Notice Revoking the Podiatrists Board Scope of Practice of Podiatric Radiographic Imager and Amending the Podiatrists Board Scope of Practice of Visiting Podiatrist Educator/Presenter
This notice shall come into force on 1 April 2025.
Pursuant to section 11(1) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act), the Podiatrists Board of New Zealand | Te Poari Tiaki Waewae O Aotearoa specifies four scopes of practice as follows:
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.
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 deformities of the metatarsus, mid-tarsus, rear foot and associated structures; surgical correction and removal of pathological subcutaneous structures such as tendentious and nervous tissues and other connective soft tissue masses of the foot. (The Podiatrists Board does not approve of any Podiatric Surgeon performing any procedure beyond their competence, training and qualifications).
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 Ministry of Health Office of Radiation Safety, to obtain plain radiographic images and/or fluoroscopic images of the foot, ankle and lower leg.
A visiting registered Podiatrist who qualifies for the scope of practice of Podiatrist, and when appropriate for their specialty area of education, also qualifies for an additional scope of practice of Podiatric Surgeon and/or Podiatric Radiographic Imager as determined by the Podiatrists Board, who is presenting short-term educational/instructional programmes requiring demonstrations or practices, of a clinical or practical nature.
Pursuant to section 14(1) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act), the Podiatrists Board of New Zealand | Te Poari Tiaki Waewae O Aotearoa:
1. Revokes the scope of practice of Podiatric Radiographic Imager and related qualifications notice, published in the New Zealand Gazette, 15 September 2004, No. 120, page 2974, and previously amended in the New Zealand Gazette, 3 October 2013, No. 137, page 3757; and
2. Amends the wording of the scope of practice of Visiting Podiatrist Educator/Presenter, published in the New Zealand Gazette, 11 May 2006, No. 42, page 1132, and previously amended in the New Zealand Gazette, 8 September 2011, No. 138, page 3961, and New Zealand Gazette, 3 October 2013, No. 137, page 3757, to remove “Podiatric Radiographic Imager” within the definition of scope of practice of Visiting Podiatrist Educator/Presenter, to now read:
A visiting registered Podiatrist who qualifies for the scope of practice of Podiatrist, and when appropriate for their specialty area of education, also qualifies for an additional scope of practice of Podiatric Surgeon as determined by the Podiatrists Board, who is presenting short-term educational/instructional programmes requiring demonstrations or practices, of a clinical or practical nature.”
Dated at Wellington this 25th day of February 2025.
SANDRA GALE, Chief Executive and Registrar, Podiatrists Board of New Zealand | Te Poari Tiaki Waewae O Aotearoa.