Extension of access to prescription-only medicines in podiatry and podiatic surgery

3 Extension of access to prescription-only medicines in podiatry and podiatic surgery 

A podiatrist has studied for three years to obtain a degree in podiatric medicine and Registration. Podiatrists are independent clinicians, qualified to diagnose and treat foot problems. They may specialize in particular areas of work, for example diabetology, rheumatology or sports medicine. With the exception of nail surgery, podiatrists undertake the treatment of foot problems by non-invasive methods (until recently podiatrists were known as chiropodists). 

Podiatric surgery is a specialized form of foot surgery performed by podiatric surgeons. 

PCDs are written instructions for the supply or administration of medicines to groups of patients who may not be individually identified before presentation for treatment. 

The role of the podiatric surgeon is to provide specialist management of foot pathology by surgery (where appropriate) and alternative measures, either directly or by referral to podiatrists or other healthcare professionals. In the United Kingdom, podiatrists have had access to a range of POMs by means of an exemption order (since 1980 for certain par-enterally administered local anaesthetics) for administration, sale or supply (and recently, November 2006, extended). These medicines include injectable local anaesthetic drugs, a number of antibiotics and some NSAIDs. 

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