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Dear colleagues
I am writing to personally inform you of an important update regarding the specialist title for practitioners registered in the podiatric surgery specialty. Following the recent Independent review of the regulation of podiatric surgeons in Australia (independent review), extensive consultation and careful consideration by health ministers, the protected title will change from ‘podiatric surgeon’ to ‘surgical podiatrist’.
The reason for this decision is to ensure that members of the public have more clarity and confidence about the qualifications and professional background of the practitioner they are consulting. Evidence gathered during the review showed that many patients assumed that a ‘podiatric surgeon’ was medically trained, and that this misunderstanding could undermine trust in the podiatry profession and the wider regulatory framework.
Podiatric surgeons, soon to be known as surgical podiatrists, play a significant role in Australia’s healthcare system and I want to emphasise that this decision does not diminish this. Their expertise is integral to improving access to foot and ankle surgery, reducing wait times, and delivering high-quality, patient-centred care, often as part of multidisciplinary teams.
The change will come into effect in 12 months, and the Podiatry Board is committed to supporting all practitioners during this transition. We will be providing informative resources to help explain the new title to patients and the public, and to support practitioners in clearly communicating their qualifications, training, and scope of practice.
The independent review made 14 recommendations, and this is one of a series of changes we are making to ensure the profession continues to meet community expectations. This change, alongside others, is focused on reinforcing the profession’s integrity and strengthening public trust. To learn more about how the Board is implementing the full range of recommendations from the review, you can visit the Board’s Independent review webpage.
I thank you for your continued commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care to the Australian community.
Warm regards
Dr Kristy Robson PhD Chair, Podiatry Board of Australia
