Age Concern Footcare Service

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Dear All,
I have just heard some rather disturbing news from a colleague. Age Concern, in tandem with the NHS, are rolling out a footcare service in their county.

The details are :-

Cost of initial home visit (including kit) = £25.00. Subseqent visits = £17.00

Cost of intial clinic visit (with kit) - £21.00. Subsequent treatments = £13.00

Treatment will be provided by a footcare assistant with no qualifications, provided by Age Concern.

Corns will not be treated but thick toe-nails will.

The NHS in the region is starting to refer patients.



Is this an issue of concern to the HCPC, as pods are referring to unqualified persons?

In addition, how do SCP members stand with regard to professional liability issues ?

Comments and opinions, please.

 

If SCP members are training them up, it could be a Professional Conduct committee matter.

The referral matter may also be a SCP disciplinary matter!

 

When I last looked the SCP Council had a fair sprinkling of NHS managers. Do you REALLY think they'll take a hard-line stand?
igs:

Nothing will happen, the world will still turn, and I, thank God, no longer depend on treating patients for a living.

 

The HCPC will do nothing at all unless a direct complaint is made to them. If such is the case, it would be interesting to see what, if any action they might take. Since it appears that these people are to cut toenails only, it is unlikely that a complaint will be laid and even more unlikely that any action will be taken

Bill Liggins

 

I have also started coming upon patients who have been treated /contacted by Age UK..... They charge £10.00 for basic nailcutting .
The local NHS HQ is also replying to some requests for treatment by asking a carer or family member to visit their premises for a basic course in nailcare , to 'Empower' the said relative to provide footcare . The letter also states that 'training' is done by a fully HCPC regulated Podiatrist....... They also state that 'Pedicures' or nailcutting is no longer routinely available from the NHS.
As an aside , and 3 days after this offer of professional instruction/ self help, a fresh letter arrived offering the patient an assessment apt. for routine treatment !!

There appears to be a fair take up of the Age Uk treatments , however i'm uncertain as to who is referring or promoting it other than seeing flyers posted in GP surgeries.... The only certain thing is that these new challenges make any new graduates life in private practice more monetarily perilous and also force downward pressure on fees , esp. in poorer areas where cost is the primary concern for many.

M.C.

 

This seems to be quite common,

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/blackburnwithdarwen/our-services/footcare-project/

Enfield states that prior to treatment a GP assesment is required,

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/enfield/our-services/footcare-service/

In Milton Keynes no professional referral is required, which is worrying, but at least the nail care kit comes in a Smart Red Case to keep it clean.

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/miltonkeynes/our-services/footcare-service1/

 

The nhs trust that I work in ran training for the age concern volunteers to cut nails. Years ago it was a free service but now they are charging, unfortunately nhs podiatry services are having to only offer an at risk service as we simply don't have the manpower to deal with the referrals. In honesty we struggle with the at risk quota, until the government stop cutting the budgets this will only get worse. Age concern have found a way to make money out of a social service, don't think there's a lot anyone can do about it!

Barty

 

it would be interesting to see the type of insurance cover age concern have.

I feel all patients should have the right to choose who looks after their foot care.
After all you can usually chose the hospital you go to and change your gp.

Its all in the hands of the patients and what there happy with.

But if patients demanded only HCPC podiatrists seen them I wonder what would be the outcome?

life gets a little harder again for the poor pod!

Anthony

 

Age Concern recently started a one morning a week clinic, cost £12 for nail care. From what I've been told it's staffed by volunteers but a pod is also on duty to offer advice. I live in an East Midlands town and provide a mix of doms and clinic. Only lost one pt so far and she wants to come back to me. I'm told the volunteers are lovely and service users are offered a cup of tea on arrival but the service is very basic. Their fee is less than half mine...

 

There are lots of these types of services in Dorset, where I live and work. They don't have a huge impact on my business, they do, after all just cut nails. I have even been contacted by a man who does nail cutting, as the patients he was sent to see, had more complicated conditions, which required a chiropodist.
If patients complain that my fee is too high, I tell them that they can go to these charities and have their nail cutting service to look after them. So far, no-one has done so.
I really don't see a problem.