Podiatry service - East and North Hertfordshire
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There are two podiatry services for patients in Hertfordshire — for information about podiatry services in West Hertfordshire, click here.
Podiatry services for patients with and without diabetes — East and North Hertfordshire
The podiatry service in East and North Hertfordshire provides care to patients with and without diabetes. It aims to promote positive foot health and provide a range of services for people with foot health problems. The service is targeted at those with the greatest podiatry needs, those who have a medical condition or are taking medication that puts their feet at greater risk of damage or infection.
The service is provided by a dedicated group of podiatrists trained to deal with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of the lower limb. All staff involved in your care keep you informed throughout your treatment and give aftercare advice to help reduce foot problems.
All of the podiatrists (chiropodists) are registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).
The criteria for accessing the service vary according to where you live in Hertfordshire. Please see the Who is eligible for this service section below for more details.
Contact the service
Tel: 0300 123 7571
The podiatry service for East and North Hertfordshire prioritises appointments for patients with an open wound. If you have an open wound or are concerned you may be developing one, please phone 0300 123 7571, where you will be able to speak to a podiatrist.
Any other available appointments are offered to patients on our waiting list based on clinical criteria.
For any questions, please call 0300 123 7571.
For information about the diabetes service in East and North Hertfordshire, click here.
- How the service is provided
- Clinic locations
- Who is eligible for the service
- What will happen at your appointment
- Useful information
- Making a referral
- Patient experience
How the service is provided
For patients in East and North Hertfordshire
- Patients can refer themselves directly to the podiatry service, or ask their GP to refer them using the referral forms below.
- Podiatry services are provided in clinics across across East and North Herts.
- The initial assessment appointment will usually be within two to sixteen weeks depending on medical risk status and the severity of the foot problem.
- You will be offered an appointment at your nearest podiatry clinic. If your appointment is with a specialist podiatrist you may be asked to travel to a specialist clinic.
Clinic locations
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Clinic Address |
Useful Information |
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Bedford Road Health CentreBedford Road |
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Bowling Road Clinic |
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Cheshunt Community Hospital |
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Hertford County Hospital |
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Herts and Essex General Hospital |
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Hoddesdon Health Centre |
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Kingsway Health Centre |
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Lister Hospital |
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Nevells Road Health Centre |
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Park Drive Health Centre |
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QEll Hospital |
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Queensway Health Centre |
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Royston Health Centre |
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Who is eligible for the service
For patients in East and North Hertfordshire
- People living with diabetes as this may affect sensation and/or circulation to the feet and make people more prone to infections
- People with problem feet, especially those who are living with long term conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis
- People with podiatry musculoskeletal problems
- People with painful in-growing, damaged or deformed toenails
The service does not provide toenail cutting for normal toenails unless your medical problem puts your feet at high risk, such as some people with diabetes.
What will happen at your appointment
For patients in East and North Hertfordshire
At your first appointment you will be asked about your general health and any medication you are taking. The podiatrist needs to know this before they make recommendations or decisions about your foot treatments. Your circulation and sensation in your feet will also be checked. In consultation with you, the podiatrist will decide on a treatment plan which may include further tests and an appointment with a specialist podiatrist or discharge with self help advice.
Useful information
For patients in East and North Hertfordshire
Websites
Find out about the most common foot problems and how to prevent them
For people living with diabetes
How to keep your feet healthy
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Foothealth
For patients living with arthritis
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/shop/publication-bulk-order-form.aspx
Diabetes UK
Videos
- Foot care videos - https://healthandcarevideos.uk/feet
- Diabetes Management and Foot Ulcers: Paul’s Story
- Advice for cutting your toenails (from Suffolk Podiatry)
- Footcare for people with Diabetes (from Suffolk Podiatry)
- Poor Blood Supply due to Peripheral Arterial Disease (from Suffolk Podiatry)
Leaflets for patients
- Hertfordshire podiatry service
- Choosing your footwear
- Managing your verrucae
- Plantar fasciitis
- Severs disease
- Foot care for people with diabetes
- Diabetic foot ulcers
- A guide to nail surgery
- After nail surgery
- Insoles and how to wear them
- Keeping your dressing dry
- Charcot foot
- Easy read foot care for diabetics
- Easy read information on podiatry
- Podiatry - Low risk poster information
- Podiatry - High risk poster information
- Podiatry - Moderate risk poster information
- Podiatry - Active foot problem poster information
- E&N Herts Athlete's Foot Leaflet
- E&N Fungal Nails leaflet
Leaflets for healthcare professionals
- Hertfordshire podiatry service professional guide
- Diabetic risk classification: High
- Diabetic risk classification: Increased/moderate
- Diabetic risk classification: Low
- Diabetic risk classification: Active, ulcerated Charcot
Helplines
The Silver Line is a free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Please click here for more information.
Making a referral
If you would like to refer a patient to the podiatry service, please write to the address below including a medical history summary (with latest Hba1c result for patients with diabetes) and current medication details. Please ensure you include details of the patient's foot problem to enable effective triage and prioritisation of appointments Please indicate if and why the referral may be urgent.
For an easy read information sheet on the podiatry service, please see "Useful Information".
Diabetes pathway
Podiatry is part of the multi-disciplinary team, providing a full range of podiatry services for diabetes patients including:
- educating patients on maintaining good foot health
- ulcer debridement and treatment (urgent referral)
- prevention of amputation
- ongoing Specialist Podiatrist care
- padding and insoles
Podiatry musculoskeletal pathway (MSK) - East and North Hertfordshire
This service deals with the structure and function of the feet, as they relate to each other and to the legs, hips and spine. Poor mechanics of the lower limb can lead to various injuries and pain. MSK is available only to those with a systemic condition putting the foot at risk in East and North Hertfordshire.
Following a full biomechanical assessment, treatment may include stretching/exercise regimes and possibly the provision of orthoses.
High risk pathway - East and North Hertfordshire
Podiatry provides a foot health service to those who have a medical condition that puts their feet at greater risk of foot problems. We work with the rheumatology and vascular teams. We provide:
- ulcer debridement and treatment
- padding and orthoses
- education
- Care and support for those with long term conditions that affect their feet
Nail Surgery Pathway - East and North Hertfordshire
This is based at the QEII Hospital, Kingsway Health Centre and Hertford County Hospital. Total and partial nail removal using a local anaesthetic and prevention of regrowth by application of a chemical.
This is a simple and proven successful procedure for dealing with painful acute in-growing, damaged or deformed toenails that would benefit from nail surgery. The procedure is carried out subject to satisfactory health screening to ensure the ability to have a local anaesthetic and good wound healing.
The patient will need to be able to redress the toe themselves following the procedure and attend a limited number of post-operative appointments.
Foot Health Promotion
Foot health education and promotion form an integral part of all treatment provided by the podiatry team.
Contact the service:
Podiatry service
Robertson House
Stevenage
Herts
SG1 2FQ
Tel: 0300 123 7571
Please complete the appropriate referral form below.
East and North Herts GP referral form
GPs for patients in West Hertfordshire should refer via ERS using the Hertfordshire Integrated Diabetes Service SPOC form (West).
Patient experience
If you would like to share your story, please contact the Patient Experience team on 01707 388036 or email hct.patientexperienceteam@nhs.net
We would also love to hear about your experience on our service, please complete a survey by clicking the link here.
