Podiatry Service

About our service

The podiatry service provides assessment, diagnosis, advice, treatment and referral for a wide range of foot conditions. This is provided in health centres, community hospitals and the homes of housebound patients.

 

The type of patient and pathology that attends Podiatry today demands more from the service. Patients are attending with both acute and chronic foot conditions that require more comprehensive management. Podiatrists are frequently utilising advanced clinical practices and diagnostic tests that would have been traditionally associated with secondary care

 

In primary care our podiatry service continuously strives to develop and address the needs of our population. Our team has specialist high risk care podiatrists that deal with ever increasing numbers of patients with compromised tissue viability associated with vascular disorders, diabetes and other underlying medical conditions that affect their feet.

 

We also have specialist musculoskeletal podiatrists that deal with orthopaedic complaints affecting the knee, leg and foot. Management of these patients is comprehensive, utilising orthotic therapy, pain management, rehab and patient empowerment to optimise results.

 

All our patients are encouraged to actively participate in the management of their condition with us helping to facilitate their well being. These developments in our profile have been driven by the patient and the faith of our referrers in the service together with our relentless ambition to provide an optimum service to our patients.

 

 

Who is it for?

Anyone (of any age) registered with a Birmingham GP practice can be referred for assessment, treatment and advice on foot conditions. The length of the treatment episode will depend upon the risk status of the foot condition. 

 

 

Who provides Podiatry?

All podiatrists are registered with the Health Care Professions Council and provide assessment and treatment at community clinics based in local health centres across the city. A domiciliary service is available for the completely housebound. Waiting times for routine new patients  are within five weeks, with urgent cases seen within a few days

 

Access to the service is via a written GP or health professional clinical referral. 

 

Citywide access to podiatry - all in one place: there is now a single access point for all foot health referrals based at 2 Priestley Wharf B7 4BN. The central booking office deals with all podiatry referrals from across the city. It also offers a telephone booking system to patients, giving a choice of appointment within a few weeks.

 

 

 

Referral information for Professionals

Please review our referral criteria when considering referring patients to the Podiatry Service, but we are happy to assess and advise on any foot condition in any age group, with or without an underlying medical condition.

 

Please refer any foot wounds/ulcerations to us early in their presentation. Our service aims to save limbs and lives by being the first point of contact for foot ulcerations; we can also liaise with Acute providers for step up / step down continuity of care.

 

Access to the service is via a written GP or health professional clinical referral. 

 

 

Where can I go for Podiatry?

BCHC Podiatry Service clinic list has all of the community clinics based in local health centres. Not all services are available at all sites. You may have to attend another clinic for a more specialist treatment such as Biomechanics or Nail Surgery.

 

Just need help with toenails or fingernails? This is not available routinely, but we have developed Birmingham Nail Care Service, where individuals can purchase safe, cost effective, non-NHS care, for finger and toenails. Many Nail Carers’ treatment also includes arm or lower leg massage and nail painting.

 

 

What happens at your appointment?

Your referral with be registered and a partial booking letter sent out to you. If you do not contact us within a specified period, your referral will be discharged. If you require an interpreter, please let us know when you book the appointment and we will arrange one for you

 

At your first clinic appointment, your foot problem will be assessed and your general medical history noted. Your episode of care will always include advice on how you can help your foot problem. This may be advice on footwear, use of creams and /or use of a foot file to manage callus and hard nails. Many patients are discharged after their first appointment with many more only requiring  a few appointments to improve their condition.

 

 

Nail Care

Basic Nail Care is not routinely provided on an ongoing basis except to the high risk foot.

 

Birmingham Nail Care Service is a non-NHS, safe and cost effective, service that patients (even those with Diabetes) can access directly, so long as their risk status remains low as per NICE CG10 (please note: any patients with Diabetes will need their low risk status confirmed in writing to the nail carer, before they can access the service initially, and annually after that).

Health and wellbeing apps approved by our healthcare professionals

 

 

Health and wellbeing apps can help with preventing, managing and recovering from a huge range of mental and physical health issues, but there are hundreds of thousands of health apps out there, and not all of them are safe. How do you find trusted health and wellbeing apps? We have the answer!

 

Birmingham Community Healthcare have a Health App Library where you can find health apps which have been independently reviewed to ensure they are:

• Safe
• Clinically approved
• Up to date
• High quality
• Accessible and easy to use

 

The library can be accessed through: Birmingham Community (orchahealth.com)

We have collections of apps for:

• People with diabetes
• Families with young children
• Teenagers and young adults
• Healthy eating
• Muscle, bone and joint problems

 

Many more apps can be found on the library website by searching the whole library for key words, for example dementia, or falls. You can filter your search, so you only see apps that are free, or are for a particular age group.

 

Professionals who work at Birmingham Community can also send app recommendations to you via email or text message. Your health or care professional may send you a health app if they feel it would be beneficial to you.

 

 

Feedback

Send us feedback about an app you’ve used from our app library:

Survey

 

 

More information

Our video, featuring Research Champion Roger Leek, tells you more about the BCHC App Library and shows you how to use it