Dear friends & colleagues,
AHPRA is now accepting submissions for why the title "Podiatric Surgeon" should be saved. There are only 5 questions in the submission and it takes less than 10 minutes.
Our opponents are already making submissions against us.
To write a submission please go to this link:
We urge you to help us and we thank you in advance.
Yours faithfully,
Steve Edwards
PODIATRIC SURGEON
__________
FURTHER READING:
Podiatric Surgeon: Why this Title is Appropriate
"Podiatric surgeon" is not merely a semantic choice, but a commonwealth-protected and accurate designation that encapsulates the specialised nature of whom it represents. This title, when dissected, reveals a deliberate and precise choice of words that align with the unique expertise and skills possessed by Australian podiatric surgeons.
Firstly, the term "podiatric" derives from the Greek word podos, signifying the foot. This anchors the title in the realm of podiatry, a distinct branch of health care dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of conditions affecting the feet, ankles, and lower extremities. By incorporating "podiatric" into the title, a clear demarcation is established, setting it apart from other health professions and underscoring the specific focus of the practitioner.
Secondly, the inclusion of "surgeon" in the title emphasizes the procedural and hands-on aspect of the profession. Podiatric surgeons undergo rigorous training to master surgical procedures tailored to the intricate anatomy of the foot and ankle. This encompasses addressing a spectrum of issues, including deformities, injuries, tumours, and other conditions necessitating surgical intervention. The term "surgeon" conveys a level of expertise in executing intricate surgical procedures, reflecting the podiatric surgeon’s advanced skills and training in this domain.
Combining these two terms, “podiatric surgeon” serves as a succinct and accurate descriptor, leaving no room for ambiguity regarding the practitioner's specialised role. In the complex landscape of health specialties, specificity is paramount, ensuring that patients, colleagues, and the public comprehend the unique scope of expertise offered.
The title facilitates a clear distinction between podiatric surgeons and other healthcare practitioners, preventing confusion about their specialised focus. The term "podiatric surgeon" is not a whimsical linguistic choice; it is a phrase widely adopted across the anglophone world to represent podiatrists qualified to practice foot surgery. Its appropriateness is grounded in its adherence to a semantic premise – a surgeon practices surgery. Any alternative, such as 'surgical podiatrist,' lacks widespread adoption and fails to uphold the consistent usage found in related fields, like dental surgery.
Contrary to insinuations in some press reports, the use of the term "podiatric surgeon" does not imply an attempt to obfuscate or deceive regarding the practitioner's qualifications. It is a title borne out of precision and widely accepted terminology within the international surgical community.
The legal framework governing the use of titles in healthcare, such as the National Law, reinforces the appropriateness of the title "podiatric surgeon." Protected titles, including "podiatric surgeon," are reserved for practitioners with specialist registration in podiatric surgery. This regulatory clarity ensures that individuals accurately represent their qualifications and protects the public from misleading information.
In conclusion, the title "podiatric surgeon" is not only linguistically sound but also legally upheld and professionally recognised. It accurately encapsulates the specialised skills and training of practitioners in the field of podiatric surgery, providing clarity and precision in a domain where accuracy is paramount.
From the President - Key arguments for title retention
- We understand and acknowledge that there is a problem with public confusion around the title Podiatric Surgeon and we endeavour to remedy this confusion.
- This appears to be the ONLY problem with the title issue as highlighted by Ron Patterson in the independent review (there are no other issues with it)
- It appears that the recommendation around title change has not considered other, less direct, drastic and staged steps before reaching the conclusion that the title needs to be changed.
AND;
- We do not in any way want to mislead the public into thinking that we are medical doctors
- We have at the core of our practice, patient safety as our priority and primary concerns
- We are concerned that the public may be misled and we want to rectify this
- We are proud of our unique model of training and distinctness from orthopaedics and we want to express that we are different and want to show how we are different
- We would very much like to have the opportunity to show that there are other ways to tackle the problem of public confusion primarily through informing the public better than we have done in the past.
- We would like to suggest that the public surveys may not have been a true test of public confusion with the title. The true test would be to inform the survey group about the qualification of a Podiatric Surgeon, their training and scope and then ask them if they still think the term is misleading.
- Explain that other international jurisdictions have successfully used public information campaigns to ensure that the public are aware of the qualifications, training, scope etc of Podiatric Surgeons - the UK is a prime example of this.
- Demonstrate how the public information campaign will be approached - Mandated
disclaimers of who we are on all advertising material, mandated disclaimers on all patient registration and consent forms, mandated literature explaining who we are given to every single patient we see accompanied by a verbal discussion on the matter, a broader media campaign in association with AHPRA to inform the wider public - social media, ACPS website changes, social media advertising etc.
- Demonstrate our commitment to informing the public by suggesting that we are happy to modify the way our title is used by incorporating a descriptor after the term Podiatric Surgeon is used in any written form
e.g. Joe Bloggs Podiatric Surgeon (Specialist Podiatrist)
- Legislation passed earlier this year/late last year including non-medical practitioners to use the title surgeon - broad stakeholder input was given; committee considered it all and still came to the conclusion to allow us to use it.
- We have been using our protected title for 14 years which was approved by the minister at the time
- Title change reflects collective punishment when the majority have not contributed to higher notifications
- There’s no evidence to suggest that title change will make us any safer
- Podiatric Surgeons have official degrees and Qualifications that explicitly state they are trained in Podiatric Surgery – Does a title change mean we will no longer be able to display our qualifications (completely unfair)
- Unfair competitive advantage for the orthopaedic surgeons, particularly given that the review found that no changes in scope of practice are necessary (we largely do the same work)
The review found that one of the key elements of the title surgeon revolves around “social prestige” – a strong reason why the Orthopaedists want to strip us of it.