Podiatry and high-risk foot service
Podiatry focuses on preventing, diagnosing, treating and rehabilitating medical and surgical conditions affecting the feet and lower limbs, particularly if you have diabetes.
The services aims to prevent amputations by identifying high risk conditions and using appropriate management plans.
Where amputations have occurred, they can assist with rehabilitation.
In the Northern Territory (NT) allied health services for foot care include:
- podiatry services
- high risk foot services for people with advanced diabetes.
Podiatry services
Podiatry services can help you with:
- assessment and treatment, particularly if you have diabetes
- wound management, including ulcer debridement, wound dressings, and consultations
- biomechanical evaluation and gait assessment
- ongoing podiatry care for recurrent foot ulceration or infection
- pressure-relieving devices to improve wound healing
- neurovascular assessment and screening for patients with diabetes
- nail surgery
- education for inpatients, outpatients, and staff members on foot care.
The service is not able to help with:
- routine diabetes foot checks
- footwear or orthotics that are not related to an active diabetes or nerve-related foot wound
- biomechanical issues of the foot or ankle without a foot ulcer
- general foot care
- venous leg or malleolar wounds.
How to access
You will need a referral from a doctor or health specialist.
Referrals are triaged depending on priority. If it is an emergency you should go to the emergency department.
If you are currently being treated in hospital, hospital staff can refer you to the service.
Contact
Services are available on level BG in Royal Darwin Hospital and in the allied health building at the Alice Springs Hospital.
For Darwin, call 08 8922 8241 or email PodiatryService.DoH@nt.gov.au.
For Alice Springs, call 08 8951 7789 or email AlliedHealthASH.THS@nt.gov.au.
Advanced diabetes high-risk foot clinic
The high risk foot service (HRFS) offers specialised multi-disciplinary care for people with active wound complications as a result of advanced diabetes.
The team assesses and manages people who have diabetes-related foot problems such as:
- foot ulceration
- charcot foot
- cellulitis
- osteomyelitis
- acute lower limb ischaemia.
The HRFS team is led by a vascular surgeon, and is supported by staff from:
- podiatry
- wound care nursing
- endocrinology
- diabetes education
- infectious diseases
- radiology
- orthotics
- rehabilitation.
How to access
You will need a referral from a doctor or health specialist, they can email, phone or provide a paper based referrals.
Referrals are triaged depending on priority. If it is an emergency you should go to the emergency department.
Once a referral has been received, an HRFS team member will call you to discuss your needs and organise appropriate services.
Contact
Services are available on level BG in Royal Darwin Hospital and in the allied health building at the Alice Springs Hospital.
For Darwin, call 08 8922 8241 or email DiabetesHighRiskFootService.DoH@nt.gov.au.
For Alice Springs, call 08 8951 7789 or email AlliedHealthASH.THS@nt.gov.au.
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