Royal College of Podiatry

What Royal College of Podiatry does

The Royal College of Podiatry (RCPod) is the UK professional membership body and independent trade union for podiatrists, founded in 1945 as the Society of Chiropodists and incorporated as a company limited by guarantee. It holds statutory trade union registration (since 1978) and NHS negotiating-body status (since 1948), serving more than 10,000 health professionals working in foot and lower limb healthcare across the NHS, private practice, academia, research and supporting clinical roles in the UK and internationally. Its headquarters is at Quartz House, 207 Providence Square, Mill Street, London.

The organisation's product portfolio centres on membership subscriptions bundled with £15 million malpractice insurance for UK members, the TALUS Learning Management System for CPD delivery, The Podiatrist professional magazine, a 24/7 wellbeing helpline via Health Assured, the Arch Support benevolent fund (registered charity 1193688), CoP Rewards discounts, an Advertising Board for jobs and practice sales, and the Find a Podiatrist public directory. Distribution runs through rcpod.org.uk, the membersarea.rcpod.org.uk member portal, regional branches and an annual conference (Podiatry 2026) at ICC Birmingham.

RCPod is governed by an elected Council and led by a Chief Executive with a leadership team covering finance, policy, employment relations, communications, education, transformation, clinical advisory and membership/events functions. Revenue is overwhelmingly subscription-recurring, with audited union income of £5,221,180 for the year ended 31 December 2024 (of which £4,557,272 was membership income) against expenditure of £5,212,900, against £4,641,497 total income in 2022, indicating low-single-digit revenue growth, near break-even economics, and an active cost-restructuring programme through 2023–2024.

Name

Royal College of Podiatry

Legal name

The Royal College of Podiatry

Website

https://rcpod.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Royal College of Podiatry is the UK professional membership body and independent trade union for podiatrists, serving over 10,000 members with malpractice insurance, CPD via the TALUS learning platform, trade union representation, and member services across the NHS, private practice, academia and international segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Podiatry Membership Body

NAICS

Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Foot & Ankle (HLAKALAG)

Keywords

• Podiatry professional body
• Trade union services
• Professional membership services
• Medical CPD training
• Malpractice insurance coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees from podiatrists in UK, international, associate and non-practising categories. Revenue disclosed: £4,557,272 in membership income for 2024.
2. Union Activities: Trade union operations generating membership-based revenue for employment relations support and representation services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Royal College of Podiatry is a professional membership body and trade union for podiatrists in the UK and internationally, supporting over 10,000 health professionals in foot and lower limb healthcare. Its core offering is annual membership (UK Practising, UK Non-Practising, International, and Associate tiers) bundled with £15 million malpractice insurance, trade union representation, access to the TALUS Learning Management System for CPD, professional publications, and an Arch Support benevolent fund. The organisation also negotiates with the NHS, delivers conferences and events, and provides a public Find a Podiatrist directory.

Product overview

The Royal College of Podiatry operates as a professional membership body and trade union offering a comprehensive package of products and services to support podiatrists. The core offering includes membership with insurance protection (£15 million malpractice coverage for UK members), access to the TALUS Learning Management System for CPD, and the annual Podiatry conference. The portfolio includes several supporting products: Arch Support (a charitable hardship fund), College of Podiatry Rewards (discount program), Wellbeing Support Services (24/7 counselling), The Podiatrist magazine, a Find a Podiatrist directory for the public, an Information Centre hub, and an Advertising Board for job listings. Trade union services provide employment relations support and legal representation. The organization serves over 10,000 health professionals working in foot and lower limb healthcare across the UK and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TALUS Learning Management System An online learning platform delivering tailored core CPD to RCPod members, supporting Continuing Professional Development requirements for practising podiatrists.
• Arch Support Benevolent Fund A registered charity providing financial assistance and hardship grants to RCPod members, former members, student members, and dependents of deceased members.
• College of Podiatry Rewards A member discount programme providing savings on everyday products and services including business supplies, travel, insurance, legal advice, energy comparison and leisure activities.
• The Podiatrist Magazine A professional membership magazine promoting the highest professional values, practice and standards for podiatrists, available in printed and digital formats to members.
• Wellbeing Support Services A confidential 24/7 counselling helpline for members, providing qualified counsellors and advisors, bereavement support and access to a Health e-Hub app, delivered in partnership with Health Assured.
• Find a Podiatrist Directory A searchable public directory that helps patients locate qualified podiatrists from the College's member network in their local area.
• Trade Union Services Trade union representation and employment relations support for members, including negotiation with government, employment rights protection, legal assistance and local rep support.
• Podiatry Conference and CPD Events Professional development events including the annual Podiatry conference at ICC Birmingham, branch events and CPD training courses designed for members working in private practice, NHS, research and academia.
• Classified Advertising Board An online classified advertising platform listing podiatry jobs, apprenticeships, practices for sale and business opportunities, available to members and non-members.
• Information Centre A searchable public knowledge hub helping users find information on membership, training, CPD, local podiatrists, patient information and the podiatry profession.
• Royal College of Podiatry Membership Annual membership subscriptions for podiatrists in UK Practising, UK Non-Practising, International and Associate tiers, including £15 million malpractice insurance, trade union representation, CPD access, publications and member benefits.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)coreOthersThe HCPC is the statutory regulator for podiatrists in the UK. Podiatrists must complete qualifications approved by HCPC to practice, and the College supports members with HCPC cases and audits.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• British Medical Association: The BMA is the leading UK doctors' trade union and professional association. While far larger, it operates the same combined membership/trade union/CPD model that RCPod does for podiatrists, and serves as the gold-standard reference point for Royal medical bodies in the UK.
• British Dental Association: The BDA is the professional association and trade union for UK dentists. It offers a directly comparable bundle of membership subscriptions, indemnity, CPD, policy advocacy, and member publications for a regulated clinical profession, making it a relevant size-and-structure peer.
• Royal College of Nursing: The RCN is a much larger UK Royal College and trade union for nurses. It is directly comparable to RCPod as a professional membership body that combines trade union representation, CPD delivery, indemnity insurance, and policy advocacy for a regulated healthcare profession.
• Royal College of Surgeons of England: RCS England is one of the UK's premier Royal surgical colleges. It overlaps with RCPod in podiatric surgical practice, and RCPod's Head of Education previously held a senior examinations role there, providing direct staffing and structural overlap as a comparable UK Royal medical membership body.

Regional players

• Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists of Ireland: The SCPI is the Irish national professional body for chiropodists/podiatrists. It is a direct specialty peer but operates only within the Republic of Ireland's regulatory system, making it comparable in mission while not competing directly with RCPod in the UK.

Emerging players

• British Chiropractic Association: The BCA is a smaller UK professional association for chiropractors. It is a closer size-and-scope analogue to RCPod than the larger Royal colleges and is useful as a like-for-like peer for evaluating membership economics, CPD delivery, and trade union-style advocacy in a niche allied health profession.

Direct peers

• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: The CSP is the UK professional body and trade union for physiotherapists. It mirrors RCPod's structure closely — Royal Charter status, trade union recognition, CPD/integrated learning management, professional liability cover, and member-facing public directory — making it the closest functional peer for an allied health membership organisation.
• American Podiatric Medical Association: APMA is the leading US national podiatry professional membership body. It is the most direct international functional peer to RCPod — representing podiatrists, providing CPD, advocacy, and member benefits — though operating in a different (US) regulatory and reimbursement environment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RoyColPod
• Facebookfacebook.com/RoyColPod

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Royal College of Podiatry