Footnotes: Foothealth

Footnotes

Foot Health Practitioners News - Issue 9

Hi Everybody.

It’s hard to believe, but April is upon us once again. The last twelve months have been very difficult for many people, but thankfully Spring is just around the corner. We saw a reduction of Covid regulations at the end of February, Hurray! But I am still wearing a mask. The clocks will go forwards on the 27th of March giving us longer evenings, more time to enjoy with friends and family.

So many things to look forward to.

As I type this it is the end of February. It is now 4 days since Russia invaded the Ukraine, this makes me realise what a very fragile planet it is that we live on.

We all struggle to make a living, to enjoy the better things in life, and suddenly they can all be taken away in seconds.

My heart goes out to the people of Ukraine and the millions of Russians, who don’t want this war. I hope that by the time you are reading this, certain people may have come to their senses and a cease fire has been brokered.

In February I was involved in the very sad closure of the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Branch of the Institute. This was due to the lack of attendance by Members.

A case of ‘If you don’t use it, you lose it.’ At the final meeting there were 6 attendees, of which I was the only FHP.

It is such a shame as I used to use the meetings to get to know some of the more established Chiropodists. The wealth of knowledge that these people possess is incredible, and they were very happy to share it. Unfortunately, this has now gone.

We had 25 Foot Health Practitioners in the branch, all of whom have been transferred to other branches.

Most meetings are at this current time being held on the Zoom platform. When you get your invitation from which ever branch you belong to, log on and take part. You never know you might enjoy it! I am just off now to buy my Easter eggs before the shops run out.

Have a great Spring.

Ian Fenton

CALLING ALL ASPIRING FHP AUTHORS

Is there a specific element of your industry that you are passionate about? Maybe it’s working with people? Maybe it’s a certain product or treatment?

Then why not share your knowledge and expertise with your peers and feature an article in our footnotes section.

Footnotes is specifically included to share the work of our FHP community and raise the profile of all the great work you do in foot health. Content of the article should be foot health related and in an easy-to-read magazine style format.

Contact julie@iocp.org.uk for more details.

Mirela Ene

Graduation Day 21st December 2021

Jessica Hindley Louise Johnson

Somuz and the Graduation Group Joy Sewell

The podiatry instrument packs given to students are sponsored by Heeley Surgical

Alison Graham

Beverley Wright

IOCP Chair of Ethics

Health regulators Support the Government Equalities Office

I was interested to learn about many health regulators supporting the Government Equalities Office (GEO) consultation, which is proposing a ban on conversion therapy practices in England and Wales (HCPC, 2022).

The primary purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which forms this proposal is for the protection of the public. This is through a commitment of ending ‘conversion therapy’ practices in the UK.

“...an umbrella term for a therapeutic approach, or any model or individual viewpoint that demonstrates an assumption that any sexual orientation or gender identity is inherently preferable to any other, and which attempts to bring about a change of sexual orientation or gender identity or seeks to suppress an individual’s expression of sexual orientation or gender identity on that basis.”

(BACP, 2022).

It may not be commonly discussed in foot health practitioner’s clinics or domiciliary practice, but the GEO has proposed a ban on talking therapies for minors and adults. Particularly, if any individual was considering a change of sexual/ gender orientation or transformation; or a practitioner were to consider changing any service user’s sexual orientation or gender identity. This is something even as a parent with school children and teachers themselves could raise as a talking point in practices, seeking support.

The GEO has also proposed other measures in the MoU to stop harmful, coercive and, perhaps at times, violent practices which may be interpreted as conversion therapy. Whereby, there could be various practices linked to being a conversion therapy practice, which is likely to become a criminal offence.

However, there are practices relating to “Gender Identity Development Services”, which are not linked to the definition of conversion therapy. Particularly, the gender identity therapies that are evidence-based, effective and beneficial therapies for a patient or service user. These therapies would not be controversial to the MoU, nor would health practitioners be contravening their regulatory or professional standards.

This maybe an unusual format to bring to the attention to our CoFH members. However, as a professional body, we think it is sometimes useful to bring information which becomes available to regulated health professionals, to our CoFH foot health practitioners.

All the best,

Beverley Wright

Chair of Ethics

REFERENCES

BACP, 2021. Available at: http://bacp.co.uk/media/13265/memorandum-of-understanding-onconversion-therapy-in-the-uk-september-2021.pdf. [Accessed. 20th February 2022].

HCPC, 2022. Available at: http.//www.hcpc-uk.org/news-and-events/blog/2022/conversiontherapy-ban-what- registrants-need-to-know/15-February-2022. [Accessed. 20th February 2022].