AN innovative foot care pack has been developed to help diebetics spot problems and, it is hoped, reduce the number of amputations.
Podiatry manager Audrey Murdoch, who works for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, got the idea for the pack after completing a travel scholarship at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia.
She said: “Patients with diabetes can lose sensation in their feet, so if they do not feel pain, they can be unaware if they have caused damage when they stub their toe, or have a blister.
“If they don’t check their feet regularly, this can lead to serious infection and, in some cases, to amputation.
“The podiatrists in Australia had included a mirror in the pack to help patients see the soles of their feet. Our pack also includes a mirror, but we have improved it to include a footfi le, emergency dressings that patients can use should they develop a sore, and information on looking after their feet.”
According to the charity Diabetes UK, 100 people a week in the UK have a lower limb amputation due to diabetes. Of these, 75-per cent die within fi ve years of having an amputation.
Audrey, who is based at Townhead Clinic in Kirkintilloch, added: “We hope the packs will educate patients so they check their feet daily and look after them.”
Packs will be distributed to all podiatry staff and diabetic nurses within East Dunbartonshire.
f successful, the scheme could be extended across the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board’s area.
Originally published by Newsquest Media Group.
(c) 2008 Evening Times; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
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