A protected title changes on 5 October.

Why podiatry is different

Your field has a real specialist title.

Ahpra sets the health ad rules. It says the new limit on the title surgeon for doctors leaves your titles alone. So don't strip every title off your page.

Who may use it

Only 40 of 6,038 podiatrists hold it.

• 40 podiatrists hold specialist registration
• That is 0.7% of the profession
• Ahpra notes this group draws more complaints than similar professions
• That is what led to the review

Why the title changed

The issue was patient confusion.

A review led by Professor Ron Paterson did not fault the care. The issue was being clear to patients about who they see and what training that person has.

Where to change it

Check every place, as well as your site.

When Ahpra stopped most doctors using the title surgeon, it named websites, social media, letterheads, business cards and clinic windows. Assume the same list fits you.

The claims that get flagged

Don't promise results or push care.

• "Permanent relief" promises a result
• "Cure" promises a result, and results vary
• "Free scan this month" is an offer with no terms
• "Everyone over 50 should book" pushes care people may not need
• "Australia's leading clinic" is a comparison nobody can check

The review widget trap

Clinical reviews count as testimonials.

Ahpra's test is praise for the clinical side of your care. A feed that pulls every Google review onto your site shows those too. You chose to add that feed.

The short version

Update the title everywhere you use it.

This change is easy to make and awkward to miss. The date is public, and it applies to pages you already own.

Tap below for the full checklist.