Podiatric surgery

Podiatric Surgeon is a highly skilled clinician who has undertaken rigorous academic and practical study to perform foot and ankle surgery. Podiatric surgery training takes 11 years to complete and is specific to the surgical and non-surgical management of the foot. 

Regulated by the HCPC (Health and Care Professionals Council) and registered members of the Royal College of Podiatrists, Faculty of Surgery. Podiatric Surgeons routinely perform surgery to address conditions and deformities of the foot and its associated structures under regional anaesthesia although more complex surgery may be performed under General Anaesthesia as required.

Podiatric Surgeons are not medical doctors or orthopaedic surgeons.

Where required or appropriate medical management will require liaison with the GP or hospital medical colleagues.

Useful Links

• Podiatric Surgery
• What is a Podiatric Surgeon?

DCHS has three Podiatric Surgery Departments, each is Consultant Lead supported by Specialist Registrars, Surgical trainees and a team of qualified and experienced Staff Podiatrists. Nurses and Health Care assistants many of whom who will be involved in providing patient care.  Each department is also a registered training centre for Podiatric Surgical trainees. Part of your treatment, including surgery may be provided by a Surgical Trainee under direct supervision of the consultant.

Surgery is carried out on a Day Case basis using either regional local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia (general anaesthesia is only available at Ilkeston)

Our departments pride themselves on creating a comfortable surgical experience for all patients and high-quality surgical outcomes. Quality of the service is demonstrated by continual clinical audit and patient feedback.

You will usually be offered an operation at the department which is closest to where you live. If you want to have your surgery at a different department, please discuss this with us during your initial visit.

• Buxton Community Hospital established in November 1991. (outpatient clinics are at Buxton and Whitworth Community Hospitals, operating theatre at Buxton)
• Ilkeston Community Hospital established in July 1994. (outpatient clinics and theatre at Ilkeston)
• Chesterfield established in 1998. (outpatient clinics at Scarsdale, operating theatre at Ilkeston)

Please read the information below about what to expect at each stage of your treatment.

When you first attend the department, you will be assessed by one of the Staff Podiatrists, Surgical Trainees or Specialist Registrar.  It is important that you bring an accurate list of any medications that you are taking, and you should be prepared to give a medical history which will include allergies, medical complaints, previous operations and other hospital admissions.  We may also need to ask about relevant family medical problems.  A treatment plan and/or additional investigations such as x-rays may be arranged and if appropriate you may also see the Consultant Podiatric Surgeon at this time.

If your treatment plan involves surgery, you will be provided with information about the operation including the technique, rehabilitation (recovery) times, common and important complications, risks and benefits. You will have the opportunity to ask questions, and you will also be provided with written information sheets and diagrams to take away with you.

You will be offered a date for surgery by post and in order to accept this date you must fully complete and sign the questionnaire.  You may or may not be asked to attend for a pre-operative appointment based on your medical history. During your appointments we check that surgery is still appropriate and encourage you to ask any further questions.  

On the day of surgery and for the next 48 hours you should ensure that you have a responsible adult to look after you.

You will be required to attend for dressing changes and follow-up appointments   after your surgery. You will be advised of these appointments in due course.  You will need to keep the surgical dressings dry after the operation, which is usually around 2 weeks but can be longer.

Most operations are performed under a local anaesthetic.  You will be awake; you can eat normally and take your normally prescribed medications on the day of your operation.  The Local anaesthetic is administered via injections around the toes and/or ankle and/ or behind the knee.  Most patients find this to be more comfortable than a dental injection.  

If you feel unable to undergo local anaesthetic treatment or if it is necessary for the type of operation required a General Anaesthetic can be arranged at Ilkeston.

Many foot deformities / conditions are treated by Podiatric Surgeons. A list of common procedures undertaken within the department, including specific literature and diagrams is accessible from the links below.

The podiatric surgery service is available via the e-Referral Service to all GPs who have commissioned the service. (Orthopaedics, Orthopaedics / Foot and Ankle, Orthopaedics / Podiatric Surgery or Podiatry) The service is accessible in three ways via "e-RS”:

1.  View Specialty - Orthopaedics, then Clinic Type - Podiatric Surgery or Foot & Ankle, then directly book into Ilkeston Community Hospital
2. View Specialty - Podiatry, then Clinic Type - Minor Surgery, then directly book into Ilkeston Community Hospital
3. Select Rob Morley or Tommy Chan as the Named Clinician, then directly book into Ilkeston Community Hospital

Paper referrals are also acceptable however this may slow the referral process slightly. For all routine referrals, the Consultant Podiatric Surgeon will assess the referral details to ensure that the patient has been directed to the most appropriate branch of the Podiatry service.  The patient will then either have their appointment confirmed by letter or be contacted by phone to advise which route the Consultant has decided would be most suitable for them. Free parking is available to patients at Ilkeston Hospital.

The podiatric surgery service is available via the e-Referral Service to all GPs who have commissioned the service. (Orthopaedics, Orthopaedics / Foot and Ankle, Orthopaedics / Podiatric Surgery or Podiatry) The service is accessible in three ways via "e-RS”:

1. View Specialty - Orthopaedics, then Clinic Type - Podiatric Surgery or Foot & Ankle, then directly book into Scarsdale
2. View Specialty - Podiatry, then Clinic Type - Minor Surgery, then directly book into Scarsdale
3. Select Stephen Finney as the Named Clinician, then directly book into Scarsdale.

Paper referrals are also acceptable however this may slow the referral process slightly. For all routine referrals, the Consultant Podiatric Surgeon will assess the referral details to ensure that the patient has been directed to the most appropriate branch of the Podiatry service.  The patient will then either have their appointment confirmed by letter or be contacted by phone to advise which route the Consultant has decided would be most suitable for them. Free parking is available to patients at Scarsdale.

The podiatric surgery service is available via the e-Referral Service to all GPs who have commissioned the service. (Orthopaedics, Orthopaedics / Foot and Ankle, Orthopaedics / Podiatric Surgery or Podiatry) The service is accessible in three ways via "e-RS”:

1. View Specialty - Orthopaedics, then Clinic Type - Podiatric Surgery or Foot & Ankle, then directly book into Buxton Hospital
2. View Specialty - Podiatry, then Clinic Type - Minor Surgery, then directly book into Buxton Hospital
3. Select Frank Webb as the Named Clinician, then directly book into Buxton Hospital.

Paper referrals are also acceptable however this may slow the referral process slightly. For all routine referrals, the Consultant Podiatric Surgeon will assess the referral details to ensure that the patient has been directed to the most appropriate branch of the Podiatry service.  The patient will then either have their appointment confirmed by letter or be contacted by phone to advise which route the Consultant has decided would be most suitable for them. Free parking is available to patients at Buxton Hospital.

The podiatric surgery service is available via the e-Referral Service to all GPs who have commissioned the service. (Orthopaedics, Orthopaedics / Foot and Ankle, Orthopaedics / Podiatric Surgery or Podiatry) The service is accessible in three ways via "e-RS”:

1. View Specialty - Orthopaedics, then Clinic Type - Podiatric Surgery or Foot & Ankle, then directly book into Whitworth Hospital
2. View Specialty - Podiatry, then Clinic Type - Minor Surgery, then directly book into Whitworth Hospital
3. Select Frank Webb as the Named Clinician, then directly book into Whitworth Hospital.

Paper referrals are also acceptable however this may slow the referral process slightly. For all routine referrals, the Consultant Podiatric Surgeon will assess the referral details to ensure that the patient has been directed to the most appropriate branch of the Podiatry service.  The patient will then either have their appointment confirmed by letter or be contacted by phone to advise which route the Consultant has decided would be most suitable for them. Free parking is available to patients at Whitworth Hospital.

Stephen Finney is a highly experienced Podiatric Surgeon whose career, spanning over three decades, has been dedicated to both the conservative and surgical management of a wide array of foot ailments. His journey in podiatric medicine began with his graduation in 1989, laying the foundation for a distinguished path in patient care and professional leadership.

A significant milestone in Mr. Finney's career was the prestigious award of his Podiatric Surgical Fellowship (F.C.Pod.S) in 1995. This recognition underscored his growing expertise and commitment to the specialised field of Podiatry. Building on this achievement, he embraced his first Consultant post in Nottingham in 1998. From this point, his clinical impact expanded significantly, as he went on to perform many thousands of foot operations, providing crucial care to patients in the Nottingham, Chesterfield, and Kirklees areas. His extensive clinical practice has consistently involved the diagnosis and treatment of complex foot and ankle conditions, where he has specialised in a broad spectrum of conservative and surgical podiatric procedures, always striving for high standards of patient care and positive surgical outcomes.

Beyond his demanding clinical duties, Stephen Finney has been a proactive and influential figure in the wider podiatric medical community. He has contributed his expertise to numerous regional and national educational and professional initiatives. His commitment to nurturing future talent is evident in his role as a Visiting University Lecturer, where he has delivered lectures and training to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Mr. Finney's dedication to maintaining the highest standards within his profession is further demonstrated by his service as a National Surgical Examiner for the College of Podiatrists, a critical role in assessing the competency of aspiring surgeons. His respected opinion and deep understanding of podiatric surgery have also been sought by prominent national bodies. He has served as an Advisor to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), contributing to the development of clinical guidelines and best practices that shape patient care across the country. Furthermore, he has lent his advisory expertise to the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) and the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA), playing a part in formulating Commissioning Guidelines for foot and ankle surgery. He has also contributed to academic and professional discourse by serving as a Journal Reviewer, contributing to the vital peer-review process that underpins the credibility of podiatric surgical publications.

Frank Webb has over 35 years of experience in both conservative and surgical management of a wide range of foot ailments since graduating in Podiatric Medicine in 1987.  He was awarded his Podiatric Surgical Fellowship in 1995 and took up his first Consultant post at Hope Hospital in 2003, specialising in the management of the high-risk foot. He has held posts at Greenwich NHS Trust and Queen Elizabeth Hospital and since 2011 has been the lead Consultant Podiatric Surgeon at Buxton Hospital.  In this post, he has developed in partnerships with colleagues at Stepping Hill Hospital, a local foot protection service, linking in with their Multi-Disciplinary Foot Team.  

Frank has extensive experience in orthotic and surgical treatment of the sports patient with foot and ankle injuries. He also has specialist interests in Rheumatology, Peripheral Vascular Disease and Diabetes related foot conditions.  Frank has also been leading one of the Multidisciplinary diabetic foot clinics at Chesterfield Royal Hospital with a once monthly clinic with orthopaedics.

 In addition to his clinical duties, Frank is active in a number of regional and national educational and professional roles including Honorary Lecturer at Salford University, the organising committee of FDUK (Foot in Diabetes UK), and the Advisory Board for minimum standards in Rheumatology, supported by Arthritis & Rheumatism Counsel.

He is also a National Surgical Examiner of the College of Podiatrists and is a registered Tutor for the Podiatric Surgical Training Programme.

Rob qualified as a Podiatrist in 1999 and originally worked in Staffordshire building up experience in his profession. He commenced his podiatric work in Derbyshire in 2008 gaining his MSc in the Theory of Podiatric Surgery in 2009. He attained Fellowship in 2014 and  has performed over 3,000 foot operations  mainly in elective foot surgery.

Rob has a keen interest in the Diabetic foot gaining significant experience in managing the high-risk patient both medically and surgically and has presented extensively in this field both nationally and internationally.  He is author of over ten publications incorporating case studies, audits, service evaluations and research published in peer reviewed journals pertaining specifically to elective and diabetic foot surgery.

Mr Tommy Chan qualified in 2009 at the University of Salford with a keen interest in the surgical management of foot and ankle conditions. He went on to complete the Masters in the Theory of Podiatric Surgery with the University of Huddersfield and 2014 he commenced his surgical training in Podiatric Surgery at the highly reputable Department of Podiatric Surgery with Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. He successful completed his surgical training in 2017, gaining the prestigious award to Fellowship with the Royal College of Podiatry, Faculty of Podiatric Surgery.

During this time, his training has taken him abroad on externships to both Europe and Asia, gaining a wealth of experience and techniques in foot and ankle surgery. As a Specialist Registrar he has developed significant expertise in minimally invasive surgery and high-risk limb salvage surgery. He attained his Certificate of Completion of Podiatric Surgical Training in 2021.

In 2021, he was an elected committee member and more recently in 2023 he was further selected as the regional chair of the Northern Deanery, Faculty of Podiatric Surgery, UK. He is an external faculty instructor with the vascular society for Great Britain and Ireland, cultivating the next generation in the management of the diabetic foot. To date he is a regular visiting lecturer with the University of Huddersfield on both the Masters programmes in Podiatric Surgery and is also a registered national surgical tutor with the Royal College of Podiatry, Faculty of Podiatric surgery.

Tommy has a focus of Podiatric surgical practice in the forefoot, midfoot and hindfoot and all its associated structures with specialist expertise in minimally invasive surgical techniques; an area that he is a regular educator of. As a Consultant Podiatric Surgeon, he continues to pursue a habit of lifelong learning, development and refinement of his surgical techniques based on reflective practice, audit and research, whilst he continues to train the next generation of Podiatric Surgeons.

Find out more about the Podiatric Surgery Service by reading our 6 monthly reports. The information in these report comes from departmental patient satisfaction data.

• Scarsdale and Claycross: October 2013 - March 2014
• Buxton: October 2013 - March 2014
• Ilkeston: September 2013 - April 2014

Buxton Hospital - Harry Hall underwent an operation to remove his big toe...

"I have been under the care of the Podiatric Team led by Mr Frank Webb at Buxton Hospital for the last few years. In order to prevent the spread of infection into my foot and beyond, I underwent an operation to remove my big toe in July 2012. From January 2013 until April 2013 I had intensive treatment with oral and intravenous antibiotics in order to eradicate the bone infection. This has been successful and as such has enabled me to enjoy walking in the peak District where I live albeit not quite as strenuous as I used to”.

"The professional care and skill (the antibiotic treatment I had was a first in this area enabling me to be at home and just making daily visits to the local hospital) were second to none”.

"The podiatric team was absolutely fantastic with their skills, support and care (both in clinic and post operation)”.