The NHS is undergoing a fundamental shift from a reactive, sickness-based model of care to a system rooted in prevention and early intervention. This move has been widely welcomed across the healthcare industry.
Podiatrists play a critical role in supporting people across the life cycle, from childhood all the way to geriatric care; managing complex foot and lower limb conditions across primary care, community health, acute care, social care and the independent sector.
They help reduce hospital admissions, facilitate early discharge, prevent amputations and promote long-term health and mobility. As the demands on the healthcare system continue to rise, investment in podiatry services must be recognised as a cost-effective strategy that delivers profound prevention benefits to individuals and public health as a whole.
Foot and lower limb complications, particularly those associated with diabetes, renal and vascular diseases, can lead to severe, life-altering consequences if left untreated. NHS podiatry services are instrumental in preventing unnecessary hospital admissions by facilitating early detection, diagnosis and intervention. Studies and pilots indicate that integrated podiatric care can significantly reduce the risk of admission through targeted preventative strategies, ultimately mitigating the need for more invasive, high-cost treatments such as major amputations.
And for patients with diabetes, podiatry is particularly crucial. Diabetic foot complications, including foot ulceration and infection, are a leading cause of hospital admissions in the UK. It is estimated that more than 7,000 diabetes-related amputations, and similar numbers of non-diabetesrelated limb amputations, occur annually in England alone due to foot ulceration, many of which could have been prevented with timely podiatric interventions.
The financial and human cost of such complications is immense, costing the NHS an estimated £1bn in England alone. Preventative podiatry services have been proven to reduce these outcomes, demonstrating their immense value to the health service and society at large.
Of the 5.8 million people estimated to be living with diabetes in the UK, 1.2 million of those will require regular podiatry appointments. Investment in early detection and preventative care is more critical than ever. The National Diabetes Footcare Audit has demonstrated that podiatric interventions can cut major amputation rates by 50 per cent in pilot regions, underscoring the importance of timely access to foot health services. In diabetes care, estimates suggest that proactive podiatry services could prevent up to 80 per cent of amputations. Given the high cost of managing foot complications in diabetes patients, scaling up podiatry services represents a prudent financial investment.
We need an adequate workforce to meet the demand. The NHS faces a worrying decline in the number of trained podiatrists and commissioned podiatry posts. There has been a 10 per cent drop approximately over the past decade, and the number of newly qualified clinicians entering the field is declining. Without urgent intervention, access to foot health services may become increasingly restricted, jeopardising the NHS’s ability to provide essential preventative care.
The role of podiatrists extends beyond acute interventions. They provide support to patients with long-term conditions, particularly among elderly populations where mobility restrictions can lead to social isolation, increased reliance on care services, and diminished quality of life. Foot pain and gait dysfunction are among the leading causes of falls in older adults, contributing to hospital admissions and longer-term care requirements. By keeping patients mobile and independent, NHS podiatry services play a critical role in alleviating the burden on community care resources.
Prevention is not only beneficial for patient outcomes but also represents significant cost savings for the NHS. Beyond the health benefits, investing in NHS podiatry services makes sound economic sense. Preventative foot care reduces the need for expensive hospital admissions, emergency treatments and long-term disability support. For every £1 spent on preventative foot care, the NHS could save several times that amount in avoided costs related to hospitalisation, surgeries and ongoing care needs. If NHS services were to reduce the prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers in England by one third, the gross annual saving could be more than £250m.
A national podiatry workforce strategy is urgently needed to address this shortfall. This would drive sustainable workforce planning, allocate funding for training and development, and promote collaboration with non-NHS sectors. A substantial section of the podiatry workforce provide services in the independent sector, working in collaboration with NHS services, thereby relieving pressure on the NHS.
By investing in the long-term structure of the podiatry workforce, the NHS can safeguard the availability of these vital services and continue to deliver high-quality, preventative foot care to those who need it most.
The professional body and trade union for podiatrists in the UK, the Royal College of Podiatry, is working hard to increase recruitment into the profession. CEO Jane Pritchard said: “It is imperative that there is a fully functioning podiatry workforce across all areas of the NHS and the independent sector in the UK to ensure the health benefits of mobility and prevention can be realised. We want to work with government to realise this goal for the benefit of a healthy, fully functioning society.”
As the NHS shifts towards a prevention-first approach to healthcare, the importance of podiatry becomes increasingly clear. Podiatrists play a crucial role in preventing hospital admissions, reducing the risk of amputations and preserving mobility and independence, particularly among elderly populations, making them vital to improving public health outcomes. Keeping people of all ages healthy and mobile will go a long way in helping manage the cost, both in terms of the cost to the health service and the personal toll.
These are health priorities the government has outlined, and by prioritising podiatric care and educating the workforce to meet the growing need, we can build a healthier, more resilient healthcare system for the future – one that prevents illness rather than simply treating it.
For more information, visit www.rcpod.org.uk
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