Summary

As the governing and accrediting body of the College of Foot Health (CoFH), the Institute of Podiatrists (IoP) role  is to ensure that the Colleges certificate of  membership is only granted to practitioners who meet, and continue to meet, the highest standards of professional foot healthcare. We recognise the need for  existing Foot Health Practitioners who may come from training routes other than the Colleges own level 4 professional diploma, to be able to gain membership of the CoFH via accrediting their provable prior learning and safe practice. This is the function of the CSPD course which uses structured study of the Institutes publications of ‘An introduction to the Foot and its common problems in the Adult (Book 1)’ and ‘The Foot, a professional learning companion – Questions, Answers and Workbook’(Book 2) plus one weeks intensive practical clinical training at an IoP centre under the guidance of an experienced and accredited IoP tutor podiatrist.

The Course Structure

Delegates receive the two books as above upon completion of the registration process and course payment. Immediate home study of book 1 should be commenced to ensure that the delegate has knowledge consistent with the course requirements. Book 2 should be browsed to gain general familiarity with its structure as this will be referred to and used in tutor-led sessions during the residential week of the course at an IoP training centre.

Every day of the residential week will commence with a tutor session that homes in on a particular section of questions – and answers from book 2. The remainder of each day will feature delegates performing ‘hands-on’ clinical treatment of real patients attending the training centres clinic, such treatments will be closely monitored by the  tutor and supportive and definitive guidance and assistance will be given throughout the practical days. Small groups (Max 4 delegates) ensure that a tutor is always physically close at hand to monitor, advise and guide as required. All tutors are degree qualified, HCPC registered experienced podiatrists with recognised adult teaching qualifications.

At the end of the week, graduates will be confident to commence practice as a fully recognised member of the College of Foot Health and can then start to enjoy the support, camaraderie, insurance, and numerous other benefits of CoFH membership. As a member of the IoP ‘family’, CoFH members are welcomed at local and national meetings, networking and education events. IoP and CoFH members enjoy subsidised reduced fees at CPD events and can join our Higher Diploma and Advanced Practice further education and training.

For all enquiries please contact info@cofh.org.uk

This is an exciting, interactive day that incorporates a number of very practical modalities to enable you to offer your patients the very best possible conservative treatments.

This course aims  to create a comprehensive understanding of the application of tapes, paddings, chairside orthotics and therapeutic ultrasound, enabling you to successfully advance your skills and scope of practice. Conditions such as plantar fasciitis, capsulitis, hallux abductovalgus etc will be discussed, and you will be taught how to confidently use the techniques through demonstration and hands on application.

All course attendees will be shown how to correctly and confidently use a therapeutic ultrasound machine to ease patient discomfort for a variety of conditions. The course fee includes a new device (rrp £109) for all attendees, meaning you can begin treatments straight away.

Course Schedule

9.45 -arrivals registration and refreshments

10am – welcome and group introductions

10.30am – PowerPoint learning. Q&A interaction encoruaged

11.15am -Comfort break

11.30am – Tutor demonstrations

• Taping – Plantar fasciitis  Hallux abductovalgus, plantar plate tear
• Padding – Morton’s neuroma, cavity pads
• Replaceable padding and chairside orthotics – how to pad shoe inserts instead of foot, how to make replaceable pads for patients. Metatarsal pads for fat pad atrophy

12.15 – Lunch

1pm – Demo therapeutic ultrasound and advice on use

1.15pm – Practical session

3.15pm – Q&A

4pm – Close

Course Tutor

Gaynor Wooldridge, is a consultant podiatrist working within a multidisciplinary clinic in Kent. She has a passion and commitment to the field of foot health, with special interests in research, injection therapies, wound care and diabetes. She is a great believer that continuing professional development is central to the ‘lifelong learning’ approach so vital within healthcare.

Lunch, refreshments and therapeutic ultrasound device included.

This course is open to all Foot Health Practitioners, CoFH members can use this course towards the Higher Diploma certificate.

This one day introduction to foot reflexology will cover the fascinating roots of reflexology, what it is and how it can benefit your patients. We will discuss how this therapy helps to relax the body, restore balance/ homeostasis and help stimulate the natural healing process.

Most of this day’s course will be spent ‘hands-on’, learning how to confidently complete a reflexology treatment, mastering the techniques and in recognizing how points on the feet correspond to organs within the body.

The day will follow the Eunice Ingham method of reflexology.

Prior to the course all students will be given a copy of Reflexology – A concise guide to foot and hand massage by Rosalind Oxenford as part of the pre-course reading.

Course Schedule

9.45am: Welcome and refreshments 

10am: Student and tutor introductions

10.30am: Reflexology history, what is it and incorporating it into your practice

11.15: Break

11.30: Observing a reflexology treatment

12.15pm: lunch

1pm: Techniques – thumb walking 

1.15pm – 2.30pm: Student practical’s.

2.30pm: Short comfort break

2.45pm: Student practical’s

3.30: Q&A, Certification

4pm: Close

Tutor

Gaynor Wooldridge, is a consultant podiatrist working within a multidisciplinary clinic in Kent. She has a passion and commitment to the field of foot health, with special interests in research, injection therapies, wound care and diabetes. She is a great believer that continuing professional development is central to the ‘lifelong learning’ approach so vital within healthcare.

Gaynor is an experienced reflexologist. 1992-1993: Diploma in Reflexology (Association of Reflexologists). Designed and delivered A and P and Reflexology VTEC and BTEC certificate – 1995: BTEC assessor award 
1995-1997: Maidstone and Medway campus.

Lunch and refreshments are provided.

This course is part of the Higher Diploma (HD). Higher Diploma students can claim 10 credits for successful attendance and completion of this course module.

Max. 12 delegates.

Course Overview

Wart infections are seen very frequently in the daily practice of medical foot care. The human papilloma virus, like other viruses, are extremely difficult to successfully treat, with many treatment modalities being aggressive and painful. Our Verruca Masterclass discusses safe, usually painless and effective methods of treatment for many patients, particularly children, anxious and those with potentially complicated or difficult healing, such as diabetes.

During this module, we will study the human papilloma virus, and also how to recognise other possible differential diagnosis. We will also assess when to refer to a podiatrist/dermatologist, and discuss other methods of treatments used, including Faulkner needling, curettage and excision, cryosurgery, caustics, Swift microwave and also over-the-counter medications.

Verrutop (a Class IIa healthcare product only available to practitioners), and Spirularin VS will be discussed at length as they are safe and effective, and are quite novel treatments that can be promoted and used within clinical practice. We will also practise the use of the capillary tube application, used to extract and apply Verrutop, and discuss the homeopathic product Thuja (pillules and cream).

During this Masterclass, we will also investigate the use of TCA (Trichloroacetic acid), which can be safely applied using either the Scholl Verruca and Wart pen

Course Schedule

10am: Registration and introductions

10.30am: Interactive PowerPoint learning and discussion – HPV and identification. Use of dermatoscopes

11.15am: Coffee/tea break

11.30: Products available, what they are and possible treatment options for patients. When to refer? 

12.15pm: lunch

1pm: Verrutop (Nitrizinc) – capillary application on silicone feet. TCA application using silicone feet. Applications of occlusion and wool felt cavity pads. Spirularin VS. Using the dermatoscopes.

3.15pm: Coffee/tea break

3.30pm: Q and As, certificate presentation, feedback

4pm: Close

Course Tutor

Gaynor Wooldridge, is a consultant podiatrist working within a multidisciplinary clinic in Kent. She has a passion and commitment to the field of foot health, with special interests in research, injection therapies, wound care and diabetes. She is a great believer that continuing professional development is central to the ‘lifelong learning’ approach so vital within healthcare.

Refreshments and lunch provided

To add your name to our waiting list email info@cofh.org.uk or call our team 01704 546 141

This course is only open to members of The College of Foot Health

Max. 10 delegates.

This intensive and highly-practical Advanced Practice training day is designed specifically to reconfirm the skills you have already learnt and are practicing, further developing and advancing your expertise as a Foot Health Practitioner.

The course will focus, but is not limited to, the following:

On completion of the course, course delegates will receive an Advanced Practice Certificate, as well as a ‘working goodie bag’ that includes: Medical Honey, Mosquito forceps, Clinisept, copy of all slides and associated information.

Refreshments provided throughout the day. Lunch included.

Tutor

Gaynor Wooldridge, is a consultant podiatrist working within a multidisciplinary clinic in Kent. She has a passion and commitment to the field of foot health, with special interests in research, injection therapies, wound care and diabetes. She is a great believer that continuing professional development is central to the ‘lifelong learning’ approach so vital within healthcare.

Working within the foot health profession, we all have many patients presenting with a variety of nail conditions. This hands-on practical course will review the basics of skin and nail anatomy, and guide you through the process of recognising a variety of nail pathologies, and also understanding the epidemiology of ‘fungal nails’ and other causes of nail abnormalities.

This course will carefully discuss the variety of topical nail applications currently available, and teach you to confidently debride aggressively. Methods of transungual delivery of antifungal agents are both safe and effective, and learning  appropriate patient selection is paramount.

Course Schedule

10am: Welcome and introduction to the day

10.05am: Student introductions

10.30am: PowerPoint – the Fungal Nail

11am: Coffee break

11.15am: PowerPoint: Recap the Skin

11.45am: PowerPoint: aggressive debridement, chemical ablation, Diafractory fungal test, Bifonazole, Nail surgery, Spirularin NS

12.15pm: Lunch Break

1pm: Tutor demonstration

Aggressive debridement, skin occlusion and the application of 40% urea and Bifonazole. choice of burrs, selection of topical antifungal agents.

1.15pm: students to assess each others feet. Check for skin and nail dermatophyte infection

1.30pm: silicone feet debriding and skin occlusion, plus application of 40% urea and Bifonazole (substitutes) to learn techniques. Discussion on the use of orange sticks to remove infected material following chemical ablation.

2.15pm: Discussion of product selection for continuing patient treatment. Including :

Emtrex, Lamisil spray, Spirularin NS.

3pm: The Diafractory fungal nail test and when to refer.

3.30pm: Q and As and certificate presentation

4pm Close

Tutor

Gaynor Wooldridge, is a consultant podiatrist working within a multidisciplinary clinic in Kent. She has a passion and commitment to the field of foot health, with special interests in research, injection therapies, wound care and diabetes. She is a great believer that continuing professional development is central to the ‘lifelong learning’ approach so vital within healthcare.

This course carries 10 credits towards the College of Foot Health Higher Diploma. Open to graduates of the College of Foot Health Level 4 Diploma course ONLY.

In foot health practices today we see many patients with damaged nails; this can be a result of trauma, fungal infection, nail surgery or other medical problems. Sometimes, as part of our treatment plan, nail reconstruction can be a fantastic, cosmetic, temporary option;  in fact, often the only option.

There are many types of toenail reconstruction, and it is considered to be a cosmetic procedure. It can, however, have an extremely beneficial psychological effect on the patient when there have been no other options.

This course will investigate nail deformities and pathologies that can cause unsightly toenails, and teach clinicians how to confidently prepare the nail plate (and nail bed if necessary) to create a cosmetically pleasing, temporary prosthetic nail using specialist gels. The reconstructed toenail can be treated as a ‘normal’ nail, and usually lasts between 6-8 weeks.

The strong elastic gel used for toe nail reconstruction has been developed specifically for correcting damaged nails.

A Wilde-Pedique LCN kit can be purchased alongside the training at a specially discounted rate if the student would like to do this,  allowing for immediate, next day treatment for your patients.

The curing lights used during training, and also in the kit if purchased, are LED; these produce a narrower, safer, more targeted number of wave lengths than UV lights.

Tutor

Gaynor Wooldridge, is a consultant podiatrist working within a multidisciplinary clinic in Kent. She has a passion and commitment to the field of foot health, with special interests in research, injection therapies, wound care and diabetes. She is a great believer that continuing professional development is central to the ‘lifelong learning’ approach so vital within healthcare.

Anyone involved in foot health should be aware of how to accurately assess a diabetic foot and understand  the ways in which the foots health can be maintained or improved and also how and when people with identified issues/complications should be directed to specialist services.

This one day course will discuss the specific risks and complications of diabetes related to foot health, such as foot ulcers, neuropathy and amputation. The course will discuss real case scenarios and complications.

Delegates will gain hand-on practice in assessing the diabetic foot and become confident in the use of a variety of tests including; temperature sensation, Dermastat test and medical thermology.

Delegates will gain practical competence and confidence in the correct use of hand-held dopplers, and how to interpret the doppler examination results.

You will be able to put these skills into practice immediately, to the benefit of your own clients as well as substantially increasing the services you can legitimately offer.

Course Schedule

9.30am – Registration and Refreshments

10am – The Diabetic foot

12.30pm – Lunch

1.15pm – Practical assessments and testing

3.30pm – Q&A, feedback, certification

4pm – Close

Course Tutor

Somuz Miah is a Consultant Podiatrist Prescriber with over 24 years’ experience specialising in a variety of treatments for the lower limb. Somuz is a highly established educator within podiatry and foot health holding qualifications in ‘Certificate Teaching Skill Evidence Based Medicine’, and ‘Level 3 Award in Education & Training Certification’ and additional training qualifications in OFQUAL and SQA for safeguarding children and adults, first aid, anaphylaxis and oxygen.

Lunch and refreshments provided.

Off the shelf and chair-side orthotics

This absorbing, innovative and intensively hands-on day will introduce, or revise and certainly simplify, the basic underpinning fundamentals of human gait and locomotion from the perspective of the point-of-care practitioner.

It will cut through the bewildering array of functional or accommodative orthotic insoles that the patient is offered from multiple online suppliers, sports shops and other various (and of sometimes variable quality) sources.

At the end of the day the delegate will understand:

• basic gait physiology – and common pathologies
• the role of prefabricated orthotics
• when to use or supply simple devices, and most importantly when to refer on for more complex prescription solutions

It will also cover the simple ‘chairside’ devices that can be easily crafted from felts, foams or silicone putty as well as how certain ‘off the shelf’ insoles can be easily modified when required for optimal results.

The day is heavily weighted towards practicality, so get ready to roll up your sleeves and start cutting, snipping and moulding!

Course Schedule

9am – Registration and welcome

9.15 – 9.30 – Introduction, Aims and Objectives of the day

9.30-10.30 – An introduction to biomechanics – pressures and loading in the foot, foot as a lever / mobile adapter, pronation/supination

10.30 – Comfort break

10.45 – 12 – Biomechanics part 2: joint motions -ankle/subtalar/stance/midtarsal/ MPJ/IP

12 – 12.45pm – lunch break

12.45 – 3.45pm – Practical, orthodigital orthotics (silicone putty), felt devices and Off-The-Shelf insoles (what, why, when and how)

3.45pm – 4.15pm – Discussion, Q&A, feedback and CPD certification

4.15pm – Finish

Tutor

Martin Harvey, is a consultant Podiatrist at two Birmingham Hospitals dealing with both NHS and private patients. He also has a background in specialist NHS high risk podiatry clinics as well as having his own private podiatry practice in the West Midlands. He is a keen educator and as well as being a tutor for the College of Foot Health he lectures and teaches on specialist subjects to Podiatrists in the UK and abroad including having presented in mainland Europe and Canada.

The pain-free, non-invasive, non-surgical treatment solution

This course will investigate nail pathologies frequently seen by podiatrists and foot health practitioners. We will discuss how we can use safe, simple and inexpensive treatment options that avoid surgery, require no anesthetic, have no recovery period, offer quick relief from pain, and can be repeated successfully without trauma.

Ingrowing toenails are one of the most frequent nail disorders which can impact in many ways on the patient.

Nail braces are a conservative, safe treatment that can be used for children, anxious patients, needle phobic patients, patients with diabetes and/or poor wound healing, PVD, nails that have had successful treatment for fungal nail which can grow flatter and wider, and for any patients you would prefer to prevent possible complications. They are evidence based, effective and affordable for the patient, and profitable for your practice.

During your training, you will learn about some different bracing systems available across our profession. You will then be shown in-depth the 3TO bracing systems; Podostripe, Podofix and CombiPed. You will spend the practical session focusing and applying these braces, until you are confident in each brace’s application and use.

3TO

3TO bracing systems are a registered Class 1 medical device

• Easy to apply
• Safe
• Successful

3TO bracing systems are a superior nail correction system offering pain-free, simple, effective treatments for a variety of nail conditions including severe IGTNs with infection, for all your patients, even children, small nails, patients with diabetes and/or poor wound healing, PVD, anxious patients, and needle phobic patients.

3TO offer a variety of braces, ensuring a perfect fit every time, without any need for fiddly moulding. Clinicians can choose from Podostripe, Podofix and CombiPed systems. Each system offers a unique application and treatment, which can often be used in conjunction with one another, for highly successful results.

• Adhesive braces for light cases, high-risk patients and as supplementary therapy
• Wire braces for the professional treatment of e.g. rolled nails or ingrown nails
• A combination of wire and glue-on brace for one-sided or double-sided treatment

The 3TO braces have no need for a primer, meaning they offer greater safety – Primers often contain methylacrylate, which can cause allergic reactions and skin irritation in susceptible people. Primers can additionally cause nail dehydration affecting the overall health of the nail.

Furthermore, 3TO braces do not have specific storage requirements and do not require different temperatures to be successful, they are not affected by time or temperature in application.

Course schedule

10.00 – 12.00 – Nail pathologies and treatments options for ingrown toenails. Nail braces – types, patient selection, research and evidence.

12.00 – 12.45 – Lunch

12.45 – 13.10 – Tutor demonstration

13.15 – 15.30 – Student practical’s

15.30 – 16.00 – Q&A

16.00 – Feedback, CPD certification & Kit allocation

16.30 – Close

Tutor

Gaynor Wooldridge, is a consultant podiatrist working within a multidisciplinary clinic in Kent. She has a passion and commitment to the field of foot health, with special interests in research, injection therapies, wound care and diabetes. She is a great believer that continuing professional development is central to the ‘lifelong learning’ approach so vital within healthcare.

When booking you will be transferred to our sister site The Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists (www.iocp.org.uk)