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Podiatry Concerns

taurusmmuk

Member
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I asked my diabetic nurse if I could be referred to the diabetic foot care team about a year ago because I needed my very hard toenails cut and my feet have the once over by the specialist to check that all was well. She warned me that they were cutting down on referrals and I may not get to see them so I waited and waited and heard nothing so I assume that if you don't look after your health and are in danger of losing a toe or two you will be referred. I have now made an appointment at a private clinic that will cost £38.00 for 30 minutes treatment. I yearn for the days when we had a National Health Service, not what we have now a fragmented and dispirited, almost bankrupt shadow of its former self that means if a certain department refers you then they have to pay for it and some of these services are privatised entities so they don't act in the best interest of the patient in my opinion.

[rant over] Sorry!
 
taurusmmuk said:
I have now made an appointment at a private clinic that will cost £38.00 for 30 minutes treatment.
Click to expand...
It will be money well spent.

I get five free visits to a Podiatrist through a health care plan here in Australia. I have paid $60.00 for extra visits when I needed a toenail cut that was ingrowing and giving me problems.

I had my toenails cut and my feet checked yesterday morning, in and out in 30 minutes.
 
It's unfortunate, but that's the way it is. If you look at what's expected of the NHS, foot care is very low down their priorities.

Whenever I sit in my GP's surgery and look at the number of missed appointments and the cost of those missed appointments I wonder how much more money we could put back into the system by making people pay for those missed appointments.

In New Zealand I believe people who play sport take out insurance in case of injury another cost we could easily recoup in the UK. Motor vehicle accidents, many years ago I was charged for an A&E visit after a RTA, I wonder how many hospitals follow that up when people just ignore the invoice, I think our insurance could easily cover that cost.

It is certainly money well spent, the soles of my feet are like a baby's bottom and my toes are in good nick, thanks to regular visits (6 - 8 weeks).
 
I was referred to the podiatrist who told me how bad my neuropathy was in my feet.
It was just the one appointment because of all the cut backs because if funding.
I have a foot care practioner that comes to my house roughly every 7 to 8 weeks.
She cursor my toe nails, has almost got rid of all the hard skin on my heels. The hard skin was so bad that i had cracks that were long and deep. She also looks over my feet as she knows I am type 2.
It know she is not as qualified as a podiatrist but she can spot if I have any cuts/ulcers etc that I can,t see.
I pay £26 per visit and it's well worth the money. When the hard skin was at its worse, she spent roughly an hour working on my feet, now as the hard skin is so much better, she is here around 30 to 40 minutes.
 
I have an appointment with a podiatrist every 4 weeks privately, but it only costs me £10 every time she visits so I am obviously getting a bargain. She cuts my toenails, removes hard skin etc moisturises my feet and inspects my feet for any damage. Brilliant service.
 
Thanks for the replies,
I feel that I don't mind paying for my treatment but I do know two individuals who did not look after their health and therefore ended up on insulin, (I would prefer to walk on hot coals than have to inject insulin) and subsequently cost the health service more money. I think that the healthcare providers are fully aware of the patients who will do the utmost to stay healthy and just let us get on with it. I have been refused about 3 or 4 times to see a dietician and have been informed that "they are only for seriously ill people". As the Americans say, go figure.
 
Even better a podiatry dept at a local university often advertise for free customers
 
 
I do get NHS podiatry appts as ive had a toe amputated so am considered high risk. The frequency of my appointments have hoever changed form monthly to 2 monthly as a result of cuts to the service

For those with hard skin concerns - I found the parrafin wax/ oil mix prescribed by the GP absolutely useless but findFlexitol heel balm and Flexitol foot cream fantastic. I also have a foot file that the podiatrist gave me which is also fab

Its like this - need to ensure any foot file you order is ok for diabeticcs - some are too harsh
http://myfootcaresupplies.com/antifungal-preparations/935-cuplex-hard-skin-file.html
 
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In Stockport anyone can get direct access to a Podiatrist without have to first see a GP or nurse, I was assuming it is the same elsewhere but clearly it is not.
 
My granny born in 1900 had T2 diabetes for many years. Back in the 80's when she was in her 80's she was being looked after by an NHS community podiatrist who made home visits. Gran had developed a sore on her foot. The podiatrist never had this investigated until gran had full blown gangrene. She ended up having her leg cut off below the knee. Moral of the story the NHS is no worse now in the 21st century than it was back in the 80's. We remain dependent on the attention or lack of , of our health service practitioners. Regular visits to a private practicioner to have our feet looked after is money well spent if it prevents neuropathy or worse.
 
Stockport is at present doing a big project looking at how the hospital, community based care (GPs etc) and social care can be integrated so as to save money and improve the services for clients. For example there is now consultants roistered to sit by phones so that GPs can phone up for instant advice while the client is still with the GP.

So far everything that has been looked to improve patient pathways and experience have also resulted in expected costs savings (sometimes a few years down the line in avoiding costly admissions for chopping logs off etc.)

My wife is the costing accountant at the hospital (PLC and SLR) and she has done some of the work on this, so it is very interesting now seeing the processes from the other side and she being able to validate the data she has been given based on my experiences.

Sadly it is still white middle class people who are able to understand how the services work that get the best service from the NHS, just know the name of the service (or consultant) that will benefit you can cut out many months of delays. Asking a few leading questions of a health service practitioner so they then think something is their ideal can get very good results……..
 
Yes it's very frustrating. I have always been to a private chiropodist and it was she who became very concerned as I was having really bad problems with my foot and had been to my doctor or several occasions suggesting it might be the onset of Charcot Foot but was poo pooed every time. My chiropodist finally took things in hand and actually phoned the doctors and complained that I was in need of being referred to hospital as it was onset of the dreaded. From that day on, some two years or so ago, I have been looked after and have Charcot Foot. I am seen regularly by Podiatrist, Orthotist (although not that often) and Consultant and thankfully my foot is in quite good condition but it could have been far worse. If it had not been for me having to pay for Chiropodist regularly to check on my feet etc I could be in a very sorry state now. So I say, I know it's expensive but you must think of your own health because at the end of the day you have to take charge of it because we can't rely in other people.
 
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