"Personal footcare"

[Lily-anne]

My elderly mother, who is nearly 88, recently recovered from a necrotic big toe. She came close to a foot amputation, & had to go through an angioplasty. Fortunately it is now stable & not necrotic, however toe nail cutting is apparently considered personal care; she has been told to go privately. They would only file her nails (which was painful). Price quotes for private mobile services are £40 - this means £5 a week (every 8 weeks), with the cost of living crisis in full swing & heating/lighting/food bills. I find it hard to believe it counts as just basic personal care & not specialist, when even a tiny scratch can lead to potential necrosis & amputation - this is what caused it for her before!!

 

[Flower]

Hi and welcome @Lily-anne

I’m so sorry your Mum has had such a worrying time but good to hear she is now stable. The level of care offered by high risk foot clinics has not returned to how it was pre pandemic.

I’m in a similar situation and suggest contacting your Mums GP, Diabetes UK helpline, PALS and asking for help. Saying that I’ve done all of those things but cannot get more regular foot care. I’ve been told I can have 2 NHS high risk podiatry appointments once every six months to check for pulses & circulation plus emergency appointments if I have a wound. The high risk diabetic foot clinic used to do my nails as my toes had to be surgically wired into place & I’m partially sighted but I was told that is now personal care and I need to pay privately. I pay every 7 weeks for skin and nail care to try and keep my leg as I’ve been advised to have an amputation.

From my experience a safety net that used to work well doesn’t seem to be there and a service that looked after all aspects of my feet & can be limb & life saving is not available. It should be specialist care provided by podiatrists for very vulnerable feet and legs and not classed as personal care. For now I’m paying but it is a very worrying situation.

I hope you’re able to find better help for your Mum.

 

[Lily-anne]

Hi and welcome @Lily-anne

I’m so sorry your Mum has had such a worrying time but good to hear she is now stable. The level of care offered by high risk foot clinics has not returned to how it was pre pandemic.

I’m in a similar situation and suggest contacting your Mums GP, Diabetes UK helpline, PALS and asking for help. Saying that I’ve done all of those things but cannot get more regular foot care. I’ve been told I can have 2 NHS high risk podiatry appointments once every six months to check for pulses & circulation plus emergency appointments if I have a wound. The high risk diabetic foot clinic used to do my nails as my toes had to be surgically wired into place & I’m partially sighted but I was told that is now personal care and I need to pay privately. I pay every 7 weeks for skin and nail care to try and keep my leg as I’ve been advised to have an amputation.

From my experience a safety net that used to work well doesn’t seem to be there and a service that looked after all aspects of my feet & can be limb & life saving is not available. It should be specialist care provided by podiatrists for very vulnerable feet and legs and not classed as personal care. For now I’m paying but it is a very worrying situation.

I hope you’re able to find better help for your Mum.

Hi Flower,
Thanks for your reply. How terrible that you now have to pay in addition to your other costs & circumstances. Since I posted, I have received other price quotes of £70, some even £100 for diabetic footcare. It is unbelievable that cutting a person's toenails who is vulnerable/at risk of amputation should be classed as "personal care" & not fundamental care. It only takes about 10 minutes to cut someone's toenails & vast profits are being made somewhere!!

 

[Flower]

I spoke to the Diabetes UK helpline yesterday and asked if there were any circumstances where nail care should be provided by a diabetic foot clinic . I spoke to a helpful person who said nail care was no longer included as a podiatry service but they said they would check with colleagues and let me know. I’m pretty sure I know the answer but I’ll update this if there is a response.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Let us know what you hear @Flower

Golly that’s quite a range of prices you’ve had there @Lily-anne 😱

As you say, you’d think there might be exceptions for someone like your Mum whose feet are at risk

 

[trophywench]

We were quoted a special discounted price of £80 for both of us together, as opposed to £50/60 apiece depending how long it took her once she got here.

 

[berryr99]

Podiatry seems to have fallen apart in my area (Durham) as well. I go privately for routine but it is expensive. I have never seen any formal information about the level of care the NHS now (won't) provide and can't get any answers as to why they have changed. I suspect Covid has been used as an excuse - I've just copied this from the Durham and Darlington NHS website

"NB If you are classed as low risk and/or have minor foot problems such as normal toenails and minor hard skin, you are unlikely to receive ongoing NHS podiatry care. You will be provided with advice on how you or your family/carers can look after your minor foot problems. Please see the links and publications opposite for advice on ways you or your carers can care for your feet."

 

[grovesy]

NHS podiatry has been unusual for low risk patients well before Covid, in my area.

 

[berryr99]

NHS podiatry has been unusual for low risk patients well before Covid, in my area.

I always got routine care on the NHS before Covid but it stopped during lockdown. The Podiatry appointment booking line still refers to delays due to Covid.

 

[grovesy]

I always got routine care on the NHS before Covid but it stopped during lockdown. The Podiatry appointment booking line still refers to delays due to Covid.

Well in 20 years I have never have and round here it was not available for low risk.