Job Description
What does a Podiatrist do?n
Podiatrists assess and treat conditions of the foot, ankle and lower limb across all ages. Day-to-day work mixes biomechanical assessment, nail surgery (under local anaesthetic), wound care for diabetic ulcers, orthotic prescription, sports injury rehabilitation and dermatological treatment of skin conditions. All UK podiatrists register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
n
- n
- Diagnose and treat foot, ankle and lower-limb conditions
- Run nail surgery, biomechanical analysis, diabetic foot care and dermatological treatments
- Specialise into diabetic foot, sports podiatry, podiatric surgery or paediatrics
- Work for NHS community services, GP practices and private podiatry clinics
n
n
n
n
n
Podiatrists work across NHS community services, GP practices, private clinics and specialist diabetic foot centres.
nUK salary rangesn
UK Podiatrists are paid on the NHS Agenda for Change bands. Newly qualified at Band 5 (£28,400+), progressing to specialist Band 6 within 2‑3 years. Private podiatry in London and the South East pays £60‑£100 per hour for established practitioners.
n
Band 6: Senior / Specialist PodiatristBand 7: Clinical Specialist / Team LeadBand 8: Consultant Podiatrist / Manager
n
London weighting adds £4,300 (Inner) / £3,700 (Outer) / £1,200 (Fringe) to NHS base pay. Private podiatry in London and the South East commands premium hourly rates — established practitioners earn £60‑£100 per hour with self‑employed multiples of NHS Band 8.
nTypical entry routesn
- n
- Pre‑registration MSc Podiatry – 2 years (accelerated route for graduates of a related discipline)
- Podiatry Degree Apprenticeship – 4 years (fully employer funded for UK home students)
- Overseas‑trained podiatrist HCPC pathway – assessment of qualifications and English‑language test
n
n
n
nSkills you'll needn
- n
- Steady hand and fine motor control
- Clear communication about treatment options
- Ethical decision‑making (HCPC Standards)
- Continuous learning across clinical advances
n
n
n
n
nDiabetic foot servicesn
Specialist NHS multidisciplinary diabetic foot teams provide high‑acuity podiatry to prevent amputations in diabetic patients.
n
Independent UK podiatry practices and chains run general and specialist podiatry services.
nSports & MSK clinicsn
Sports podiatry is offered in specialist sports medicine clinics, elite performance organisations and professional sports teams.
nCare home networksn
Mobile domiciliary podiatry serves care homes and housebound patients, often run by self‑employed or franchise practitioners.
n#J-18808-Ljbffr
…