What’s happened

The Royal College of Podiatry hosted its second symposium at the 21st Malvern Diabetic Foot Conference, held from 13 – 15 May 2026.

The Malvern Diabetic Foot Conference is one of the longest-standing international meetings dedicated to diabetes foot care and attracts physicians, surgeons, nurses, podiatrists, orthotists and researchers from around the world to share knowledge, research and clinical expertise.

This year's Royal College of Podiatry symposium focused on the theme of offloading the foot in people with diabetes and welcomed a full audience at the end of the conference's opening day.

Chaired by Jayne Robbie, Senior Lecturer and Course Lead for the MSc in Advancing Practice in Peripheral Vascular Disease at Birmingham City University and diabetes specialist podiatrist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust, alongside Professor Gerry Rayman, Consultant Physician at Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, the symposium showcased podiatry-led research aimed at improving clinical outcomes for people living with diabetes.

Three researchers presented on different aspects of the prevention and management of diabetes related foot complications.

Sean Ellin

Sean Ellin is an extended scope practitioner in musculoskeletal services and diabetes offloading podiatrist with Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. His presentation explored musculoskeletal screening for patients presenting with foot deformities in early-onset diabetes and considered how a stratified approach may help prevent ulceration.

Abbie Dagg

Abbie Dagg is Wound Care Podiatry Lead at Mid Yorkshire NHS Teaching Trust and is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Huddersfield. Her research focuses on the effects of lesser toe amputations on gait in people with diabetes and the effectiveness of current treatment approaches following amputation.

Dr Petra Jones

Dr Petra Jones is a Senior Research Associate at Leicester Diabetes Centre and Chair of the Foot in Diabetes UK/Royal College of Podiatry Footwear sub-group. Her presentation examined footwear frameworks and how better footwear selection may support the prevention of diabetes-related foot complications.

Why this matters to members

The Malvern Diabetic Foot Conference is one of the leading international meetings dedicated to diabetes-related foot care. The Royal College of Podiatry symposium provided an opportunity for podiatry researchers to share developing evidence with an international and multidisciplinary audience, forming part of a wider international programme featuring leading experts in diabetes foot care from across the world.

The presentations highlighted the range of podiatry-led research currently being undertaken in areas including ulcer prevention, gait analysis and footwear interventions for people living with diabetes.

Sharing podiatric research through events such as the Malvern Conference helps strengthen the profession's contribution to diabetes-related foot care while ensuring podiatrists remain embedded in multi-professional developments in evidence and practice.

What happens next

The Royal College of Podiatry is expected to continue supporting opportunities for podiatrists to share research, innovation and clinical expertise through future collaborations with the Malvern Diabetic Foot Conference. This conference runs biannually so there will be calls for research in late 2027/early 2028 so keep an eye out if you would like to submit your work for consderation.