Referral into NHS Podiatry

[Phil]

Evening folks,

Quick question. If you have a patient who requires urgent attention by an NHS Pod has anyone managed to forge a Fast-Track method of getting the patient seen?

Curious on this as the lead time in my area is about 16 weeks at the moment and is not ideal. Don’t expect a miracle answer to this but curious on how other areas are affected by this difficulty…

Cheers,

Phil..

[Anonymous]

Hi Phil,
In general terms, it depends on why you are doing an urgent referral. If it is a diabetes case with, say, a new ulcer, then the referral route should be via the GP. The referral should be by letter, backed up by a phone call (logged) or email to safeguard yourself. The GP has a duty of care to refer to the multidisciplinary footcare team or Acute Services, depending on the overall presentation (not just Podiatry) within 24 hrs, or as soon as is practicable. Of course some GPs don’t know this, and get caught out if a case goes bad and ends up with the solicitor.

Much depends on the area you live in. The best way forward used to be to make an appointment (if you can) with Head of Service of NHS Podiatry in your area, and explain your difficulties.

Anyway – I am aware that you asked if anyone had managed to forge a Fast-Track method of getting your urgent patients seen by NHS Podiatrists. Hopefully someone will come on and say yes, and this is how you do it! 😀

[Phil]

Cheers for the reply. Not an ideal situation and one I feel most private pods and so some degree NHS Pods are frustrated by on occasion.

Seems the A & E department can still be an option as though there is a duty of care the speed up access to critical care, logistical arrangements required to nessesitate an appointment are outweighed by being able to call up at A & E:

and start ball rolling much quicker.

Feel I can only do my best and the patient has much more sway within the NHS system than I have as a Private Practitioner so to some degree have to make best advice then leave it to them..

[Gaynor Wooldridge CH16753]

Hi Phil,

It’s such a relevant question for us pods in private practice. I suppose it depends on the urgency and whether or not it can wait for NHS podiatry referral. The NHS podaitric clinics in my area can take many weeks and, if it can wait, I fill in a referral form and send it to them. Unfortunately, their criteria has changed and they’ve written to all patients who have required orthotic assessment in the past and discharged them regardless of their underlying clinical need. If I feel a patient is in my practice and needing urgent treatment (this has usually been vascular), I ring their surgery and ask for advice and input. The surgeries can be difficult and usually ask for a fax explaining the problem and specific request. A fax can you believe in 2018!

Good luck Phil.

Gaynor

[Author]

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