Professional performance framework for podiatric surgeons

As part of its commitment to strengthening public protection and regulatory effectiveness the Podiatry Board of Australia (Board) is developing a Professional performance framework to ensure that all registered podiatric surgeons practise competently and ethically throughout their working lives.

The Professional performance framework for podiatric surgeons (the framework) has been developed based on recommendations made in the final report from the Independent Review of the regulation of podiatric surgeons in Australia. It will support podiatric surgeons to take responsibility for their own performance and encourage them collectively to raise professional standards and build a positive, respectful culture that benefits patients and podiatric surgeons.

The framework has four domains:

• Download the Professional performance framework for podiatric surgeons PDF (22.4 KB).

Implementation

There is more work to be done before the framework is implemented. While some of the elements are in place already, such as the Code of conduct and professional capabilities, or only require fine tuning, others will require more substantial work.

To implement the framework, the Board will:

1. Consult on elements of the framework, such as the strengthened CPD requirements for podiatric surgeons, guidelines for practitioners undertaking podiatric surgery, and a requirement for all podiatric surgeons to hold an endorsement for scheduled medicines as a package of reforms later this year.
2. Strengthen our assessment and management of notifications to better manage podiatric surgeons with notifications and make better use of our regulatory tools such as performance assessments for those who have had multiple substantiated notifications relating to clinical practice.
3. Work with relevant organisations to promote individual practitioners accessing their data to support practice review and measuring outcomes.

Final report on the Independent review of the regulation of podiatric surgeons in Australia

The Independent review of the regulation of podiatric surgeons in Australia  was commissioned by the Board and Ahpra because of concerns over the high rate of complaints about some podiatric surgeons. The aim of the review undertaken by Professor Ron Paterson was to get an independent view of the current regulatory framework for podiatric surgeons, any risks to patient safety, and recommend improvements to better protect the public.

The final report on the review was published on 27 March 2024. It made 14 recommendations in the following six key areas, all of which were accepted by the Board and Ahpra:

• registration and practice
• education and training
• title
• advertising
• handling of complaints, and
• system safety and quality.

The development of the framework is the Board’s response to recommendations made in the final report.

For more information 

• Download the Professional performance framework for podiatric surgeons PDF (22.4 KB).
• Read the Final report of the Independent review of the regulation of podiatric surgeons in Australia