Motion · S5M-17482 · 30 May 2019

Promoting Podiatry as a Career Choice

Lodged by Alison Johnstone Standard Motion 13 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament recognises the important role that podiatry plays in the prevention and early intervention of medical conditions; understands that podiatry treatment can reduce demand on secondary care services and improve patient outcomes; further understands that the most recent statistics show a vacancy rate of 5.4% in podiatry services, compared with 1.2% in 2013, and that the number of whole time equivalent podiatrists working in Scotland reduced by 1.3% between December 2017 and December 2018; considers that, given that more people are living with complex conditions that can lead to foot and lower problems, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and peripheral arterial disease, the reduction in the number of podiatrists working in Scotland’s NHS is a major public health concern; notes that the Office for Students is funding the strategic interventions in health education disciplines (SIHED) programme, which aims to increase awareness of allied health disciplines, and calls on the Scottish Government to launch a similar initiative in Scotland as a means of promoting podiatry as a career.

Supporters (13)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.