matter?
Using terms like “expert” or “specialist” without regulated qualifications can mislead the public, blur professional boundaries, and potentially compromise patient safety. Regulation isn’t just about titles — it’s about protecting the people we care for.
👣 If you’re seeking help for foot pain, diabetes-related foot issues, or complex foot conditions, always check your provider is HCPC-registered. You can verify this at hcpc-uk.org.
💬 Let’s work together — across all levels of foot care — to promote transparency, accurate representation, and the highest standards of patient safety.
We are a regulator of health and care professions in the UK. Our role is to protect the public. By law, people must be registered with us to work in the UK
