The importance of foot assessments and good self-management dominated a recent webinar held by the English Diabetes Footcare Network (EDFN) which is now freely available on YouTube.
‘How to avoid foot complications and stay healthy’ was hosted by EDFN Chair Professor Richard Leigh, Consultant Podiatrist at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust a day before World Diabetes Day.
Scotland’s National Diabetes Foot Coordinator Duncan Stang talked about the importance of foot screening and risk stratification.
He said: “We have to understand that diabetes is a life-long condition and consultations with doctors, podiatrists and other healthcare professionals only take up a minute percentage of the time that you live with diabetes. These consultations are essentially to inform and advise you on how best to manage your condition and this is especially important when it comes to your feet.”
He went on to say that he looks upon diabetic foot screening as the “cornerstone” of diabetes footcare.
Former president of Diabetes UK, Richard Lane OBE, also presented during the online workshop. He said diabetic foot problems are his “passion” and he is “determined” to try and help improve care.
He added: “Diabetes problems related to footcare can be devastating, especially if they’re not quickly discovered and treated at a very early date. Proper footcare is an absolute entitlement of every person who has diabetes.”
Consultant podiatrist in diabetes Bronagh Monaghan is based in Belfast and was the last speaker of the evening.
She talked through changes that have been made in hospital footcare clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said: “All clinics have very, very high standards of hygiene, but there is no doubt that with the virus we have had to review how we do things and we’ve had to take some enhanced measures. Deep cleaning more frequently, obviously using personal protection equipment and we want to maintain social distancing so you may find when you go to the clinic that perhaps someone meets you before you come in. They might escort you there and back which helps reduce your contact with other people in the waiting area.”
To watch the webinar, click here.
