Assessing the need for a standardised paediatric assessment tool for podiatrists in South Africa

Abstract

There is no literature to support the existence of an effective standardised assessment tool in South Africa that aids the podiatrist in the early diagnosis of developmental delay in the paediatric patient from age one to five. Podiatrists in South Africa (SA) need a suitable assessment tool to evaluate child development. A potential proforma that could be used by South African podiatrists is the Gait and Lower Limb Observation Proforma (GALLOP) Assessment Tool. AimThe aim of this research was to evaluate the “ease of use” and “usefulness” of the GALLOP Assessment Tool for podiatrists to effectively assess the paediatric patient from age one to age five. MethodsThe study was of a mixed methods descriptive design type, targeting all Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) registered podiatrists in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipal area. After allowing the participants to use the GALLOP Assessment Tool for a period of time, a survey was conducted to establish the “ease of use” and “usefulness” of the GALLOP Assessment Tool. ResultsAll participants agreed that the GALLOP Assessment Tool would be beneficial to South African podiatrists and that the assessment tool does not need to be improved upon.