Presidents Message

As we celebrate Podiatry Week 2025, I’ve taken time to reflect on what it means to be a podiatrist. I’m a very proud member of a small but meaningful profession which makes a big impact on people’s health. This year’s theme ‘From first steps to next steps’ really resonates with me.

As podiatrists we play a critical role in ensuring kids walk, run, and grow with confidence. As people move through their life, we rehabilitate athletes back to their sport after injury and treat long term chronic foot pain. We can prevent amputation and ulceration in people with diabetes or treat dermatological conditions. Podiatrists care for people from newborn babies through to the elderly. There are very few professions which can make an instant improvement in someone’s wellbeing, no matter their age or stage of life.

Even the most fundamental of our skills, such as removing an ingrown toenail, can result in instant pain relief. We are now gaining recognition for our advanced skillset, we can refer for imaging, we can prescribe, we can inject and so much more. Every day I’m grateful to be part of this work, and I’m proud to be a podiatrist.

Podiatrists are a unique bunch of people and I’m used to fielding the daily question, “Why did you choose to deal with feet every day?” For me, the complexity of feet and the varying pathology is still fascinating. But I also love meeting the people attached to the feet and hearing their personal stories. 

I encourage you to take some time out during this week to reflect on your own careers and I hope you share my feelings of absolute pride in our profession.

Warm regards

Peta Tehan

Infection control inspection program update

As part of our ongoing commitment to effective infection prevention and control, 28 practices were inspected during the council’s 2024/25 inspection program.  

Of the 28 practices inspected, 16 were fully compliant with the infection control standards, 11 showed non-critical issues and 1 had a critical issue identified.

 Some common issues included:

• Cleanliness and organisation: Some treatment rooms were messy, reception areas cluttered, and reprocessing zones dirty or poorly organised. We also noted overflowing waste as well as sharps bins, dirty storage cabinets and surfaces.
• Instrument cleaning and reprocessing: Several practices lacked a clear “dirty to clean” workflow. Common concerns were missing batch numbers on sterilised equipment and incomplete patient records.
• Furniture and equipment: Inspectors reported damaged treatment chairs, sharps containers on the floor, empty cleaning product containers left in treatment areas, and improper use of basins for handwashing and instrument cleaning.
• Infection control policy: Some practices did not have a specific, practice-tailored infection control policy and demonstrated limited awareness of current standards.

We encourage all practices to review these findings carefully and address any gaps to ensure patient safety as well as compliance with infection control standards.

Let’s celebrate Podiatry Week 13-19 October 2025

As mentioned earlier in the newsletter, this week the Australian Podiatry Association is celebrating Podiatry Week. This year’s theme From first steps to next steps is dedicated to raising awareness of the full scope of our profession. It’s also about helping educate our communities on the diverse ways podiatrists can support their health.

To help you celebrate and promote Podiatry Week you can download some resources here.

Stakeholder engagement

In May, the Council President participated in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) conference. This is an important conference which helps us continue to build strong connections within the regulatory field.

The council also engaged with several universities this year. We presented to University of Newcastle students in May and at Charles Sturt University in September, with a further presentation scheduled this month at Western Sydney University. These sessions provide valuable opportunities to collaborate and share insights with future health professionals.

We also hold quarterly meetings with the Australian Podiatry Association (APodA).

Tell us what you think

The Podiatry Council of NSW is looking to provide podiatrists with shorter, more regular updates about topics relevant to the profession.

Send us an email if you have a particular comment or suggestion about this update.

Quick links