Royal college makes the case for MSK podiatry

[IN NOVEMBER the Royal College of Podiatry (RCPod) published an evidence ‘toolkit’ showing the effectiveness of musculoskeletal (MSK) podiatry services across the four nations of the UK – detailing the changes MSK services can make to patients’ health, function and quality of life.

The toolkit identifies the ideal referral and patient journey, reviews the impact of MSK podiatry treatment on patients and provides case studies to show examples of best practice. It uses the evidence to outline the costs of running an MSK podiatry service and provides evidence on the most effective treatments for many MSK conditions.

The evidence will eventually be used to develop a full MSK toolkit that will offer a unified approach that NHS and independent practice MSK podiatry services can use. It will solidify the scope of MSK podiatrists’ practice and show commissioners, trusts and health boards that MSK podiatry services are clinically effective and cost effective.

It is hoped that the adoption of the toolkit will encourage a more uniform approach to MSK services across the four nations. Independent practitioners can use it to develop their own MSK service for their patients.

Dr Helen Branthwaite, RCPod MSK lead, commented: “MSK podiatry services can make a huge difference to patient care and foot and lowerlimb health outcomes and the evidence we present here shows that. We hope that this toolkit will provide a compelling argument to healthcare commissioners in all four nations to consider increased investment in MSK podiatry.

“We set out the MSK podiatry service models that work in the NHS, which will arm our NHS and independent practitioner members with the evidence they need when considering how to build or improve an MSK service in their practice. We look forward to developing a full MSK toolkit in the future.”