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06 Oct 2025
A specialist title change within the podiatry profession will help consumers make informed decisions when seeking expert advice about foot and ankle issues.
From October 2026, the title ‘podiatric surgeon’ will change to ‘surgical podiatrist’. This will provide greater clarity for the public by ensuring a more accurate representation of the professional title associated with practitioners who perform surgical procedures within the podiatry profession.
Health ministers recently approved the change following a recommendation from the Podiatry Board of Australia (the Board), guided by an independent review and extensive consultation.
‘This is an important step in giving consumers greater clarity and transparency around the practitioner they are seeing and their training and qualifications,’ said Dr Kristy Robson, Chair of the Board.
In Australia, there are 42 registered podiatric surgeons with specialist registration, comprising 0.7% of the 6,187 registered podiatrists (as of 30 June 2025).
These practitioners undertake extensive surgical training and have appropriate skills and capability to perform a range of complex foot and ankle procedures. This was highlighted in the independent review undertaken by Professor Ron Patterson and extensive consultation.
‘The title change does not alter the standard of care provided but will help guide consumer expectations and allow for informed decision-making,’ Dr Robson said.
The 12-month transition period will give podiatric surgeons, the Board and Ahpra, and other relevant stakeholders and organisations sufficient time to make the necessary administrative changes to reflect the new title before it comes into effect.
The Board is publishing information to ensure that the podiatry profession and other stakeholders can facilitate the title change. Further support will be provided during the transition period. Practitioners will be unable to use the title ‘podiatric surgeon’ after 5 October 2026.
The Podiatry Board of Australia (the Board) and Ahpra commissioned an independent review of the regulation of podiatric surgeons in Australia. The review, which began in October 2023, was required to provide an independent assessment of the regulatory framework for podiatric surgeons, including any risks to patient safety, and recommend any improvements deemed necessary. You can read more about the review on the Board’s website, including FAQs.
The final report for the review was published on 27 March 2024. The report made 14 recommendations to better protect the public; all of these were accepted by the Board and Ahpra. You can read the Board and Ahpra’s joint response to the recommendations on the Board’s website.
One of the 14 recommendations was to change the title for podiatric surgeons. The review found that changing the title would allow for more informed decision-making when consumers seek specialised advice about foot and ankle surgery.
The Board conducted public consultation on the proposed title change. The consultation received over 240 submissions from practitioners, professional bodies, consumers, educators, regulators and insurers. As part of this process, the Board also commissioned an independent consultant to conduct focus groups with members of the public.
Health ministers made the change to the protected title after carefully considering the consultation submissions, the feedback from the consumer focus groups, the findings from the independent review of the regulation of podiatric surgeons, and the paramount principles of the National law, which include public protection and supporting community confidence in regulated health professions. Any decision to change specialist titles rests with health ministers through the Ministerial Council.
'It is an important step in giving consumers greater clarity and transparency around the practitioner they are seeing as well as their level of training and qualifications’ - Podiatry Board of Australia Chair Dr Kristy Robson.
