About Us
Get to know us betterDee Smith MSc (Clinical Biomechanics), BSc (Hons) Podiatry, MRCPod, HCPC reg CH21716
Dee was born in Namibia and lived in South Africa until the age of 21. She is married with one daughter. Her early career started as a marketing assistant, later to finish as a marketing manager for a blue-chip company in Leeds.
After having her daughter, she qualified as a mature student from Huddersfield University with a BSc (Honours) degree in Podiatry in 2005.
NHS experience
Dee worked in the NHS for 5 years as a paediatric and biomechanics specialist Podiatirst, and started the The Foot and Lower Limb Clinic (brighouse) in 2007. Having gained a wide variety of experience, she was able to build and develop an established practice serving the local area.
Masters in Clinical Biomechanics – the “science of human movement”
In 2016, Dee obtained a Masters Degree in Clinical Biomechanics from Staffordshire University, staying at the forefront of the latest research and embracing evidence based practice to benefit her patients.
Dee has extended her scope of practice to include sports massage, acupuncture, joint & soft tissue mobilisation and shockwave therapy to enable her to treat sports injuries too.
BBC Radio Leeds
Dee was a regular guest on the BBC Radio Leeds Breakfast show, hosted by Richard Stead for 4 years, where she gave professional advice to the listeners live on air.
Sporting background
Dee represented Namibia in sprint events in her youth and regularily trained along side Zola Budd in South Africa. Having run a few marathons and many half marathons, Dee has empathy when it comes to injuries and having to take time out from sport. She aims to get you back to sport as soon as, using the latest treatment modalities such as Shockwave Therapy.
Ali Akser, BSc (Hons) Podiatry, MRCPod, HCPC reg, CH33625
Ali qualified in 2015 and has worked across a range of different sectors of podiatry including private and locum work for the NHS. This enabled him to enhance his clinical skills in assessing and treating patients with long-term conditions such as Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis and assessing those with biomechanical complaints. As a locum, Ali was able to assess and treat patients with a variety of symptoms, therefore enhancing his experience in a wide range of lower limb complications providing high quality care to his patients.Ali is currently managing two private clinics, which has seen them grow into busy practices. Over the last five years, Ali has built up an impressive portfolio of his clinical knowledge and experience, delivering his skills to the private sector. Ali will be joining us as from January 2024. His main strength and interest, lie within biomechanical assessments. He will be working alongside Dee Smith for a period of time to improve his knowledge and skills ensuring he delivers an informed, quality service. Please welcome Ali, as a valued member of
our team.
Madiha Ahmed BSc (Hons) Podiatry, HCPC reg CH33922
Madiha qualified in 2015 from Huddersfield University with a BSc (Hons) degree in Podiatry. Having worked in the NHS and private sector, Madiha has worked with a variety of healthcare practitioners dealing with a cross section of pathologies and caseloads. Madiha also works in the Leeds community trust, seeing patients with long term conditions such as Diabetes, PVD, Rheumatoid Arthritis. Madiha is married with 2 children and has worked at the clinic since 2017 and once again a valuable member to our team.
Lindsey Downing BSc (Hons), MRCPod, HCPC reg CH15090
Lindsey is a band 6 specialist podiatrist in diabetes and wound care. She graduated from the University of Huddersfield in 2001 with an honour’s degree in podiatry.Lindsey has worked in associate and employee roles in private practice until joining the NHS in 2005. Her initial area of specialism was long term conditions which includes patients with conditions such as diabetes, PVD, rheumatological conditions, MS, MND and patents who had had strokes or brain injuries.
Lindsey went on to qualify as a DESMOND educator in 2011 focussing more on patients who have diabetes and now works in wound care in both the community and hospital setting as well as giving us a few hours of her time. Welcome Lindsey, a valuable member to our team.
Continual Professional Development
To ensure all Associates attain their professional registration with the Health Care Professions Council, we are audited on a bi-annual basis and have to prove our worth by attending regular medical courses and reading research to ensure best practice.
We have empathy
As a keen sports person herself having completed various half and full marathons and even representing Namibia in sprint events, Dee knows how it feels to be injured and out of action. So be proactive, not inactive and have your gait and foot function analysed. It is the first point of contact with the ground and has to maintain and manoeuvre your entire body weight.
Having worked in community and hospital settings, Dee has experienced working with different health professional groups and a broad spectrum of patients. This multi-disciplinary holistic patient-centred approach to treatment is continued in the clinic, referring to other professions when the patient will benefit from this.
All the staff at the clinic have excellent people skills, and have the ability to put patients at their ease and quickly build up relationships to understand and address the patients ’needs and so deliver a high standard of care