NHS Selfcare/self-management agenda - influence on podiatry

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Last week I attended an NHS AHP training event on long term conditions. There seemed a great emphasis on the NHS self care agenda and sometimes self-care seemed muddled with self-management when patients were educated to know when and how to re-access professional services assuming a prompt access is kept available.

I can appreciate the ageing population means the ratio of available/employed podiatrists is not keeping up with previous levels of provision but I wonder how this agenda should best influence podiatry service delivery in the future?

I would be concerned if patients return or are actually seen when lesions or infections have become severe and would personally prefer a triage scheme favouring early intervention.

Any ideas?

 

Not the great toenail debate again I hope

 

It must be much wider than just toe nail care: Lower risk diabetics, anti-coagulant therapy and others like Raynaud's whose medical status may change promptly.

The demographic shift is immersing podiatrists in higher risk patients I wonder clinical time can best be preserved for rapid referral.

:wacko:

 

This is a perrennial problem.

What is wrong with people accessing care via PRIVATE PRACTICE.

After all very many use complementary therapies as an adjunct to medicine.

The NHS is a Health Care Provider.

It is not there tp provide care to normal healthy people or even low risk people.

Private Practice is the Correct environment for these people.

HO HUM

Nothing Changes:bang::deadhorse:

Here in Aus we have Medicare financial assistance for these low risk people and they access relevant care from the Private Practitioner of their choice with financial assistance from medicare.:drinks

regards David

ps one hell of a storm has just arrived here in Sydney.

 

I think the UK has traditionally had an expectation that needs are met by the state - paternalism if you like. So it becomes unlikely that a larger proportion of people having previously received access to services whether a social or health service would chose to pay for the same. There is not an awareness of costs as NHS here is free at the point of delivery but I agree private practitioners offer a service where patients may have more choice in locating a podiatrist who can meet their needs.

I think a lot of patients prefer the continuity of therapeutic relationship with the same practitioner as seems more prevalent in private work.

Maybe UK folks need to be able to be more realistic about health care costs but this time of recession is not going to offer much scope for trying new things that cost money.

Regards, Marion

p.s.If it is any consolation it is very windy here in the Western Isles and I am due to make two short flights to go to another island.

p.p.s. I feel sorry for that horse!

 

Since when is there evidence that people with Raynauds or on steroids progress to amputation? Low risk people with diabetes (diabetics is politically very incorrect) can progress rapidly to a change in status and amputation. The whole ethos of podiatry should be evidenced based practice and reducing the amputation rate. Read the guidelines pleeeeeeeeeeease! for crying out loud.
Australia.....do me a favour i'm working here now. EPC's (referal from GP stating how many visits each ahp can have) 5 visits a year for all AHP's I can use that in one week with someone with a diabetes and a foot ulcer. The system here is pay or bugger off and die quietly. yes you have choice if you have private health care or you can pay. Private pods in OZ have no concept of dealing with foot ulceration, it costs too much for the dressings and they dont bulk bill (thats a set payment from medicare, government funded) so if your normal charge is more than this you lose out unless patient pays the difference (gap payment). These patients are seen as cheap s*@T as they are too interested in orthotics at $500 a time. They have no concept of preventative screening systems. Look at the debate raging at present with the new health care reforms, the only thing on the agenda concerning GP's is the reduction in the till ringing not how AHP's can improve the QOL of their patients.