Podiatry Appointments

[Alfie 22 st marys]

Hello

I am haviing problems booking a Podiatry appointment. After many years of being able to book an appointment quite easily, t has over the past eight months it has become a lottery.
I live in Edwinstowe Nottinghamshire, we had a pediatry service at the Doctors surgery, but it closed some months ago. Now it is case of booking at Ollerton or 6 miles away at Warsop. I tried today Wednesday 15th November and like so many other times I was told no appointments were available and to keep ringng back.
This is a unacceptable situation, why close one at Edwinstowe when demand is so high.
Does any one else have the same problem and what can we do.

 

[grovesy]

Only high risk people get NHS podiatry in my area.

 

[Docb]

Only high risk people get NHS podiatry in my area.

And the same round here. There is little you can do except maybe complain to your MP and start a local campaign to get things reinstated.

 

[Felinia]

I had a similar problem when my podiatrist closed during COVID (she was a young mum with children to home school) and never re-opened. I asked at my GP and was told there was a 6 month waiting list for an appointment. So I went online and searched for home visiting podiatrists. I was lucky enough to find one who had spotted a need in my rural area and was just starting his business providing home visits for the elderly. Once I have an appointment I book the next one 3 months in advance. It's not free, £30 a visit, but still cheaper than my previous podiatrist. Plus I don't have the petrol costs for the 50 mile round trip I had before. So worth doing a search for visiting podiatrists in your area.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear about the difficulties you have been finding getting access to appointments @Alfie 22 st marys

Unfortunately, routine foot care does seem to have been one of the services that has been pruned back pretty harshly in recent years.

Even members living with complex conditions that put them at high risk like @Flower seem to have a very difficult time accessing appointments on the NHS since the pandemic

Diabetes UK have been campaigning for improvements in foot care for people with diabetes over many years

Putting Feet First

www.diabetes.org.uk

and for HCPs

Improving diabetes footcare

Use the following resources and tools to improve footcare for people with diabetes. Up to 80% of people with diabetes die within five years of having an amputation or a foot ulcer. Evidence shows that providing an integrated footcare pathway, with trained staff in foot protection services in the...

www.diabetes.org.uk

 

[Flower]

Hello

I am haviing problems booking a Podiatry appointment. After many years of being able to book an appointment quite easily, t has over the past eight months it has become a lottery.
I live in Edwinstowe Nottinghamshire, we had a pediatry service at the Doctors surgery, but it closed some months ago. Now it is case of booking at Ollerton or 6 miles away at Warsop. I tried today Wednesday 15th November and like so many other times I was told no appointments were available and to keep ringng back.
This is a unacceptable situation, why close one at Edwinstowe when demand is so high.
Does any one else have the same problem and what can we do.

Sorry to hear you’re not able to access podiatry services. It is such a vital service that seems to have been pretty much removed from areas.

Pre Covid there were regular appointments as there should be but now in my area & from reading other posts it seems clinics have disappeared from all over the UK.

I used to be seen every 8 weeks with high risk feet but have been paying privately for 3 yrs now as I have no choice. My last NHS podiatry appt was 12 months ago and I’ve tried every way to get an appointment.

If you are able to pay privately then that is the best option to try & keep your feet as healthy as possible. It shouldn’t be that way but that seems to be the reality. You could ring the Diabetes UK helpline- number at top of page- for advice, they advised me on who to contact eg PALS & MP but I’m still waiting for an appointment.

I hope you’re able to access a clinic.