Abstract
M.Tech.
The positioning of the Podiatry profession in South Africa is potentially compromised in that the profession has been excluded from the National Health System (NHS). This exclusion has led to queries concerning the role and position of Podiatry within the South African health care structures. The fact that the Scopes of Practice for Podiatrists have not been reviewed since 1982, implies that they may not have kept abreast with the changes taking place in a democratic society, and might have been viewed as irrelevant to the new government's health priorities, and therefore caused the legislators to overlook the Podiatry profession, or alternatively, there may have been other reasons not yet apparent.
The aim of this study was to determine the position of the Podiatry profession within the NHS. The specific objectives were:
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To review the literature and health policy documents regarding the position of the Podiatry profession within the South African health structures;
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To determine the basis for the exclusion ofthe Podiatry profession from the NHS;
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To develop an up-to-date Scope of Practice that meets the requirements of the Podiatry profession and the current national health care priorities;
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To make recommendations to the Professional Board for Physiotherapy, Podiatry and Biokinetics concerning the content of a revised Scope of Practice; and
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To make recommendations to the Department of Health (DoH) regarding the positioning of Podiatry within the NHS.
This qualitative study involved structured interviews, a questionnaire and the use of focus groups.
Some of the conclusions made are the following:
• The DoH has excluded Podiatry from the list of primary health care service providers. However, for the Podiatry profession to be positioned within the NHS, the profession has to indicate to the DoH the role they would like to play within the NHS.