Pioneering toenail expert retires after 40 years

Robert Harness will continue his new passion of carving and sculpting during retirement

A podiatrist who set up a pioneering toenail surgery unit in Wolverhampton has retired after more than 40 years with the NHS.

Robert Harness, 67, who worked for the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT), said he was "very proud" of the unit which was still running after being set up in 1982.

He said he was also proud of helping set up a foot care clinic for homeless people at Thornley Street Surgery in the city.

During the Covid lockdown, he said he learned to carve and sculpt wood and clay in his spare time and presented some colleagues with carved hands and feet at their last team meeting.

He plans to continue with this passion for carving during retirement, the trust said.

Mr Harness, who graduated with a diploma in podiatry from Durham School of Chiropody, moved back to Wolverhampton, where his parents lived, in 1980.

"When I first came to Wolverhampton nobody used anaesthetics so I set up a male surgery unit for toenail surgery as soon as I got to the area," he said.

RWT described it as "a radical development within podiatry" at the time.

Robert Harness's commitment was praised by colleagues

Mr Harness said he was also proud of the Thornley Street clinic.

“What gets me up in the morning is to take pain away from the world. That is all I want to do," he said.

He had seen numerous changes to his profession over the years which was now "a lot more structured and organised", Mr Harness said.

"People are also living to an older age and are more aware of their lifestyles," he added.

He said it felt "very strange" to be retiring and would miss all his team.

The trust said he in turn would be missed including for his "famous stories" and commitment.