Introduction
The Podiatry Department provides Footcare services across Sunderland and North Easington districts.
The services are delivered in a wide range of locations including Health Centres, SRH, Primary Care Centres
Service Operates between: 8:30am to 4:30pm Mon - Fri
Evening Clinics available (limited) on the SRH Site until 6:30pm
The service offers a variety of Footcare treatments which are dependent on the client’s medical status and presenting foot problems.
Treatment/Advice Available:
General Podiatry
Biomechanics
Nail Surgery
Diabetic Foot Screening
Wound Care – (GP/Professional access only – wound care)
- All podiatrists employed are registered to the Health Care Council (HPC)
- Podiatry Assistants have all completed the Society of Podiatry/Chiropody Assistant Programme or the Podiatry Assistant Foundation Degree.
- All podiatry clinics have wheel chair access
- The department couples with the Department of Health Standards of Sterilization of clinical instruments
- Control of Infection and Health and Safety Standards
- All clinics are purpose designed using modern up to date equipment, your privacy dignity and confidentiality will be maintained at all times
- All staff follow a programme of continuous professional development
- All services are supported by a fully operational centralised appointment booking centre which is located at the SRH site.
GENERAL PODIATRY
Provision of Nail care, corn, callus reduction, provision of orthoses where appropriate
General Podiatry is provided from 14 various locations across Sunderland and North Easington District.
List of Clinic addresses and tel numbers
In exceptional circumstances, treatment can be provided in the patient’s home; this is a limited service and is only provided to patients who are totally housebound and the request must be made by the Patient's GP.
Waiting times for new patients: 4 weeks routine Footcare; 4 days urgent
NAIL SURGERY
Nail Surgery is the total or partial removal of toe nail (s) under local anaesthetic and the application of a chemical – phenol, which stops the nail growing back. The procedure is provided at the Podiatry Department SRH
- Following assessment by your podiatrist you will be referred for nail surgery if appropriate
Nail Surgery
DIABETIC FOOT SCREENING
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes it is important that you have your feet checked on an annual basis.
Diabetes and poor blood sugar control can cause damage to the blood and nerve supple to your feet.
Foot Screening tests for any signs of change to your circulation, nerve damage, skin changes and foot deformities.
The results from this screening may result in you being referred for further care.
Footcare for patients with diabetes
The service is delivered from the following sites:-
Houghton Health Centre
Galleries Health Centre
Grindon Primary Care Centre and
Monkwearmouth Health Centre
NB Pallion is another but is currently under refurbishment
How to access this service?
- Your GP/Nurse will refer you to the IRIS (eye appointment) Service - Contact Telephone Number 0191 4192430
- You will receive a letter asking you to contact the IRIS centre to make a convenient appointment. This appointment will include an eye and foot screening test.
- Average waiting time 3-4 weeks from being referred.
DIABETES & WOUND CARE CLINIC
Podiatry Department
Level B
Chester Wing
Sunderland Royal Hospital
Tel 0191 5699910
Outpatient Clinic
The Podiatry Diabetes and Wound Care Outpatient Clinic treat patients with non-healing foot wounds due to diabetes or other causes such as neuropathy or vascular disease. The clinic operates 5 days a week Monday to Friday from 8:30am - 4:30pm there are two Specialist Podiatrists who
work in this clinic each possessing undergraduate and postgraduate
qualifications and experience in the Diabetic Foot, Wound Care and Tissue
Viability. .
It is the aim of the department to offer an appointment in the Wound Care Clinic within one working day of referral (not including weekends).
Services offered include;
- Holistic patient and wound assessment
- Diabetic Foot MDT consultant led care
- Access to Diabetes Specialist Nurse
- Access to X- Ray
- Access to antibiotics via patient group directive
- Emergency access to Vascular Surgery Department
- Advanced wound healing techniques such as topical negative pressure, larvae etc.
- Admitting privileges AMU & ESAU
- Departmental Specialist Orthotist
- Pressure relieving devices
- Specialist footwear
- Preventative follow up care
Team Members
Clinical Specialist Podiatrist in
Diabetes and Wound Care |
|
Elaine Ricci |
Specialist Podiatrist in Diabetes
and Wound Care |
|
Diane Knowles
|
| Technicians |
|
Heather Lloyd
Rachael Lindsay |
There are two Diabetes Multidisciplinary team clinics each week that are lead by the consultant Diabetologists. These operate on a Tuesday morning with Dr Nayar and Thursday morning with Dr Carey. This clinic only treats patients with Diabetes.
Referral into the Podiatry Diabetes and Wound Care clinic is by health professional only.
Inpatient Care
Inpatient care is accessed via the ward staff responsible for the patients care.
Services offered;
- As above
- Pressure Ulcer / Foot ulcer assessment
- Tissue Viability assessment and advice
- Pressure relieving surfaces advice
- Heel Casts
- Liaison with community tissue viability service
- Discharge planning follow up and preventative care
It is the aim of the department to visit the patient on the ward within 48hrs of referral (excluding weekends).
PODIATRIC BIOMECHANICS / APPLIANCE DEPARTMENT
About the Service.
The Biomechanics service is a specialised branch of City Hospitals Sunderland Podiatry Department. We focus on the abnormal function of the foot and leg and the symptoms associated with it.
A GP, Consultant or Physiotherapist can only make referrals to the service. Waiting times for a new patient consultation is approximately 6 weeks.
Our clinics run out of 2 sites within the trust – Sunderland Royal Hospital and Monkwearmouth Hospital. Out of hours appointments are offered at Sunderland Royal Hospital. 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday
Limited evening clinics available - 4:30pm to 8:30pm
The clinical lead for the service is Darren Kennair, who qualified in 1994 and has specialised in lower limb biomechanics for the majority of his career. The department also consists of an additional full time Biomechanics Specialist Podiatrist and 3 part time orthotics technicians who are responsible for the manufacture and fitting of the orthoses we prescribe.
Team Members
Darren Kennair
Chris Burns
Alison Hobkirk
Eileen Newton
Jessica Campbell
Aimee Robson
Biomechanics - Monkwearmouth
Biomechanics - SRH
Hamstring Stretch Leaflet
About your Appointment
A typical appointment with us will begin with a discussion of your presenting complaint and its history. We will then examine the joints and muscles in your legs and feet to check for any problems that may help to explain your symptoms.
Because of this it is best to come wearing loose fitting trousers or alternatively bring shorts to change into (a changing area is provided).
We generally examine the range of motion in the hip, knee and ankle joints along with various joints in the foot itself, although this is not always necessary for some patients. Along with this, we may also examine your gait to assess for problems that may be occurring due to your style of walking.
Once the assessment is complete, we will discuss our findings with you and try and offer a diagnosis to explain your symptoms. We will also put together a treatment plan to help improve your condition.
Treatment’s we offer include muscle strengthening and stretching exercises. We may also give you exercises to improve your joint balance and coordination.
In addition to this we often provide you with prescription insoles (called Orthotics) to alter the position and function of your foot, ankle and legs. Orthotics, are relatively bulky; as a result of this, it is important to wear suitable shoes to accommodate them such as trainers or deep shoes, preferably with a fastener.
If your footwear is unsuitable – we may not be able to offer you any Orthotics to treat your condition.
We generally review our patients approximately one month after their first appointment to assess improvement and alter their treatment plan if it is required.
Additional Treatments Offered by the Department.
Other treatments we offer include referral for stock and prescription footwear.
We also offer acupuncture and steroid injections for certain joint and soft tissue conditions if it is deemed appropriate.
Sometimes we may refer you on to other colleagues in the hospital such as Physiotherapy or Orthopaedics if we feel they are better placed to help you with your problem.