Welcome to Hunter Gatherer AHP – specialist podiatry recruitment across the UK.
We place podiatrists into NHS community podiatry services, hospital outpatient clinics, diabetic foot services, private practices and primary care settings on both a locum and permanent basis. Whether you’re a service looking to cover a gap in your podiatry team or a podiatrist seeking your next opportunity, we offer fast, compliant and properly matched recruitment.
What is Podiatry?
Podiatry (formerly known as chiropody) is an HCPC-regulated healthcare profession focused on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of conditions affecting the foot, ankle and lower limb. Podiatrists work across a wide range of settings – from routine nail and skin care to high-risk diabetic foot management, MSK biomechanical assessment, surgical interventions and independent prescribing.
In the NHS, podiatry services are under sustained demand pressure – particularly for experienced Band 6 and Band 7 practitioners with high-risk foot and diabetic foot competencies. Supply of specialist podiatrists is consistently tight, making reliable recruitment support increasingly important for services managing waiting times and clinical workload.
Why Services Choose Hunter Gatherer for Podiatry Recruitment:
- Specialism-aware matching Community general clinics, high-risk diabetic foot, MSK biomechanics, nail surgery, wound care – we understand the differences and match podiatrists on clinical background and competency rather than just availability and HCPC registration.
- HCPC-verified and fully compliant Every podiatrist we place is verified for HCPC registration, DBS, clinical references and relevant experience before placement. Enhanced DBS is confirmed for all community and home visit roles.
- NHS, community, private and primary care We work with NHS community health services, acute trusts, local authority podiatry teams, private podiatry clinics and GP surgeries / PCNs. Whatever your sector, we can help.
- Locum and permanent placements Urgent cover or a long-term hire – we support both, with the same standard of compliance and clinical matching throughout.
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Podiatry Specialisms We Cover:
Our podiatrist network covers the full range of clinical specialisms within podiatry:
- General / Routine Podiatry – nail care, callus, corns, routine diabetic foot assessment and basic skin care
- High-Risk Foot – complex diabetic foot, vascular disease, neuropathy, wound management, ulcer care
- Diabetic Foot – structured diabetic foot review, MDT working, neuropathy and vascular assessment, prevention of lower limb complications
- Musculoskeletal (MSK) Podiatry – biomechanical assessment, gait analysis, orthotic prescription, sports injuries, lower limb pain
- Wound Care – specialist podiatry wound management, debridement, offloading, advanced wound dressings
- Nail Surgery – partial and total nail avulsion (PNA/TNA), phenolisation, minor nail procedures
- Paediatric Podiatry – childhood gait and foot problems, in-toeing, flat feet, growing pains, developmental assessment
- Rheumatology Podiatry – foot and ankle involvement in rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory conditions, insole and orthotic prescription
- Neurological Podiatry – foot care for stroke, MS, Parkinson’s, spinal cord injury patients
- Advanced Practice / Extended Scope – independent prescribing, injection therapy, imaging, surgical first assist
Roles and Responsibilities:
Podiatrists across NHS and private settings are responsible for:
- Clinical assessment of foot, ankle and lower limb conditions
- Diagnosis and treatment of nail pathology, skin lesions and biomechanical problems
- High-risk foot assessment and diabetic foot surveillance – neuropathy screening, vascular assessment, footwear advice
- Wound management and debridement for complex foot ulcers and post-surgical wounds
- Orthotic prescription and fitting – insoles, splints, pressure-relieving devices
- Nail surgery – partial/total nail avulsion under local anaesthetic
- Running autonomous outpatient and community clinics
- Home visit podiatry for housebound and high-risk patients
- MDT working – contributing to diabetic foot MDTs, vascular services, falls clinics, rheumatology teams
- Independent prescribing (for annotated podiatrists) – local anaesthetics, antimicrobials, NSAIDs within scope
Qualifications We Look For:
Every podiatrist we place holds:
- Active HCPC registration with no restrictions
- BSc or MSc in Podiatry (College of Podiatry-accredited)
- Relevant post-qualification experience appropriate to band and specialism
- Valid DBS and current mandatory training including infection control and safeguarding
- For high-risk and diabetic foot roles: competency in neuropathy screening, vascular assessment and wound management
- For nail surgery roles: local anaesthetic competency and nail surgery sign-off
- For prescribing roles: independent prescribing annotation on HCPC register
Locum Podiatry Opportunities:
Locum podiatry work offers genuine flexibility across a wide range of clinical settings – from busy community clinics running high-volume routine lists to specialist high-risk and diabetic foot services. Whether you’re looking for regular sessions alongside a permanent role or full-time locum work, we’ll match you to opportunities that fit your specialism and availability.
We have active podiatry requirements across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh and beyond.
Lets start the search for your next role in Podiatry
Podiatrist Pay Rates (2025/26):
Locum Podiatrist Rates (Umbrella)
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Band 5£22-£27 per hour
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Band 6£24-£31 per hour
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Band 7£29-£40 per hour
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Band 8a (Advanced / Surgical / Prescribing)£38-£50 per hour
Rates vary by specialism, location and setting. High-risk and diabetic foot roles typically attract the higher end of Band 6 and Band 7 ranges. London and South East roles generally sit above the national average. Private clinic rates may vary outside these ranges.
Permanent Podiatrist Salaries
NHS podiatry roles follow Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales. Band 5 runs from £31,049 to £37,796 (2025/26); Band 6 from £38,682 to £46,580; Band 7 from £47,810 to £54,710. Band 8a advanced and surgical podiatry roles start at £55,690.
Private podiatry clinic salaries vary by employer, location and session model. Many private podiatrists work on a mixed employed/self-employed basis, with experienced practitioners earning £40,000–£60,000+ depending on caseload and specialism.
Our consultants can advise on current going rates for your specific specialism and region.
Career Progression in Podiatry:
Podiatry offers a structured career pathway with genuine specialist and advanced practice options:
- Band 5 – newly qualified podiatrist, developing core clinical competencies across routine and general caseloads
- Band 6 – specialist podiatrist with defined clinical area – often high-risk, MSK, nail surgery or paediatrics
- Band 7 – highly specialist podiatrist or team lead – complex high-risk foot, advanced biomechanics, service leadership
- Band 8a – advanced practitioner podiatrist – surgical, prescribing, extended scope, clinical lead roles
- Band 8b+ – consultant podiatrist, head of podiatry service, strategic and professional leadership
Locum work is well-suited to podiatrists at Band 5 and 6 level who want to build breadth across different community and specialist settings before committing to a permanent specialism. For Band 7 and Band 8a practitioners, locum roles often offer the best financial return alongside maximum clinical flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What’s the difference between podiatry and chiropody? They are the same profession – “chiropody” is the older term, while “podiatry” is the current preferred title and the name used by the professional regulator (HCPC) and the College of Podiatry. Both refer to the same HCPC-regulated healthcare profession.
- Do all podiatrist locum roles require high-risk foot experience? No – there is demand across the full range of podiatry practice. Routine general clinics, MSK biomechanics, paediatric and nail surgery roles are all regularly available. That said, high-risk and diabetic foot experience is the most in-demand specialism in NHS community podiatry and commands the strongest rates.
- Can you place podiatrists with independent prescribing qualifications? Yes. We place podiatrist prescribers (annotated on the HCPC register) for roles that require prescribing autonomy. If your service needs a prescribing podiatrist, specify this when you contact us.
- Do you place podiatrists for home visit caseloads? Yes. Many of our podiatrists are experienced in community home visit work, including housebound and high-risk patients. Enhanced DBS is confirmed as standard for all home visit placements.
- Can you provide short-notice podiatry cover? Yes. Once a podiatrist is registered and compliant with us, we can respond quickly to urgent requirements. Contact us directly for short-notice needs and we’ll aim to respond same day.
- What areas do you cover? We place podiatrists across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Sheffield and beyond.
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