Diabetes Foot Protection Service

Who are the Diabetes Foot Protection Service?

A small team of Clinical Lead Podiatrists with experience and specialist training in diabetes foot care. They are part of the community podiatry service, but they also work closely with secondary care.

In Nottingham and Nottinghamshire:

• There were 73,626 people registered with diabetes during 2021-2022
• There are 1,657 diabetes related foot ulcers at any given time
• Between 2022-2023, the estimated cost of caring for diabetes related foot ulcers was £16.7 million
• Between 2018-2021 there were 3,580 spells of inpatients having diabetes foot disease
• In the same period there were 535 diabetes related amputations, 155 of which were major and 380 minor

What do they do?

• Assessment, Management and Care Planning for complex feet in people with diabetes (including ulcer care)
• Step-down/shared care with secondary care Diabetes Foot Clinics
• Specialist support for Community Podiatry and Primary/Community Care teams
• Dedicated phoneline for
  • people with diabetes with urgent concerns
  • Healthcare professionals for advice/support
• They provide
  • Training and education for health professionals
  • Education for people living with diabetes

Where is the Diabetes Foot Protection Service located?

The service is provided across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. There are currently clinics in Bulwell, Carlton, Clifton, Cotgrave, Mansfield, Mary Potter, Newark, St Anns, Stapleford, Sutton, Warsop and West Bridgford

Who should I refer?

• People with diabetes and active foot ulceration which is not limb-threatening (no evidence of CLTI/severe PAD, spreading or deep-seated infection)
• People who have declined referral/are unable to attend secondary-care diabetic foot clinics

Please note: Any patients with diabetes and suspected Charcot, or foot ulceration with any immediate limb threatening foot concern (such as CLTI, necrosis, spreading/deep-seated infection) should be referred directly to secondary care

How do I refer?

• Complete the ‘community podiatry referral’ form – select ‘core podiatry: urgent – foot ulcer’ pathway, and send via usual route (i.e. S1, F12, Ardens)
• Please attach photos of the foot problem where possible

For any questions and more information please contact PodCommunityAdmin@nottshc.nhs.uk – for appointments and queries you can contact the team on 01623 404615. For health professionals and patients with urgent concerns, the urgent phoneline is 0115 671 4600.