The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists (SCP) is the Professional Body and a trade union for registered chiropodists and podiatrists in the United Kingdom. The charitable subsidiary of the organisation is the College of Podiatry which was formed in 2012.
The union originated in 1912 as the Society of Chiropodists, the first organisation of chiropodists in Europe. In 1916, it was renamed the Incorporated Society of Chiropodists, and in 1919, it established examinations for potential new members. Several rival organisations emerged: the Northern Association of Chiropodists, the Chelsea Chiropodists Association and the British Association of Chiropodists. These merged with the Incorporated Society in 1945, the new body once more taking the name "Society of Chiropodists". It was recognised as a negotiating body by the National Health Service in 1948, but did not register as a trade union until 1978. In 1993, it took its current name, recognising the membership of podiatrists, and in 1997, it affiliated to the Trades Union Congress. In 1998, the Association of Chief Chiropody Officers and the Podiatry Association both merged with the society.
The objectives for which the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists is established are as follows:
be the pre-eminent membership organisation for podiatrists and regulated/supervised support workers in the four UK countries;
endeavour to ensure that podiatry in all its forms is recognised as a core component of national and local health planning and delivery;
represent and meet the needs of members in the four UK countries as a trade union and provider of benefits and services;
play a leading role in the international Federation, particularly in relation to European matters, and contribute to creating a strong and active global membership;
be on a firm and sustainable financial footing with a diversity of income streams;
benefit from a motivated and highly trained secretariat who will take responsibility to lead in their area of responsibility- engage with service users to ensure that policies being pursued by the Society are designed to meet their needs.
The objectives for which the College of Podiatry is established are as follows:
be the leading advocate for the development of podiatry and foot health in the UK;
be on a firm and sustainable financial footing with a diversity of income streams;
be the viewed by the UK Health Departments, the medical profession and regulators as the pre-eminent education authority for podiatry and foot health in the four UK countries- be the pre-eminent authority on the standards and practice of podiatry and foot health in the UK;
be considered as the scholarly body for all educational functions of podiatric practice- provide the vision for podiatric research;
commission appropriate research to support the advancement of the - podiatric practice and improve outcomes for patientas ;
play a leading role in the international academy of podiatric medical educators, and contribute to creating a strong and active global membership;
endeavour to ensure sufficient podiatrists are educated both academically and clinically to meet the podiatric needs of the population in all sectors of practice;
offer accessible advice on foot health for the general population, utilising all forms of media;
develop effective collaborative and partnership arrangements with other - professions, organisations and advocacy bodies;
benefit from a motivated and highly trained secretariat who will take responsibility to lead in their area of responsibility;
Through the activities of the Society and College, the following advances in podiatry will have been made:
medical practitioners and other health professionals will fully understand the role and scope of practise of podiatrists;
podiatrists will be able to prescribe independently all medicines relevant to their scope of practise to improve patient care;
robust systems will be in place to measure continuously and consistently the costs and outcomes of treatment, to demonstrate clinical and cost effectiveness;
the population in all four UK countries will be able to benefit from podiatric Surgery.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall has been the society's Patron since 2005. The Queen Mum was previously patron from 1993, up until her death in 2002.
