Podiatry Services
How we can help you
We care for you if you have a wound on your foot caused by your diabetes. We also help you if you have diabetes and are at a high risk of getting wounds on your feet. We care for you if you are staying in our hospital on the Aged Care Ward, Spinal or General Rehabilitation Ward.
We also provide outpatient appointments if you are living in the community and need to see someone about your diabetes foot wound. This service is in our Diabetes Centre Foot Clinic.
We are a team of registered podiatrists. Podiatrists diagnose and treat problems with feet and ankles. We work with the team in the Diabetes Centre. This includes Doctors specialised in endocrinology, orthopaedic, vascular, plastic surgery, hyperbaric medicine and infectious disease. We also work with orthotic professionals and nursing health professionals.
We provide the following services:
- Care for foot wounds caused by diabetes including dressing, debridement, pressure reducing techniques and investigations like pathology swabs and imaging.
- Care for Charcot’s neuroarthropathy including foot immobilisation and temperature monitoring.
- Foot care by podiatrists for people who have diabetic ulcers on their feet.
- Care for those admitted to our Hospital with foot problems related to their diabetes.
- Neurovascular assessments including toe-pressure readings.
- Applications for medical grade footwear.
- Education on how to care for your feet if you have diabetes.
- A multi-disciplinary clinic for patients with diabetes and Charcot’s neuroarthropathy, reoccurring foot wounds and/ or diabetes related foot wounds that are not progressing towards healing with conservative treatment.
If you are in hospital with a foot problem related to your diabetes, you can ask your nurse or any member of the health care team to see the podiatrist.
If you are living in the community with diabetes and would like an appointment with the Diabetes Centre Foot Clinic you will need a referral letter from your local doctor (GP) or specialist. The referral letter must include your relevant surgical and medical history. Mail, email or fax the referral letter to us, or you can bring it into our department in person.
When we receive your referral letter, we will assess the urgency for an appointment depending upon the seriousness of your condition. We attempt to give all urgent cases an appointment as soon as possible. Please ask your local doctor (GP) or specialist to phone or email us to discuss if you urgently need an appointment.
Please bring:
- Your most recent
- blood test results including
- Sugar (glucose) average (HbA1c)
- Blood fats (cholesterol and lipids)
- Kidney (kidney function, urine micro albumin and electrolytes).
- lower limb vascular study results
- foot and ankle imaging results
- blood test results including
- The shoes you wear most often (during the day, at home and/or at work)
- Your foot orthotics, if you have them
- Your referral letter
- Your Medicare card
- A list of your medicines OR bring all your medicines in a bag, including any herbal or over the counter medicines
- A snack or drink if needed
- You are welcome to bring a support person (a relative, friend or carer) with you.
Please let us know if you need an interpreter when we receive your referral. We will organise a professional interpreter for your assessment session.
You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450. Tell the operator what language you speak, and then ask the interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an interpreter, and the healthcare professional you want to speak with.