Podiatry and Foot Care Services in Gloucestershire

In June 2014, Healthwatch Gloucestershire set up a task group to review podiatry and foot care services in Gloucestershire, taking into account the views of patients, carers and other members of the public in order to identify issues and make recommendations to the commissioners and providers to improve service user experience.  This was prompted by concerns raised by the public.

Overall satisfaction with Podiatry services in Gloucestershire is good however general foot care services are in high demand and in low supply. Some people experience long waits from referral to assessment at their first appointment.

 Early intervention/preventative foot care is needed and there are best practice models available in the UK for delivering services in partnership with NHS services 

Patient information lacks clarity about access to general foot care services and eligibility criteria for treatment within the NHS 

Booking systems have improved enormously, patients are reporting fewer difficulties making appointments and SystmOne allows for closer monitoring by Gloucestershire Care Services (GCS)

 A lack of admin support at some Podiatry clinics has a negative impact on both the patient’s experience and the Podiatrists workload

Diabetics receive annual foot care checks and are very complimentary about the service provided. Not all Diabetics will receive free foot care as part of their treatment. 

Patients using Podiatry and Orthotics services are affected by poor communication between services and conflicting diagnosis. There are no quality standards in relation to Orthotics and service experience for patients needs improving. 

Care home residents need foot care as part of their basic package of care. There is also demand for a home care service

 Private foot care services are unaffordable for some people or of limited availability in some areas of the county. The Voluntary and Community sector are providing affordable options in rural communities