Who we are

The first organisation of chiropodists and podiatrists

We can trace our origins back to 1912 when the Society of Chiropodists was established as the first organisation for chiropodists in Europe. In 1948 it was recognised as a negotiating body by the National Health Service, and in 1978 it formalised its negotiating role by registering as a trade union. In 2018 it became the College of Podiatry.

Royal College status

In 2021 the College achieved royal status and was granted permission to use the title The Royal College of Podiatry by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We have long boasted a royal patron: from 1993 to her death in 2002 our patron was Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was succeeded in 2005 by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, now the Queen Consort.

Today, we are proud to be the premier professional body and trade union for podiatrists in the UK, with over 10,000 members, both in the UK and overseas.