Overview of Podiatry Services

Service	Description	Locations	Contact details	How to refer
Community Clinics	The podiatry community service provides triage, screening, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and foot health education to patients with a lower limb condition or a systemic condition that affects the lower limb. All patients with MSK conditions or nail surgery requests should be referred to the community service and will be escalated to the specialist clinics after assessment if appropriate. Patient consultations are now being delivered in a range of ways to help meet the needs of all patient groups including telephone, video and face to face.	East Lothian East Lothian Community Hospital Musselburgh Primary Care Centre Midlothian Bonnyrigg Health Centre Dalkeith Health Centre Penicuik Health Centre Edinburgh Allermuir Health Centre Mountcastle Health Centre Pennywell Health Centre Slateford Health Centre South Queensferry Health Centre Westerhailes Healthy Living Centre West Lothian Bathgate Primary Care Centre Carmondean Health Centre Howden Health Centre Linlithgow Health Centre Strathbrock Health Centre Whitburn Health Centre	0131 536 1627	SCI Gateway:AHP – PodiatryPodiatry Community Clinics LI Podiatry
Diabetic Foot Clinics	Specialist clinics providing advanced care for active diabetic ulceration and Charcot Neuroarthropathy Working as an integrated multi-disciplinary team with Diabetic and Vascular consultants, Orthotists and nursing teams.	Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Western General Hospital St John’s Hospital at Howden	0131 242 1482 0131 537 1297 01506 523175	SCI Gateway:RIERoyal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France Diabetes Podiatry LI Diabetes Foot Ulcer ClinicWGHWestern General Hospital Diabetes Podiatry LI Diabetes Foot Ulcer ClinicSJHSt John’s Hospital Diabetes Podiatry LI Diabetes Foot Ulcer Clinic Access to the service (scot.nhs.uk)
Domiciliary Service	The domiciliary service if for patients who require podiatry treatment who are houseboundThis service is not available as preference and is only available to patients who are unable to leave their home on any regular basis, without the assistance of Healthcare or Social Care personnel using an ambulance or patient transport vehicle. If the patient is able to leave their home on a regular basis to visit the doctor, hairdressers, or shops, either alone or with the assistance of a friend or relative, we will expect them to visit their local clinic.The domiciliary service also covers care homes, prisons and provides an in reach service for inpatients in acute and community hospitals	Service based at Inchkeith House for patients living in Edinburgh, East and Midlothian For West Lothian patients the service is based in SJH.	0131 446 4631 01506 523180	This service is only available for housebound patients SCI Gateway:AHP – PodiatryPodiatry Domiciliary Service LI Podiatry Domiciliary Access to the service (scot.nhs.uk)
MSK	The musculoskeletal (MSK) podiatry service receives referrals for assessment, diagnosis and treatment of the lower limb MSK complaints with a focus on the foot and ankle. Patients are initially assessed and treated by Podiatrists in the community service and escalated to the MSK specialist clinic as required. Referrals are also de-escalated from the Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle service where appropriate. Typically, a patient examination will involve taking a history of the presenting complaint, a non-weight bearing and weight-bearing assessment, and gait assessment, as well as diagnostic investigations such as X-ray where appropriate. After this the Podiatrist will form an appropriate diagnosis and agreed management plan. Treatment has a patient centred approach and offers a number of evidence based treatments which can include:Advice on activity modification.Exercise programmes.Footwear advice.Foot orthoses/insoles.Corticosteroid injections.	SMART centre, AAH Strathbrock Slateford	0131 536 1627	Refer via community outpatient clinics SCI Gateway: AHP – Podiatry Podiatry Community Clinics LI Podiatry
Nail surgery	The nail surgery service can provide a long term solution to chronic and painful nails that have not responded to other podiatric treatments, for example, recurring in-growing toenails. Patients will be assessed by their local podiatrist before being appointed for nail surgery. Patients under the age of 12yrs can be assessed for nail surgery by our department but whether they are suitable will be decided on an individual basis and they may require onward referral to RHSC for the procedure to be carried out.	Allermuir Health Centre Blackburn Health Centre Bonnyrigg Health Centre	0131 536 1627	Refer via community outpatient clinics SCI Gateway: AHP – Podiatry Podiatry Community Clinics LI Podiatry
Orthopaedic Foot and ankle service	Advanced Podiatry Practitioners work as part of a MDT within the Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle service.They assess and treat complex foot and ankle problemsTriage/Add Patients to surgical waiting lists for Consultant Podiatrist and Orthopaedic surgeons.Interventions include:Advice/Guidance. Orthotic Intervention.Application of Splints/StrappingStretching/Strengthening/Mobilisation.Steroid Injection Joint/Soft tissue.Aspiration (e.g. Ganglion). Link : foot and ankle service			Refer via foot and ankle Orthopaedics service SCI Gateway: Lauriston Buildings Orthopaedic – Foot and Ankle LI Basic Sign Referral
Rheumatology Podiatry	An Advanced Podiatry Practitioner works as part of the multi-disciplinary Rheumatology team to manage foot & ankle pain, maintain tissue viability and improve foot function and patient mobility for patients attending the Rheumatology service.Medical ultrasound and podiatric assessment is used to aid diagnosis and management of a variety of conditions including:SynovitisTenosynovitisTophiBone erosionBursitisEffusionOssificationEnthesitisTendon tearsNeuromaPlantar fasciitisNodules Link : Rheumatology and bone disease	Western General Hospital		Refer via Rheumatology outpatients at the Western General Hospital.

Adult Guidelines

Paediatric Guidelines

Overview of Podiatry Services