Podiatry Training Material

Basic training/Resources for new Care homes

The podiatry department will provide a new Care Home package when we are notified after the opening or upon Care Home request. This package includes: Covering letter, Basic Foot care DVD (voice narrated), Basic Foot care Booklet, Podiatric Foot Conditions – Referral Guide poster, Diabetic Foot Risk Stratification and Triage poster (traffic light), Basic foot care questionnaire with and without answers, Referral form, and Guidelines to fill in the referral form.

These resources will give the staff a general knowledge regarding foot care and the topics included cover the following:

• Basic nail filing.
• Basic skincare.
• The importance of footwear.
• When a referral to podiatry may be necessary.

These learning materials can be used across all Lothian.

Extra support/Face to face training

Where further training or support is required by the staff, the podiatry service can offer training sessions to help the staff feel confident on basic foot care. These sessions will have a member of the podiatry team and as many members of staff as are requiring extra support.

During these sessions the podiatrist will identify concerns, gaps in knowledge or problems related to the resident’s feet or footwear. They will show a correct filing technique for one resident’s nails and the staff members can then replicate that with other residents. There will be extra time for questions.

Sending a podiatry referral

When a resident requires a podiatrist’s input, a Nursing Home referral must be sent to us either by mail or email. It is very important for us to be provided with accurate and precise information so we can triage the referral appropriately (e.g. if a patient has a wound write location and type of wound if known).

The referral, as well as extra information, can be found at this link: Referral Pathways: Podiatry