Podiatry foot protection
Podiatry foot protection is a service in Doncaster
The community podiatry foot protection service employs an enthusiastic team of podiatrists who provide a wide range of services to the local community, prioritising those with the greatest risk of potential limb loss.
Podiatry is the modern term for chiropody and this name reflects the increased scope of practice of the profession that has developed from its origins in chiropody to become a medical speciality dealing with the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of the lower limb.
How we can help
The scope of practice of podiatry is much wider than many people realise and includes:
Minor surgery
Nail surgery
All our podiatrists are qualified to administer local anaesthetics and trained to carry out nail surgery procedures to correct conditions such as ingrown nails. Please note we do not provide a routine nail cutting service.
Verruca dry needling
Verrucae that are causing increased pain (pain scale score of 6 and above) and not responded to over the counter treatments, may be referred for assessment for a dry needling procedure which is carried out under local anaesthesia. This treatment is not suitable for everyone and it may take up to a year to determine if it was successful for an individual.
Sport injuries and biomechanics, musculoskeletal assessment
Podiatrists examine the way in which the lower limb functions by looking at the patient’s bone structure, muscle and joint function. This area of work is vital to the understanding of how and why lower limb pathologies develop.
A lot of musculoskeletal problems may improve with the provision of orthoses. These are insoles that with the use of strengthening and stretching exercises can improve foot function.
Foot wound care
All our podiatrists are trained in managing foot wounds and they will create and implement a management plan, as regular podiatry treatment is essential for your foot ulcer to improve and eventually heal.
Foot health education
New and existing patients are invited to a foot health assessment that involves discussing the roles of the patient and or their carer or relative or friend, working in conjunction with the podiatrist to help to maintain and improve people’s foot health.
We have produced some patient information leaflets and videos to help support people to understand and manage their foot health condition.
Guidance and training is also available to all staff within Doncaster who work in both health and social service establishments to enable them to carry out basic foot care, carry out foot health checks and raise aware of high risk foot complications and urgency of prompt referral if active foot wounds occur. For further information, please email rdash.podiatryreferrals@nhs.net.
All of our podiatrists work with patients who are known as being at risk. This means they have an underlying illness or condition that puts their legs and feet at an increased risk of injury or development of wounds, such as diabetes, rheumatology problems, some disabilities, poor circulation and reduced feeling.
The department also provides podiatry services where appropriate to social services establishments, day care centres, patient’s own homes and in local hospitals.
Our podiatrists work alongside other health and social care professionals as part of clinical teams and contribute to specialist clinics such as the diabetes multi-disciplinary foot ulcer clinic within Doncaster Royal Infirmary.
Podiatry assessments
Within the Doncaster area we operate a number of podiatry clinics providing assessment, evaluation and treatment for patients with foot conditions that meet the service assessment criteria. The outcome of your foot and medical assessment will determine the personalised treatment plan formulated with your involvement:
- if you are low risk you will be given self-help advice and discharged
- if you are moderate risk you may be given self-help advice, treatment and either discharged or given a course of treatment leading to discharge
- if you are high risk you may be required to be seen periodically, dependant upon your foot condition for on-going care, self-help advice is also given to reduce the risk of serious foot complications developing
The aim is to help people to gain a better understanding of their foot condition, what they should and shouldn’t do to safely manage it, and know when to contact for help and who to contact.
How to get help
You can be referred by your GP or other health professional, or you may refer yourself directly to the department by completing an application form for a podiatry assessment.
Paper copies of the referral form can be collected from Cantley Health Centre at the address below or your nearest health centre, clinic or GP surgery. Alternatively, you can request a copy be sent to you by email.
Please note that we only provide care for those registered with a Doncaster GP who meet our foot health criteria.
Contact Doncaster podiatry foot protection service
Cantley Health Centre
Middleham Road
Cantley
Doncaster
South Yorkshire
DN4 6ED
- Telephone: 03000 211550
- Email: rdash.podiatryreferrals@nhs.net
Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
Patient self-care information
You will find a range of self-care advice on the your health section of this website.
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Page last reviewed: July 12, 2024
Next review due: July 12, 2025
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