German Association for Podiatry
The German Association for Podiatry (ZFD) eV (until 2016 the Central Association of Podiatrists and Pedicurists in Germany ) with its registered word and image trademark podo deutschland is a German, nationwide professional organization and advocacy group for podiatrists in Germany. The headquarters of the umbrella organization with its office is in Kassel in Hesse . The association exists in a federalist organization as a general association (umbrella association with its regional associations).
history
The association was founded in 1955 and campaigned for the nationwide regulation and further development of vocational training for initially only podiatrists, now podiatrists. In the 1960s, qualified training was developed for this profession.
In 1983 the state law regulation of the training for "Med. Pedicurist - officially recognized ”. In 1983, the ZFD founded the first state vocational school for medical foot care in Braunschweig . It provided theoretical and practical training for the first time in two-year full-time lessons and led to the state final examination.
These efforts formed the basis for the Podiatry Act (PodG) of January 2, 2002. Since then, the professional titles “Podologist” and “Med. Chiropodist ”and are in contrast to purely cosmetic foot care. Podiatrist is a state-recognized health profession. Training to become a podiatrist is now possible at around 50 vocational schools nationwide (as of April 2015).
The establishment of the profession of podiatrist led to a change in the name of the association in 2015, which reflects the development - from the Central Association of Podologists and Podiatrists of Germany eV (ZFD) became the German Association for Podology (ZFD) eV
Tasks, goals and activities and specialist journal
As a professional organization and representation of the interests of its members, the umbrella association pursues several goals. He wants to actively help shape health policy, anchor the profession of podiatrist in the health system and be the contact for politics, ministries, health insurance companies, health and administrative authorities.
In the area of training, he is committed to further development, quality assurance and the promotion of young talent. The members of the association are offered continuous further and advanced training through regional and supraregional working conferences , subject-specific seminars and the annual FUSS specialist congress . Exchange and cooperation with the relevant industry is also on the program, as is information for patients and the public about foot health, the scope of foot problems and suitable podiatric therapy options.
Via the specialist magazine Der FUSS , the professional association provides information on working methods and materials in podiatry practice, new legal or official regulations, possibilities for interdisciplinary cooperation and medical and industry-specific developments.
organization structure
The German Podiatry Association (ZFD) eV is represented at the federal level by the Presidium. The Presidium consists of five elected members. Legal advice is provided to the Presidium by its legal advisor. The members of the Presidium are elected by the Federal Annual General Meeting for a four-year term.
The association exists in a federal organization (umbrella organization with its regional associations). The association is organized in nine independent state associations, which as independent legal entities look after their members on site: The state associations Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin and Brandenburg, Hesse-Thuringia, Lower Saxony and Bremen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saar , Saxony-Anhalt. The boards of the regional associations represent their members in the federal association.
President
| Period | president | from regional association |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 to 1956 | Paul Rath | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| 1957 to 1963 | Hans Froschmaier | Bavaria |
| 1963 to 1991 | Karl-Heinz Hamme | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| 1991 to 1999 | Karl-Dieter Hoeper | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| 1999 to 2011 | Alfons Pöppinghaus | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| 2011 to 2015 | Dirk Reher | Hamburg - Schleswig-Holstein |
| 2015 to 2016 | Mechtild Geismann | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| 2016 to 2019 | Annett Biedermann | Saxony-Anhalt |
| from 2019 | Ruth Trenkler | Bavaria |