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Australian Health Review Australian Health Review Society
Journal of the Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association
EDITORIAL

Podiatric surgery: a canary in the coalmine for professional monopolies

Susan Nancarrow https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5181-400X A * and Alan Borthwick OBE B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Lismore Campus, NSW, Australia.

B Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

* Correspondence to: Susan.nancarrow@scu.edu.au

Australian Health Review 48(4) 364-365 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH24175
Submitted: 4 July 2024  Accepted: 4 July 2024  Published: 1 August 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of AHHA.

Abstract

What is known about the topic? The health workforce and health tasks are highly contested and largely controlled by regulation. Since the introduction of medical regulation in the mid-19th century, the practice of surgery has been largely dominated by medically trained surgeons. A small group of Australian podiatrists have defied these historic boundaries by creating their own colleges of training and convincing government and regulators of their safety and efficacy in surgical practice. The Podiatry Board of Australia commissioned an independent review of the regulation and regulatory practices of podiatric surgeons in Australia. What does this paper add? This paper discusses the implications of a regulatory review of the role of podiatric surgeons for professional role boundaries. What are the implications for practitioners? Despite historic role boundaries and definitions, with appropriate training, regulation, and financing, the health workforce can be mobilised in different ways to meet population needs, overcoming a professional monopoly over roles.

References

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