Podiatrist
Also advertised as: chiropodist, Chiropodist, Community Podiatrist, Diabetic Foot Specialist, expert in podiatry, expert podiatrist
Diagnoses and treats conditions affecting the feet and lower limbs.
What the job involves
Podiatrists treat everything from ingrown toenails and verrucas to diabetic foot complications and sports injuries. Much of the caseload is older adults and people with diabetes, where careful foot care prevents serious complications. The role can be based in the NHS, private clinics or a mix of both.
Typical responsibilities
- Assess and treat foot and lower limb conditions
- Carry out minor surgical procedures
- Manage diabetic foot risk
- Fit orthotics and dressings
- Refer complex cases to specialists
Common employers
- NHS podiatry services
- Private clinics
- Care homes
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£27,000 – £31,000 a year
With experience
£35,000 – £44,000 a year
Typical hours
37.5 hours, mostly daytime
Working environment
Clinics, care homes and community visits
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Clinical assessment
- Fine motor precision
- Wound care
- Patient education
- Record keeping
Transferable skills you may already have
- Attention to detail
- Working with hands
- Patient-facing care experience
Requirements employers ask for
- Clinical assessment
- Fine motor precision
- Wound care
- Patient education
- Record keeping
- BSc Podiatry degree
- HCPC registration
- HCPC registration
- Enhanced DBS check
- interact with healthcare users
- behavioural therapy
- ensure safety of healthcare users
- develop a collaborative therapeutic relationship
- kinetics
- orthopaedic treatment alternatives
- biomechanics
- manage healthcare users' data
- comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice
- immunology
- promote foot health
- apply context specific clinical competences
Useful but not essential
- Attention to detail
- Working with hands
- Patient-facing care experience
- Experience with diabetic foot care
- Minor surgery training
- employ foreign languages in care
- ensure proper appointment administration
- refer healthcare users
- orthotics
- podiatric surgery
- process medical insurance claims
- paediatrics
- record healthcare users' billing information
Helpful qualifications
- Experience with diabetic foot care
- Minor surgery training
Licences and checks
- HCPC registration
- Enhanced DBS check
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Podiatrist (Degree Apprenticeship)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Biology
- Related subject: Health and social care
- Related subject: Chemistry
Where this career can lead
next
Specialist Podiatrist
next
Podiatric Surgeon
next
Clinic Owner
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Less physically punishing than some allied health roles
- Good private practice potential
- Tangible patient relief from treatment
What people find hard
- Smaller profession with fewer training places
- Some procedures are unpleasant
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a podiatrist?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. required
- How much does a podiatrist earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £27,000 to £31,000 a year, rising towards £44,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Attention to detail, Working with hands, Patient-facing care experience.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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