What’s happened

The Royal College of Podiatry has responded to survey findings published by the British Medical Association examining doctors’ views on the deployment of Advanced Practitioners (APs) within the NHS.  

The survey explored doctors’ experiences and perceptions of advanced practice roles across healthcare settings. Among the findings published by the BMA: 

• 81% of respondents said the current deployment of APs posed a risk to patient safety 

• 75% of respondents said they were occasionally or frequently concerned APs were working beyond their competence 

• 79% of respondents said APs were occasionally or frequently considered equivalent to doctors 

In its response, however, the Royal College of Podiatry said the survey reflected opinion rather than objective evidence of patient harm and argued that some of the conclusions being drawn from the findings risked presenting a “partial and potentially misleading picture of advanced practice across healthcare professions.” 

The College argued that the survey reflected perceptions and concerns about workforce deployment rather than objective evidence of patient harm and warned against broad generalisations across all advanced practice roles and professions. 

The College also said it shared concerns where any professional, regardless of discipline, is expected to practise beyond their competence, particularly in pressured service environments, but argued this was “a matter of workplace planning and governance, not an inherent flaw in the advanced practice model itself.” 

Why this matters to members 

Advanced practice is already an established part of modern podiatry care across the NHS. 

Podiatrists working in advanced roles routinely assess, diagnose and manage complex foot and lower limb complications, including high risk diabetes, vascular complications and musculoskeletal pathologies.  

Many podiatrists also practise as independent prescribers within clearly defined scopes of practice, supported by governance frameworks, competency standards and national guidance. 

In its response, the College said podiatrists in advanced practice roles are “integral members of multidisciplinary teams across the NHS”, helping to improve patient access, reduce delays in care and deliver evidence-based interventions.  

The College also stressed the importance of distinguishing between generic Advanced Practitioner roles and highly specialised professions such as podiatric surgery.  

It said podiatric surgeons undergo extensive postgraduate training with formally defined competencies and should not be viewed as interchangeable members of a generic advanced practice workforce.  

The response said: 

“Conflating these roles risks undermining established, safe and effective surgical services.” 

What happens next 

The BMA said it wanted the government to review Advanced Practitioners’ scope of practice, strengthen regulation and ensure that medical training pathways are protected. 

Several professional bodies and healthcare organisations have also responded publicly to the survey findings, including the Chief Nursing Officer for England, NHS Employers and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists.  

Debate around advanced practice, workforce pressures and multidisciplinary working is expected to continue across healthcare professions and NHS organisations in the coming months. 

Links and references 

The Royal College of Podiatry response to the BMA survey results on Advanced Practice   

BMA calls for urgent action as doctors say advanced practitioner deployment in the NHS compromises patient safety 

NHS Employers position statement on Advanced Practice 

Nursing Times: BMA ‘wrong’ to suggest ANPs pose a risk to patient safety, says chief nurse