foot care

Hi,
It must be very frustrating for you.
I would go back to your G.P. and tell him about the situation and if he cannot help then I would phone the Careline at DUK and explain to them. They are campaigning for diabetics to get all the necessary health checks and treatments.
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/How_we_help/ ... /Careline/

I agree with Catherine, I would return to my Gp and ask his advice, you should be entitled to proper foot care I would have thought especially if you have specific problems like ingrowing toenails.

Good luck :thumbup:

Geez, this makes me mad... as do o many aspects of some people's diabetes 'care'.... you deserve much better treatment. I would see your GP or whoever it is that refers you via your clinic and explain exactly why you need to be seen regularly.

They should be pleased you're taking such an active interest in looking after your feet, ugh! :roll:

I gave up on the NHS for my feet. I saw someone once but was deemed low risk. I had one major problem which was thick layers of hard skin (feet looked horrible) which was very painful to walk on. Doctor tried every cream possible but eventually I gave up and went to see a chiropodist privately. It took her 3 sessions to sort things out.

I now go every 6 weeks - it is £25 a session and to me it is money well spent for the relief it gives me. I know we should get the treatment on the NHS but I just feel they have more time for you when you are paying.

Magill said:

I gave up on the NHS for my feet. I saw someone once but was deemed low risk. I had one major problem which was thick layers of hard skin (feet looked horrible) which was very painful to walk on. Doctor tried every cream possible but eventually I gave up and went to see a chiropodist privately. It took her 3 sessions to sort things out.

I now go every 6 weeks - it is £25 a session and to me it is money well spent for the relief it gives me. I know we should get the treatment on the NHS but I just feel they have more time for you when you are paying.

Click to expand...

That is fine for those that can afford to pay for private treatment, and for those that can afford it should pay.
However, what about those that absolutely can not find the money to go private? Those people are entitled to necessary foot care and should get it
Surely, this is what the NHS should be all about and its all part of the Nation's Health :clap:

Hobs, I agree you should get foot care treatment on the NHS but the reality as we know is different. My GP practice is very good in many ways i.e. I get testing strips without argument, but the chiropody is outwith the Practice and if you are deemed "low risk" then they don't see you again (unless something goes wrong :!: )

I am certainly not flush with cash but I choose to go private as I do regard it as money well spent - about 60p a day for well looked after, pain free feet is not too bad really. Maybe I was just lucky to find someone who is reasonable and also very good.

The OP has indicated in other threads that he and his family are in extreme financial distress, so private treatment is not an option for him.

I agree with Catherine and Sid - go back to the GP who referred you. You have the right to be treated correctly.

I had a similar problem a while back. I was suffering chronic hip pain and could not bend down to cut my toenail, I have 2 ingrowing toenails. My dr referred me to a chiropodist, I saw her she cut my toenails as a 1 off and because I don't have any serious problems with my feet they don't have the funding to just cut toenails so they wouldn't see me again. Although I'm not in pain now after my hip replacement I still have trouble cutting my left toenails (that's the side of the replacement). I can't afford private treatment either so manage the best I can.

catherinecherub said:

Hi,
It must be very frustrating for you.
I would go back to your G.P. and tell him about the situation and if he cannot help then I would phone the Careline at DUK and explain to them. They are campaigning for diabetics to get all the necessary health checks and treatments.
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/How_we_help/Talk-to-someone/Careline/

Click to expand...

I did have a problem after making complaints against the hospital I think Anna Dougdale has marked my card I was barred
from access to foot care and had an ingrown toe nail, it got so bad I went to the foot clinic and they had deleted me from
the system, not saying you should try this but I worked in engineering and used to make model aircraft, I decided only one
option, to do surgery myself, I got some surgical tools, surgical spirit and removed this, it involved making a deep cut to the
nail and digging it out with micro engineers picks, it did bleed badly, but I treated it every day with antibiotic cream and
changed the dressing, foot now like new. I am not advising anyone to do this, but it was my last resort as I could not get
access to health care, I did photograph the proceedure and at first it looked bad, but know you would never now, you could get
someone to help you with your feet, but do not neglect them, I do not want to frighten you, but a guy I knew got an infection
in his foot the hospital neglected him until the point came where part of his foot was removed, he died from infection as a
result of late treatment, DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR FEET UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GET HELP< COMPLIAN TO THE HOSPITAL
and try and get your treatment you are entitled to in law. Carl