PASCOM has been supported by many members of the College over the years. All have worked to enhance the project and develop it from the early paper based system through to the current web based clinical audit system. The current working party includes members from across Podiatry - Podiatric Surgery, MSK, Diabetes, Research and Nail Surgery.
Dr Helen Branthwaite is the MSK project lead for the Royal College of Podiatry. She is an MSK practitioner in the private sector as well as Senior Lecturer at Staffordshire University, course leader MSc Clinical Biomechanics. Helen’s research expertise looks at the effects of everyday footwear on function and fit and she has a specialist interest in falls prevention. Measuring MSK outcomes is at the centre of progressing our understanding of presenting podiatric conditions and is vital for patient care and professional development. The MSK – short form has been developed within PASCOM-10 as part of the MSK project and will capture MSK events occurring in podiatric practice.
Furthermore, Helen has worked in conjuction with Staffordshire University and the Royal College of Podiatry and published a review of Pascom in November 2023. This will help us to continue to develop PASCOM-10 and allow us to plan for the future.
Sharon qualified from the Caledonian University, Glasgow in 1997 and subsequently gained her Surgical Fellowship in 2013 and her CCPST in 2017. She currently works in Nottinghamshire as a Specialist Registrar Podiatric Surgeon having also worked as a Bank Consultant.
Sharon has lectured over the years both at national and international level and has taught on the Radiology and Anatomy modules for several years on The MSc Theory of Podiatric Surgery courses at the University of Huddersfield and the Caledonian University, respectively. She has also been an active faculty member of the Nottingham Anatomy and Dissection course and The Royal College of Podiatrists accredited Skin Surgery course.
Having seen the benefits of using PASCOM for her surgical log, Sharon has utilised it by extracting data to publish a ten-year retrospective multicentre review of patient reported outcomes following surgery and is looking forward to being a part of the PASCOM working group.
In her spare time, Sharon is an active member and Secretary of her local triathlon club and is currently training to be a triathlon coach.
Chris is currently working within St Georges University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as a Specialist Registrar in Podiatric Surgery. He obtained Fellowship in Podiatric Surgery with HCPC annotation in 2024, additionally becoming CASE certified in foot and ankle diagnostic ultrasound in 2023. In 2022 he was also awarded Fellowship within the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow and is continuing to develop clinical leadership and mentoring skills within the College. Data collection and maintaining research activity is instrumental to the progression of Podiatry and Podiatric Surgery with PASCOM playing a key role in its future.
Andrew gained his Fellowship in 2015 and his CCPST in 2018. He presently works in Derbyshire full-time as a Specialist Registrar in Podiatric Surgery. He has published peer reviewed articles in international journals on a wide range of subjects and has presented at local conferences, Fellowship of Podiatric Surgery and RCPod conferences with his particular interest being within long-term patient reported outcome measurements and how this can improve patient experience, aid with informed consent and provide patients with an overall long-term picture of the success of specific surgical procedures.
Andrew has gained a further interest in ultrasound gaining CASE accreditation which has allowed him to assess the success of carrying out ultrasound guided popliteal blocks to further improve a patient journey through surgery. This has also helped to reduce the number of visits a patient requires, reduce the burden on radiology colleagues and provide a quicker diagnosis to treatment by providing a one-stop-shop for those patients requiring ultrasound investigation.
Furthermore, Andrew sits on the Trusts Non-Medical Prescribers committee and during the pandemic he was able to utilise his clinical skills in an Urgent Treatment Centre which supported colleagues, reduced the number of patients requiring referral onwards and helped to promote the profession.
Recently, he has completed NHS and Royal College of Podiatry Leadership courses which he found to be a rewarding and challenging experience. This development and his experience of strong team working he believes will help give further impetus to the PASCOM project.
Finally, Andrew is aiming to work with the team to continue to develop PASCOM, improve its functionality and make it more useable within more aspects of Podiatry and Podiatric Surgery.
Simon Fay studied Podiatry at Salford. Graduating in 1987, He then followed a progression to specialist Podiatric surgical training in East Anglia, achieving a fellowship in Podiatric surgery in 1996 and completion of specialist surgical training in 2001. He is an annotated Podiatric surgeon by the Health and Care Professions council (HCPC). Completed MSc in Podiatric surgery ( 2015 ) and is an Independent non medical Prescriber. Mr Fay assisted the development the NHS podiatric surgery services in Suffolk between 1996 and 2005 before spending 2 years in Canada working clinically within the realm of Musculo-skeletal Podiatry and minor surgery. He provided mentorship for surgical trainees and registrars whilst in East Anglia. Mr Fay was appointed as a Consultant Podiatric surgeon to Northumbria Healthcare and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation trusts in 2011, after holding Consultant Podiatric surgeon posts in the West Midlands and East Kent.
Anthony spent the last 4 years of his surgical training at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, gaining fellowship in 2017 and CCPST in 2019. Following this, Anthony undertook a 12 Month contract within the Podiatric surgery team in Hereford, where he remains as a bank Consultant. Currently, Anthony works as Head of Service for Podiatry and Physiotherapy in Somerset. Anthony has gained a vast amount of experience in all aspects of foot surgery, having a particular interest in high-risk foot/ limb salvage surgical techniques. Being actively involved in research and publication, Anthony is actively involved in a number of professional improvement projects with the Royal College of Podiatry and Faculty of Podiatric Surgery. Anthony is also a guest lecturer for the Bath University pharmacy Master’s programme and regularly presents at National and International conferences. In his spare time Anthony enjoys spending time with his young family, playing golf, mountain biking and coaching rugby.
Andrew Latham is currently an Advanced Practiconer Trainee in peripheral arterial disease based in Central London Community Health Care Trust. He is a committee member of Pod Vasc SAG team - the vascular specialist advisory group that supports the RCPod on Podiatry vascular strategy and a committee member for AHPs for public health.
He has also, championed the use of PASCOM-10 for the outcoming of nail surgery procedures and has published 2 articles with Podiatric surgeon Ravi Modha on outcomes related to P-10 and nail surgery.
Andrew says: 'PASCOM 10 nail surgery domain can support all Podiatrists in private or NHS Practice in meeting HCPC standards of proficiency 11 - Assure the quality of their practice and help the RCPod understand the volume and quality of these procedures being performed nationally. It should be part of every Podiatrists practice.''
