Podiatrist

Podiatrists diagnose and treat problems of the foot, ankle and lower limb. In the NHS, a large share of the work is preventing and treating foot ulcers and infections in people with diabetes, where a missed problem can lead to amputation. You need an HCPC-approved podiatry degree and Health and Care Professions Council registration, and newly qualified NHS podiatrists in England usually start on band 5, which pays £32,073 to £39,043 from 1 April 2026. Podiatry has struggled to attract enough students, so NHS services in many areas have vacancies.

Diabetic foot care

Diabetes can damage the nerves and blood supply to the feet, so people may not feel an injury, and wounds heal slowly. Podiatrists in diabetic foot services:

• assess foot risk through sensation and circulation checks
• treat ulcers, including debridement and dressings
• work in multidisciplinary foot clinics with diabetes doctors, vascular surgeons and orthotists
• educate patients on footwear and daily checks
• spot infection or ischaemia early and escalate it urgently

This is skilled wound care, and early action can save a limb. Foot protection services usually see high-risk patients on a regular review cycle.

Other areas of practice

Not every podiatrist specialises in diabetes. NHS and private podiatrists also work in:

• musculoskeletal (MSK) podiatry, assessing gait and biomechanics and prescribing orthoses
• nail surgery under local anaesthetic, for problems such as ingrowing toenails
• rheumatology, for people with inflammatory arthritis
• paediatrics
• general clinics for people at high risk, such as those with poor circulation

With further training, some podiatrists become independent prescribers or advanced practitioners. A small number go on to podiatric surgery, a long postgraduate pathway leading to consultant-level roles in foot surgery.

How to qualify

The usual route is a BSc (Hons) in podiatry approved by the HCPC, applied for through UCAS. Entry requirements typically include A levels or equivalent, often with biology, plus GCSE English, maths and science, but universities set their own. Graduates in related subjects may be able to take a pre-registration MSc. Some NHS trusts run podiatry degree apprenticeships, often recruiting from podiatry assistants; see the NHS apprenticeships guide.

When you finish the course you apply to the HCPC, pay a fee and renew periodically. The fee is on HMRC’s approved list, so you can claim tax relief on professional fees. The HCPC registration guide covers CPD and renewal.

Pay

Band	Typical role	Pay from 1 April 2026 (England)
5	Newly qualified podiatrist	£32,073 to £39,043
6	Specialist podiatrist (diabetes, MSK, nail surgery)	£39,959 to £48,117
7	Advanced or highly specialist podiatrist, team lead	£49,387 to £56,515
8a and above	Consultant podiatrist, head of service	from £57,528

Many podiatrists move into band 6 once they have core skills in high-risk foot care. Scotland’s band 5 runs from £34,494 to £42,977. On band 5 entry pay your NHS Pension Scheme contribution is 8.3%, and from band 6 entry it is 9.8%. The take-home pay calculator shows net pay for each band.

Private practice is common in podiatry, either alongside NHS work or full-time, and the practitioner or clinic sets fees and income there.

Hours and settings

NHS podiatry is mostly community-based: health centres, clinics, care homes and patients’ own homes. You may cover several sites a week, so a driving licence helps. Hospital podiatrists work in diabetic foot clinics and on wards. Most posts are weekday daytime, with little out-of-hours work. Full-time NHS staff get 27 days’ annual leave plus eight public holidays on appointment, rising to 29 days after five years and 33 after ten.

If you travel between sites in your own car, check the trust’s mileage arrangements. The mileage allowance guide explains how tax relief works when the employer pays less than HMRC’s approved rate.

Checks before you start

NHS podiatrists visit patients at home and in care homes, so trusts carry out an enhanced DBS check, which costs £41.00 in England and Wales from 5 October 2026. You will also have an occupational health assessment and need references covering recent employment. Community roles may ask for a full driving licence and access to a car, since clinics and home visits are spread across a wide area.

Podiatry involves sharp instruments and wound care, so expect training in infection prevention and sharps safety, and an offer of hepatitis B vaccination. If you trained overseas, the HCPC has an international registration route, and you may need a sponsored visa. Healthcare jobs on national pay scales must pay at least £25,000 or the pay scale rate if higher.

Applying for podiatry jobs

Band 5 and band 6 podiatry posts appear on NHS Jobs, the NHS Scotland jobs site and HSC jobs in Northern Ireland. Because of shortages, some trusts recruit newly qualified podiatrists before graduation. Current posts sit under allied health jobs, and the physiotherapist profile covers a closely related MSK career.