Plans to foot it into UK ...

John Miller wants to give podiatrists a helping hand. Photo / Andrew Warner

Foot Mechanics, the chain of podiatrics clinics founded by Tauranga-based John Miller, has adopted an innovative approach to building their business, which utilises the labour synergies between the UK and New Zealand, coupled with a unique take on franchising.

Mr Miller started the business in Tauranga 17 years ago and now has eight clinics in the North Island. His goal is to expand not only nationwide, but also in the United Kingdom - where a flagship clinic is due to open soon - and eventually in Europe.

The expansion model mixes a majority of wholly-owned branches with, to date, two franchised operations. But he's not seeking to build up a big franchise business. "We needed a career pathway for our senior podiatrists," he said.

"Normally, they would have had to leave us to do that, so we established a franchise model to enable them to have their own businesses, but remain with Foot Mechanics."

Podiatry - which treats leg ailments from the hip down - is a relatively small profession in New Zealand, with only about 300 registered practitioners, compared with about 4000 physiotherapists.

Mr Miller noted there were now opportunities to expand in the UK because the National Health Service had been rationalising services and cutting out podiatry.

New Zealand regularly loses graduates who either go straight to Australia, where wages are 15 per cent higher, or stay for a year or two then go on to do their OE in the UK. The UK had the opposite problem, with numbers of podiatrists needing to gain experience in New Zealand in treating muscular-skeletal complaints, which they usually did not encounter in the NHS where the focus is on diabetes-related disorders.

"You have a whole lot of podiatrists who need business skills on how to build a practice, whereas New Zealand has always been almost 100 per cent private. We also have the muscular-skeletal expertise they need.

"Having clinics in the UK will allow us to take a New Zealand graduate, give him a couple of years experience here, then they can go to London, but stay really connected to us."