Our foot health team treat and care for people with moderate to high foot risks , and with active foot ulcers or foot infections. We also provide a package of care for biomechanical gait issues, and nail surgery for problematic toenails.
Only healthcare professionals can refer patients to the service.
This is available to those who fall into the following groups:
• People who have a medical condition such as diabetes, ischaemia, or cancer.
Those who fall into this group have a higher foot risk. This is because their feet are more vulnerable to complications such as infections and ulcers and will require Podiatry treatment.
• We offer short term support for people with:
- Infected in-growing toenails
- Foot pain from Musculoskeletal problems such as plantar fasciitis/heel pain
- Musculoskeletal foot problems in children
- Palliative patients requiring specialist foot care.
• People needing home visits:
This is only provided for totally housebound patients, including:
- People who are completely bedbound/on oxygen
- People who need hoisting
- People who are critically unwell and unable to travel to the clinic
- Palliative care patients.
A very limited service is available to patients who are totally housebound.
The majority of patients in the service have a condition that puts them at high risk of foot complications. Diabetes is one of those conditions as it can make a patient more susceptible to ulcerations/wounds. To prevent amputations and reduce hospital admissions, the podiatry team offer diabetic foot screening, regular treatment with a Diabetic Specialist Podiatrist, and education to avoid foot complications.
This is for patients with problematic toenails or those with a long-standing history of infected nails. This can affect adults and children alike. It can be caused by sport, ill-fitting footwear or cutting the nails inappropriately.
This service is provided for adult and paediatric patients with foot/leg/hip/back pain or foot deformities. Biomechanical assessments assess your gait and body alignment, and treat musculoskeletal imbalance to enhance mobility, reduce pain and foot pressures, and limit future foot complications. The treatment regime will involve exercises to stretch out tight muscle groups, and physical therapies, for example, insoles or orthotics.
This is for patients defined as moderate or high foot risk, who present corns/callus and nail care, to maintain mobility, improve their quality of life and promote independence, and avoid foot complications.
We do not offer a simple nail care cutting service.
There is an elligiblity criteria for treatment, which includes significant medical conditions to access podiatry care.
We strongly recommend you file your toe nails weekly, or seek assistance from family or carers to help with your nail care or to see a non-NHS provider.
Significant medical conditions include:
- Diabetes
- Poor circulation (peripheral vascular disease)
- A history of ulceration, amputation, or infection
- Reduced sensation in the feet (neuropathy)
- Rheumatoid disease
- Cancer
- Renal problems
- Neurological/Immunological conditions.
- General nail care
- Verruca’s
- Fungal nails
- Minimal or non-painful callus/corns
- Diabetics with a low foot risk
- Non-symptomatic musculoskeletal issues
Once you've been referred to us.
If your referral meets the required criteria, then you’ll be sent an appointment for an assessment.
At the assessment appointment, you’ll be seen by a member of our highly experienced team of podiatrists, who will ask about the foot problem. We may ask you about your medical history, the medication you’re taking, and carry out a foot examination to assess your sensation and circulation to assess what treatment you need.
Your care plan will be based on the outcome of your assessment and you will be informed of your foot risk, being low; moderate or high. This allows the service to offer specialised care that is personal to each person’s needs.
If your foot risk is deemed to be low foot risk, we will treat the main concern, advise on how to look after your feet and how to avoid the problem coming back and you will be discharged from the service to self care.
If further support is required for low-risk foot issues, it is recommended you see a podiatrist in a non-NHS setting.
Local providers can be found at the Royal College of Podiatry website here.
You can be referred to the service by:
- GPs
- District nurses
- Social workers
- Allied health professionals
- Health visitors.
Referrals should be sent to ealingcommunity.referrals@nhs.net.
Please attach a photograph of your foot problem with the referral, this will help us prioritise the referral, so you're seen within an appropriate timeframe.
If it's been over six months since you attended the Podiatry service, you'll need to contact your GP for a new referral.
Please contact us if you are known to the Podiatry service and you have:
- An urgent/emergency foot problem
- High foot risk
- Need to cancel or rearrange your foot appointment.
Our working hours are 9am to 4.30pm.
If you require out-of-hours treatment, please contact your GP/call NHS 111/ or attend A&E.