About Adam - Registered Podiatrist / Chiropodist
Adam trained at the London Foot Hospital and School of Podiatric Medicine (LFH) 1984 – 87, obtaining a Diploma in Podiatric Medicine (DPodM). This qualification was raised to a BSc Degree in 1992. Membership of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists was gained (MChS), and State Registration (SRCh) later replaced with Health and Care professions Council (HCPC) registration.
Training placements were undertaken at a number of institutions including University College Hospital, London, The Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital, Ealing Hospital and The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore. Community clinics were undertaken throughout the course at LFH itself and community clinics such as Vine St in Farringdon.
The three year course covered all aspects of podiatric care including the use of local anaesthetic injection and toenail surgery, multidisciplinary diabetic and rheumatology clinics and the prescription and manufacture of foot orthoses.
After graduating Adam worked with Riverside NHS Trust from 1987 – 90, covering Hammersmith and Fulham, South Kensington and Westminster, and Chelsea. This included acute (hospital) services at Charing Cross, The Hammersmith and Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals. Experience was gained in all podiatric specialities.
From 1990 – 1992 Adam worked in Dunedin, New Zealand, based in private practice but also providing contractual sessions to the Otago Health Board at Dunedin Public, Wakari, Cherry Farm, and Balclutha Hospitals. These included rheumatology, diabetic, psychiatric / psycho-geriatric, and secure detention clinics and settings.
On returning to the UK Adam did some locum work in London before re-joining Riverside. From 1994 – 96 he took on a project post to set up, run and evaluate podiatry services for Homeless people in Central and West London. Outreach clinics were held at a number of drop-in centres and hostels, including The Passage Day Centre in Westminster, The Broadway Project in Hammersmith and St Mungo’s in Earls Court. The project was very successful and services continue today. Adam also volunteered as a podiatrist at Crisis at Christmas shelters eleven times between 1987 and 2002, specialising in the ‘wet shelters’ for those with alcohol dependency, and helped to coordinate their podiatry services over a number of years.
From 1996 – 2000 Adam took on the management of the podiatry service in Riverside, and latterly Ealing areas. He helped the department develop and build a wide range of specialist services including children’s podiatry, multidisciplinary diabetic and rheumatology clinics, podiatric surgery, an appliance lab, transport service, HIV clinics and emergency walk-in clinics.
In 2000 he was promoted to Specialist Services Manager and then Director of Rehabilitation Services in these areas. Responsibilities included the management of physio, OT, podiatry, speech therapy, dietetic, audiology, sexual health and community dental services.
In 2002 the Drouet family relocated to Cornwall, when their first daughter Iris was born. Adam worked part-time with the NHS podiatry service, making a welcome return to clinical work, and also job-shared as manager of the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske, dealing with patient problems and complaints – a very eye-opening and challenging role!
In 2005, just after the birth of second daughter Lauren, Adam took over the long-established private podiatry practice at Lemon Villas in Truro. A new surgery was opened at Adam’s home in Playing Place in 2013, providing parking and wheelchair access; the Lemon Villas surgery closed in 2015.
Adam has undertaken continuing professional development (CPD) throughout his career, and from 2010 – 2016 chaired the Cornwall Branch of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists.