The Podiatry Service is undergoing a programme of transformation as demand for specialist podiatry care is high.

The service does not offer nail care to those who have good circulation and sensation. We provide support for people with foot wounds, foot infections, and foot or ankle pain for adults and children affecting daily activities. In addition we provide nail surgery.

If you require any of the above service offers, please complete the referral with as much information as possible. We will let you know if you are eligible for an appointment. Please click the link below to go to our referral page.

LCH Podiatry Contact and Referral Details

We provide podiatry (foot) care across the city for priority groups and those eligible for care as part of a specialist service.

The service provides:

• Treatment that requires specialist scalpel work for those at risk of ulceration/amputation
• Treatment that requires nail surgery for;
  • damaged or infected toe nails
  • ingrowing toe nails with or without infection

In addition, we provide specialist clinics for;

• People with Diabetes who have a risk of developing complications of their feet.
• Pressure management support for painful deformities and onward referral if needed.
• Children with flat feet, curly toe, growing pain, hypermobility, Osgood-Schlatter’s and toe walking.

To meet the individual treatment needs of patients, care is personalised and planned. This includes patient empowerment, choice and multi-disciplinary care.

Self-Management Your Key to Healthy Feet

Self-management is central to keeping yourself well. Having the right information and resources available to you will enable you to take care of yourself and your feet.

Please click here for information to help you manage your feet.

As part of your self-management, you may wish to get help from your family and friends.

Alternatively, there are many other services outside of the NHS who can help with foot care.

• Beauty salons that will provide nail cutting and pedicures.
• Foot health professionals.
• Podiatrists / Chiropodists can be found online, or you may wish to contact the Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC) on Tel: 0207 5820866 or visit the website at www.hpc-uk.org.

People who are also experiencing difficulty with personal care, like tooth brushing or washing and do not have family or friends, can apply for attendance allowance to help.

• https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/how-to-claim 

Benefits of you attending your local clinic

• The clinic is equipped with specialist treatment and diagnostic equipment that is not available for home visits, so better quality care can be provided.
• You will be sitting on a specially designed chair to ensure you are comfortable during the treatment.
• Podiatry staff can use specialist equipment so they will be less likely to be absent from work with back and upper limb problems.
• You will be able to arrange your clinic appointments to suit your needs.

Change in circumstances

If your situation changes and you are able or unable to attend your local health centre or clinic, please contact the podiatry service.

The podiatrist or assistant will review your eligibility for a home visit at each appointment. If you are no longer eligible for a home visit, we will arrange for you to be seen at your local health centre/clinic.

Home visiting criteria

Providing care for housebound patients is an important part of our service, however recent research has shown that podiatrists are at greater risk of developing musculo-skeletal disorders, such as back, shoulder, neck, wrist, hand, hip and knee problems. These risks are much greater for staff when providing care in patients own home.

So that we can minimise the risk of injury to our staff and provide you with safe and effective care we need to ensure that they are working in a suitable environment.

Patients eligible for a podiatry home visit

A very limited service is available to patients who are totally housebound. Patients eligible for a home visit by the podiatry service are those who are one or more of the following:

• Persons who are completely bedbound
• Persons who require hoisting in order to be moved or to travel and would become ill if required to travel to a clinic
• Persons deemed on a temporary basis to be clinically too ill to be reasonably expected to travel

We may contact your GP for further information regarding this.

If you feel any of the above apply to you, the podiatrist will be happy to discuss.

Patients who are not eligible for a home visit

You will not be eligible for a home visit, if you are able to go out either by taxi, private car, motorised scooter, bus or use the access bus to visit any of the following:

• GP
• Shops
• Relatives
• Pick up your pension
• Go to the hairdresser/barber
• Go to the Dentist/Optician
• Phlebotomist/Nurse
• Luncheon Clubs

In these circumstances, you will be requested to attend your local health Centre or clinic for your podiatry care.

How to apply for a home visit

If a home visit is requested, a  Community Podiatry Service referral form must be completed.