Podiatry (Adults)

This is done by talking with you about your feet, your overall health and what your foot health related concerns are.

The Podiatrist will assess you for foot, ankle and lower limb problems/conditions. This may include testing your blood flow, sensation, and checking the movement in your legs and feet. It will also involve discussing what problem you are coming to see us about.

From these tests the Podiatrist can find out if there is an increased risk of wounds or other health issues which we want to help prevent. The role of the Podiatrist is to look at how your problem can either become manageable, or resolved, but not necessarily to manage it for you.

Together we then plan achievable goals for your foot health.

We will give you information about how you can support your own foot health, or how family or friends can help you. It is important that we work together as a team to make positive changes for your feet.

Footwear is very important for stopping problems like corns or hard skin. The Podiatry team can give advice on the best shoe or slipper for you and how these will help your feet.

The Podiatrist will explain what treatments we have available that might help and agree together which feels the best option for you and your foot needs.

We recognise that other services may be able to help you with your health, so we can also look to refer you to other health and/or social care teams for support.

If you are not offered a further appointment with the service, this is because your foot risk of ulcers, wounds or other serious foot health issues is currently reduced. If you have recently been ulcerated, it may mean you are now considered stable or healed.

If your feet develop new problems, we would ask that you seek an appointment with your GP to request a re-referral back to the service.

There are things that you, a relative, or a carer can do to help to keep your nails and hard skin under control. The Podiatrist can advise you of these, and can include filing or regular use of moisturising cream.

There is also support from private foot care professionals and registered Podiatrists available, but you will need to pay for these services.

There are lots of information on foot health within these webpages to support you.

We perform nail surgery on ingrowing toenails that are either too painful and infected to treat in clinic, or are a recurring problem that needs a permanent solution.

The procedure involves either a partial or total nail avulsion (removing the nail) with the use of a local anaesthetic and the chemical phenol to destroy the cells that produce the nail with a success rate of 97% cases that do not regrow.

The toe takes two to three months to heal, avoiding sports for the duration, and resting for the first week.

We assess the suitability criteria taking into consideration the patient's general health and circulation.

Approximately 700 procedures are carried out annually and we currently have a 4 to 6 week waiting list after the first assessment with the podiatrist. 

Click here to view our nail surgery information pack.

This service is available in the North Staffordshire podiatry division only. However, podiatrists are able to offer treatments in other divisions that can help alleviate foot and muscle pain.

This is a specialist clinic dealing with any musculoskeletal issues from the hip down, with a view to the patient receiving a bespoke treatment plan.

We assess patients of any age, ranging from early walkers through to the frail elderly. Patients may present with sports and occupation related lower limb problems, neuropathic and vascular complications, and associated long term pathologies.

Patients attending these clinics will undergo a range of assessments looking at their gait, stance position, range and quality of movement, neurological and vascular supply. This may include the use of specialist equipment to record kinetic and kinematic data associated with walking and postural stability.

Interventions offered include:

• stretching and strength-building exercise programmes
• simple gait rehabilitation
• strapping techniques
• foot and ankle mobilisation
• in-shoe orthoses
• foot and ankle steroid injections

We work collaboratively and regularly conduct Multidisciplinary Team discussions with the Tissue Viability Nurses, Orthotics Services, Diabetes, Orthopaedic, Vascular, Interventional Radiology and Microbiology Consultants.

We provide holistic assessment, use advanced treatment skills, and collaborative care planning in the management of patients with complex diabetic foot ulceration.

We deliver health education to Allied Health Professionals and Medical staff, and as clinical leads we act as a specialist knowledge resource for those needing clinical guidance with their patients.

We're actively involved in service development, clinical audit and research

We provide treatments for all foot problems via referral from GPs and other Allied Health Practitioners in your local community setting.

We receive referrals for nail, skin, neurological, and musculoskeletal problems.

This service is available in the North Staffordshire podiatry division. In other areas, podiatrists will still be able to see Rheumatology patients and offer appropriate treatment.

This is a specialist clinic, based at the Haywood Hospital, dealing with patients who suffer from a rheumatic condition such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gout and Ankylosing Spondylitis, etc... with a view to the patient receiving a bespoke treatment plan.

We assess patients of any age, ranging from early walkers through to the frail elderly. Patients may present with related lower limb problems, neuropathic and vascular complications, and associated long term pathologies relating to their rheumatic condition.

Patients attending these clinics will undergo a range of assessments looking at their gait, stance position, range and quality of movement, neurological and vascular supply.

Interventions offered include:

• stretching and strength building exercise programmes
• simple gait rehabilitation
• in-shoe orthoses
• foot and ankle steroid injections

We work very closely with the Rheumatology Team at the Haywood Hospital in developing collaborative care planning in the management of patients with rheumatic conditions.

Health education is delivered to Allied Health Professionals and Medical staff, and we act as a specialist knowledge resource for those needing clinical guidance with the patient.

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is a teaching Trust and the Podiatry department regularly takes student podiatrists for their clinical placement from the University of Salford, University of Huddersfield, and University of Wolverhampton.

The students receive hands-on experience of working within a NHS environment in the Podiatry clinics both within the community and out on domiciliary visits. They are also able to gain valuable insight and experience at our nail surgery clinics, Rheumatology clinic within the Haywood Hospital, the Biomechanics clinic based at Hanley Health Centre, and with the Advance Diabetes Podiatrists at Royal Stoke University Hospital. Some of the past placement students have come back to work for us.

The Podiatry department also trains their Podiatry Assistants 'in-house' where they complete the Royal College of Podiatry Assistant Practitioners training course. A number of our Podiatry Assistants have then gone on to do their Podiatry Degree and all have returned to work for the Podiatry team.

We also welcome students on a work experience placement with us where they are able to see what exactly is involved in the role of a Podiatrist or Podiatry Assistant within the NHS.