A project aimed at keeping patients mobile and ensuring routine foot care prevents major problems later on has led to a nomination for a prestigious national award. The project, run by Cardiff
“We set up a training programme to ensure Health Care Support Workers and Nurses can identify low risk patients, have the skills to provide them with basic foot care and refer more patients with more complex needs to appropriate specialists in the podiatry team. We train Age Concern staff and staff from nursing and residential homes to carry out this assessment and foot care in the community, so that people who don’t necessarily come into contact with Cardiff
“Often older people aren’t wearing appropriate, supportive footwear. The course ensures staff are educated and trained to assess this and to make patients more comfortable, helping to reduce pain, infection and falls in the long run.
“We have set up the training programme, trained over one hundred and eighty staff, and prevented more serious problems further down the line. Nurses and Health Care Support Workers attend, but it’s open to other staff too. From next year, it will be part of the pre-registration training for Nurses studying at Cardiff University
“Patients are very pleased with the results, we have heard lots of supportive comments as the training means problems are identified and patients become so much more comfortable. Good foot care matters especially to older people. As people are living longer; we need to be proactive in identifying health risks, and providing efficient and empathetic care. This project without doubt demonstrated that we listened and understood a basic need to help make a difference.”
Andrew James, Welsh Policy and Policy Officer for the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists said: “This initiative means that together we can deliver cost effective, high quality services. And importantly, people can receive routine footcare delivered to the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists’ minimum standards”
Teresa Burris, Operational Manager at Age Concern, Cardiff
Theresa King continued, “It’s great to be recognised for this work. Ultimately we hope it helps ensure our staff have the right training to give our patients the right care, when they need it.”
