What is podiatry?
Podiatry is a clinical speciality that provides assessment, diagnosis and treatment for foot, ankle and lower limb conditions.
Halton Podiatry Service offers a wide range of podiatric services in a variety of clinic and community settings, including residential and nursing homes and in your own home for those who are totally housebound.
All Podiatrists in the team are Health and Care Professions Council registered and treatment pathways are guided by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
What services does Halton podiatry offer?
- Podiatric treatment e.g. debridement of hard skin and corns, and nail care for people at high risk of complications arising from their diagnosis, medications and foot problems.
- Treatment and management of foot ulcers including debridement and offloading because of diabetes, peripheral vascular disease infection, trauma etc.
- Biomechanical assessment, advice, insole provision for adults and children with musculoskeletal foot pain (pain in bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves of the feet) and gait (walking) problems.
- Nail surgery – procedure to remove part / all of nail plate of painful problematic nails, i.e. ingrowing toenails (completed under local anaesthetic).
- Rapid Access to the Diabetic Foot Ulcer clinic in Warrington Hospital.
- Emergency access clinics for acute/infected foot conditions.
- Domiciliary visits for high risk housebound patients – bedbound, or hoisted or medically unable to travel – who are on the GP housebound register.
Who can access podiatry?
Anyone registered with a Halton GP with a foot problem may be able to access podiatry.
However, to ensure that those in greatest need receive NHS podiatry services, eligibility criteria must be applied.
These are based on clinical, medical and podiatric need.
This means that we are unable to provide routine podiatry treatment for minor foot problems or simple nail care for people who do not have a medical condition that impacts on their foot health.
Referrals that will not be accepted include:
- Common foot problems (verrucae, athlete’s foot and dry skin)
- Footwear assessment and advice
- Toenail cutting and nail disorders e.g. fungal nails
Information and advice about these and other foot conditions can be found on the following websites:
Or from information and leaflets that can be downloaded or printed from the Royal College of Podiatry website:
How can I access podiatry?
Access to the service is via self-referral using the application form below which can be completed online or sent via email or printed off and posted:
Please note that receipt of a referral does not guarantee an appointment.
All referrals will be triaged by the podiatry service and a decision to be accepted (and an assessment appointment made), or rejected will be made based on clinical, medical and podiatric need.
Priority is given to those who are deemed to have urgent problems.
Please note: A diagnosis of diabetes alone, or requests for nail care are not sufficient reasons for referral.
Where is the service offered?
Runcorn:
- Paul’s Health Centre
- Hallwood Health Centre
- Castlefields Health Centre
- Murdishaw Health Centre
Widnes:
- 2nd Floor Widnes Health Care Resource Centre
- Chapelfield Health Centre
- Beaconsfield Road Health Centre
Additional information
All clinic locations have a either am or pm appointments, on various days of the week.
The busiest centre, Widnes HCRC, has evening surgeries available.
All clinics have car parking on site that includes disabled parking spaces close to the clinic entrance.
All locations are suitable for wheelchair access, and where the clinic is on the second floor (HCRC, Castlefields, and Beaconsfield) a lift is available.
If you have mobility issues that require access to the service at a specific location, this should be identified at the referral stage so that reasonable adjustments can be made to facilitate access to service provision.
Podiatry Services across Bridgewater ensure that each clinical site from which the service is delivered complies with access to services for patients identified as having a disability under the Equality Act 2010.
Contact details
Podiatry Department
Mill Brow Clinic
Widnes
Cheshire
WA8 6RT
Telephone: 01928 593623
Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) from 9.30am to 4.00pm
Email: halton.podiatry@nhs.net
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