I am the founder, director and owner of Essex Podiatry as well as the clinical lead!
During the summer at the end of my second year at University, I developed shin pain as a result of training for my second Great North Run. I saw my GP and then a physio who recommended I saw a podiatrist. I had no idea what a podiatrist was but they made me two pairs of foot orthoses. Not only did they get rid of my pain but they completely changed my life as I decided I wanted to be a podiatrist. After completing my BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences, I immediately enrolled on the BSc (Hons) Podiatry at Huddersfield University the next academic year. I completed this in 1999 and was a qualified podiatrist when less than 4 years previously I did not know what one was!
I started my first job as a podiatrist in the NHS in Norwich in early 2000, initially in community clinics. Soon I was undertaking regular nail surgery sessions and spending one day a week working in the biomechanics/musculoskeletal team to try and reduce our 18 week waiting list!
In 2004, I started working privately on Saturday mornings in my own musculoskeletal practice at the same time as leaving the NHS to become a podiatry lecturer at the University of East London. During my time as a lecturer I was responsible for delivering the modules on lower limb anatomy to Podiatry and Physio students as well as teaching on foot function, sports injuries and local anaesthetics in other modules.
In 2006, we relocated from Norwich to Chelmsford due to work commitments and I started working privately part time in London while continuing in my role as a lecturer.
In 2007, I started studying for a Post-graduate diploma in the Theory of Podiatric Surgery at Glasgow Caledonian University and Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh and relocated my private work to Springfield Hospital in Chelmsford.
2011 brought an end to my time as a lecturer as I moved to Charing Cross Hospital to work part-time as a Trainee in Podiatric Surgery. This coincided with me starting work at the London Road Physio Clinic in Wickford and continuing my work at Springfield Hospital.
In May 2018, I started working as an associate for Sue Bamber at Manningtree Podiatry at the Foundry Court practice. I enjoyed it so much that within 4 months I had agreed to take over so Sue could retire and by 1st November I had left the NHS and become involved in private practice full time and Essex Podiatry was born!
I enjoy seeing the difference we can make not just to patients foot pain but the improvements we can have on their quality of life. I relish the challenge of solving patients foot pain, particularly when they feel like they have run out of options.