Mark
Thanks for your reply
Yes good guess, I've been in practice for 4 years, it must be the way I
walk!
Any way I'm 46 years old and obviously fairly new to chiropody and podiatry.
I started in mechanical engineering and then civil engineering and diving in
the offshore oil industry. I got into chiropody after leaving diving
(getting old) and having trained and worked as a diving paramedic and life
support technician. I now love my work and earn a good living to boot. It
might seem that I'm waffling on a bit but the point is this / these;
1. I've seen how new professions, diving and paramedics, can tear themselves
apart with aspirations and good intentions for new professional bodies and
higher standards that get out of hand and out of control.
Great care must be taken to ensure that members on the shop floor don't
eventualy feel disaffected and marginalised, and so another professional
body is born and both organizations fight amongst themselves and are
distracted from the original goals.
2. The attainment of higher standards within a profession is always an
appealing goal and difficult to argue with but, in my opinion, there should
be a concious effort not to set standards higher than the job requires
simply to enhance the kudos of the profession in a 'we are better than them
' scenario.Forcing continualy higher standards, eventualy I think, leaves a
void at the bottom of the ladder that nobody wants to fill. Do I see this
happening even now within the NHS where it seems, and perhaps
understandably, no one wants to cut nails or debride callus they want to be
working higher up the ladder as befits their qualifications. (My customers
come to me from the local NHS clinic for that very reason, their nail and
skin conditions are very important to them)
Also safety standards must have a reasonable limit. Its always easy to argue
that safer is better, but we all get in our cars and drive to work each day
how safe is that for you or the person you might run over. So you've
assessed the risk and decided that its an acceptable one.
Do we really need the latest nuclear powered, satellite controlled,
Kryptonite Autoclave at £25000.oo a go. It could be argued that we do but do
we. Perhaps a surgeon would but not for cutting nails. I know this sounds
silly but it's what happens when people get carried away with higher
standards.
3. I can see where your coming from within the NHS and state system, but for
me personaly, and I'm sure there will be many others who feel the same, I
could never percieve of myself working for someone else and certainly not
within the NHS with all its political in fighting and back biting and
keeping up with the latest anti litigation policies etc. I have several
freinds and relations who are professionals in the NHS and they seem to
spend / waste more time doing the above than they do with their patients.
I love my work and I will always do my best to keep high standards, (because
my patients are my customers) and that, I feel, is how the system should be.
Individuals working with guidance from their professional body to maintain
acceptable standards. I want to feel in charge of my own destiny and not be
dragged by the nose in directions I don't want to go. Which of course is
what is happening with the HPC.
cheers DKS
NB. Ican see after writing this that there is of course a large gap between
stetting standards within a large organization like the NHS and then a
multitude of individual private practioners who want some autonomy which, at
the end of the day, may be difficult to bring together and please all.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Russell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2003 3:25 AM
Subject: Re: General Podiatry Council
David,
I think you misread me. You ask why you should have to fork out for
training and exams (revalidation). I never suggested that you should.
Training for the BSc graduate would commence at the end of the course and
the 'trainee' podiatrist would start with a salary throughout their
residency or preceptorship. Applicants from the non-registered sector
would also receive an income for their work if they partake in the scheme.
A residency post may well attract a salary below that of the current
senior II - but this additional training provides the new podiatrist with
the opportunity of developing their educational and clinical knowledge
whilst gaining an income, which should help with student debt problem with
what would essentially be a five year training course in the future.
As for revalidation exams - the costs of these will normally be met by the
state rather than the individual. I believe that is the basis on which the
new GMC revalidation procedure is to be operated under.
I share your view about CPD and lifelong learning. The revalidation
process may well seem to be a waste of your time if you are as keen as you
suggest, but we have to make our mark somewhere. I am not sure how long
you have been in practice (if I was to guess it may be under five years,
but I could very well be wrong), but I think you may be surprised at the
variances in standards in all sectors of this profession.
I quite accept your point about enforcement and accuracy. Sure someone may
fool the system - but at least we've been seen to try and offer a basic
protection to the public. In today's environment that's just as important.
Lastly I did not contemplate elitism or exclusion. Just the opposite. The
register should be open to all. The licence will determine the scope of
practice according to competency and skills. Everyone should be encouraged
to realise their potential and should be supported in doing so.
Financially and logistically. CPD may require some dual funding from the
practitioner and the State, but revalidation should not.
Any better?
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