Nursing/care home chiropody fee

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I have heard this morning of a care/nursing home, where the foot health person charges £8 per person.

How ridiculous is that?!

 

I'd like to know how qualified they are, what standard of sterilisation are being used, what records are being kept, and how much history are they checking prior to a previous visit, i.e. has your medication changed, etc. I've been quoted similar rates by care homes near me. I explained my overheads, using disposable instruments etc, and offered a professional service for a barging £15, but was still undercut by another 'podiatrist' who would do it for £9. Let them do it. I pride myself in being trained to high standards for a reason and refuse to offer anything Les. Those who want quality care will pay the appropriate price. As the saying goes 'If you think a professional is expensive, wait until the ammateu has screwed things up!'

Check out the local professional rates and be more or less the same, otherwise, if everyone under cuts each other, you may as well go and stack shelves in the local shop.

 

Alan,
I would agree with you.

There is an old adage that says "buy cheap, buy twice" and I am sure that applies to footcare.

My visits to care homes start at £20, and if the residents have a lot of problems eg challenging behaviour then it is £25.00 This rate only applies if there are more than 6 that require treatment, otherwise they pay the full fee which is £35.00.

It is amazing how many times I have been rung up by care homes who declined my services initially on the grounds of cost, but then want me to visit and sort out other practitioners patients because " the other practitioner can't come for 2 weeks"! Needless to say I am not prepared to do this and politely refuse, much to their chagrin.

I believe we all need to set our fees at a fair level (whether clinic or domiciliary) in order that we do not devalue our Profession and our skills.

Podess

 

I would just like to add that I charge £20 providing I can see at least 10 residents at the same time. I will travel up to 10 miles but as already stated, it would have to be at least 10 residents to be seen. The only problem I have come across is if the Care Home requires you to come back to see just one resident (who may have just arrived, for example) but they STILL expect you to go to see that one resident for the same fee of £20. This is OK if the Care Home is not too far as I do believe in give and take, so it is best to just work locally if you can as I find this enables me to be more flexible.

 

Would a dentist/ private GP agree to such a small sum? Would the care home even dare to offer such a low fee to a GP or dentist, or haggle with them? The fees of £15-20 per person are what I used to charge 20 years ago and I am shocked that rates of £8 are now being offered. Surely as a profession we need more self-respect than to offer our professionalism for the cost of a visit to a cheap barber?