How to register
Podiatry is a registered occupation in New Zealand. This means that you must not commence practising as a podiatrist unless:
- you have been registered with the Podiatrists Board of New Zealand and
- hold a current Annual Practising Certificate.
Podiatrists and the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.
"Podiatrist" means a health practitioner who is, or is deemed to be, registered with the Podiatrists Board as a practitioner of the profession of podiatry.
The principal purpose of this Act is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by providing for mechanisms to ensure that health practitioners are competent and fit to practice their professions.
The Act seeks to attain it's principal purpose by providing for, among other things:
- a consistent accountability regime for all health professions; and
- the determination for each health practitioner of the scope of practice within which he or she is competent to practise; and
- systems to ensure that no health practitioner practises in that capacity outside their scope of practice; and
- power to restrict specified activities to particular classes of health practitioner to protect members of the public from the risk of serious or permanent harm; and
- certain protections for health practitioners who take part in protected quality assurance activities; and
- additional health professions to become subject to this Act.
Scopes of Practice
In order to meet the requirements of Section 11 of the HPCA Act, the Podiatrists Board has formally adopted five scopes of practice for the profession, and the qualification specifications for each scope.
1. PODIATRIST
A registered primary health care practitioner (including those previously registered as a chiropodist) who utilises medical, physical, palliative and surgical means other than those prescribed in the Podiatric Surgeon Scope of Practice, to provide diagnostic, preventative and rehabilitative treatment of conditions affecting the feet and lower limbs.
Qualification:A Bachelor of Health Science in Podiatry from an accredited New Zealand University or equivalent overseas qualification as determined by the Podiatrists Board.
2. PODIATRIC SURGEON
A registered primary health care practitioner who holds the scope of practice of podiatrist and is further qualified to perform foot surgery by way of sharp toe nail wedge resection; surgical correction of lesser digital deformities affecting the phalanges, metatarsals and associated structures; surgical corrections of deformities affecting the first toe, first metatarsal and associated structures; surgical correction of osseous deformities of the metatarsus, mid-tarsus, rearfoot and associated structures; surgical correction and removal of pathological subcutaneous structures such as tendinous and nervous tissues and other connective soft tissue masses of the foot.
Qualification: A Post Graduate qualification in Podiatric Surgery as determined by the Podiatrists Board or equivalent overseas qualification.
3. PODIATRIC RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGER
A registered primary health care practitioner who holds the scope of practice of podiatrist, who is qualified to use radiological equipment, and is licensed by the National Radiation Laboratory, to obtain plain radiographic images of the foot, ankle and lower leg.
Qualification: As part of the New Zealand undergraduate Bachelor of Health Science in Podiatry or satisfactory completion of an accredited post graduate training course in podiatric radiography
4. PODIATRIC PRESCRIBER
A registered primary health care practitioner who holds the scope of practice of podiatrist and is further qualified to prescribe a list of medications approved by the Podiatrists Board. (Subject to prescribing rights being granted by the New Prescribers Advisory Committee).
Qualification: A Post Graduate qualification in Podiatric Prescribing as determined by the Podiatrists Board or equivalent overseas qualification.
5. VISITING PODIATRIST EDUCATOR
A visiting registered podiatrist who qualifies for the scope of practice of Podiatrist, and when appropriate for their speciality area of education, also qualifies for an additional scope of practice of Podiatric Surgeon and / or Podiatric Radiographic Imager and / or Podiatric Prescriber as determined by the Podiatrists Board, who is presenting short-term educational / instructional programmes requiring demonstrations or practices, of a clinical or practical nature.
Qualification:
Qualifications as to the individual educator speciality areas as recognised by the Podiatrists Board.Click here for registration application form
If you already hold registration in an Australian State, you should apply for registration under the (Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement). No examination is necessary for you to register in New Zealand.
Click here for TTMRA registration application form
Annual Practising Certificate (APC)
Once registration has been approved by the Board, podiatrists must hold an Annual Practising Certificate for each year (or part of any year) they practice podiatry in New Zealand. The Annual Practising Certificate year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Generally, the Podiatrists Board will send you an Annual Practising Certificate renewal notice each year, but it is every podiatrist’s responsibility to ensure they hold a current certificate.
Click here for more information on Annual Practising Certificates
Click here for the Annual Practising Certificate application form
