New College Durham (NCD) is celebrating 50 years of podiatry education, marking five decades of training healthcare professionals who support patients across the North East and beyond.
Since the programme began in the mid-1970s, the college has played an important role in developing skilled podiatrists who go on to work in a wide range of healthcare settings. Graduates provide essential care, from routine foot treatments to managing complex clinical conditions, helping people maintain mobility, independence and quality of life.
Podiatry is a specialist healthcare profession grounded in science, clinical precision and patient care. Practitioners assess and diagnose conditions affecting the foot and lower limb, develop evidence-based treatment plans, manage wounds and infections, carry out minor surgical procedures and contribute to the management of wider health conditions such as diabetes and vascular disease.
At New College Durham, the programme combines academic study with extensive hands-on clinical experience, ensuring students develop the knowledge, skills and confidence required to succeed in professional practice.
Teaching is delivered by experienced podiatrists who are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and the Royal College of Podiatry who bring extensive clinical and teaching expertise to the programme. Students also benefit from structured placements arranged by the college across both NHS and private practice settings, helping them gain valuable real-world experience while building professional confidence and employability. To ensure they get the best possible start in their careers students train in facilities replicating real clinical environments both on its Framwellgate Moor campus and at its Bishop Auckland clinic, where the college has recently invested more than ÂŁ200,000 in refurbishing patient and student facilities.
The college also remains committed to widening access to the profession. Eligible students can access bursaries, and the full-time programme is structured across three days per week, helping learners balance study with family commitments or other responsibilities.
Reflecting on the milestone, Tracy Walker, Curriculum Manager for Podiatry at New College Durham noted just how much the world has changed since the course first began in the 1970s – a time when the average weekly wage was around £72, a pint of beer cost just 32p and home computers were unheard of.
Tracy added,
“While the world may have changed, the importance and remit of skilled podiatrists has constantly increased, and with the projected increase in an older population and the growing number of people suffering from diabetic foot complications, this important role will be even more in demand than ever before.
“I’m proud to say that over the past 50 years, New College Durham has continually invested not only in facilities and expertise, but most importantly in people – the students who train at the college and the patients who benefit from their care.
“Our anniversary celebration also recognises the many alumni, clinical partners and healthcare professionals whose support and mentorship have helped build the programme’s strong reputation over the past five decades. As we mark this significant milestone, the college remains committed to delivering high-quality, clinically focused training that supports the next generation of podiatrists.”
