Podiatry is an essential medical service and we are thankful that the Scottish Government has allowed all the essential healthcare services to continue treating patients during this latest lockdown. Private healthcare services continue to play a vital role in supporting the NHS and helping to prevent more serious interventions being required.
At this time we are advising our patients that we are open for care and your appointments can go ahead as normal however we feel it is best to go with a "be sensible" approach. If you do not need to be seen at this time then please postpone your appointment. Covid-19 is in high circulation in the general population just now and the new variant is far more contagious. We follow strict infection control procedures, wear medical PPE and are doing everything we can to keep you and us safe in the clinic. For many of our patients postponing treatments would be harmful to their feet and general health. We are always happy to discuss your needs and help you decide if treatment just now is the right thing for you.
At this time we continue to ask you to please do not arrive early for your appointment, use of our waiting room greatly increases the risk to you and our other patients as it makes social distancing much harder. Please also continue to follow the rules around masks. We will always respect a medical exemption otherwise please attend wearing a well fitting mask which covers your mouth and nose. You may be provided with an alternative mask by our team if yours is not fit for purpose. Please do not be offended if this is raised with you, it is for everyone's safety.
If our capacity in clinic needs to be restricted, or if the virus levels in the area rise, then we may need to restrict appointments to those with the greatest medical need. In the vent of this happening then we will contact you directly to discuss your appointment.
Some of our more commonly asked questions we have been receiving from patients are:
I don't live within the Stirling Council boundary, can I still come to my appointment?
The Scottish Government rules state that travel to a medical appointment is classed as essential travel so yes. We have temporarily introduced email appointment reminders to accompany your text and phone reminders which will give you an additional proof of your appointment. If we have an email address on file for you then these will be automatically issued the morning before your appointment but may end up in your Spam folder.
I've been advised to resume shielding, does this mean I need to cancel my appointment?
Medical care is one of the few reasons that you can leave your home when shielding however even with all safety measures you are at a higher risk from Covid-19. The decision as to if you should attend your appointment will be unique for your circumstance, Your podiatrist will be happy to discuss your situation with you if wished.
I'm just out of hospital, can I still attend my appointment?
Current guidance is that you should wait 7 days after discharge from an inpatient stay in hospital prior to attending appointments.