"Podiatory Department Management failing"

This review is directed at the Podiatory management and in no way reflects the standard of care offered by the staff, which has always been extemporary.

I have been a carer for my mother for nearly 5 yrs and in that time tried to arrange a number of Diabetic Podiatory appointments to get her nails cut.

5 yrs ago she used to receive letters with her new appointment date which had a gap of 8 weeks between appointments. The automatic letters stopped some three to four years back and you then had to request an appointment as you left following your previous appointment, and at that time the duration was extended to 10 weeks and shortly thereafter 12 weeks. In 2019 I believe making a new appointment as you left was stopped and I was advised duration was extended to 14 weeks and you had to request an appointment by ringing in nearer the 14 week point.

I have previously made complaints about the unacceptable increase in the periodicity of care my mother receives and I am truly sympathetic to the recent additional burdens caused by Covid. However I feel compelled to raise this genuine concern that the Podiatory Management team are continuing to fail over an extended period of time pre-dating and exacerbated by Covid.

My mothers nails grow extremely fast and that the 8-10 wk extension was not good. At week 9 she experiences pain walking in shoes, at week 10 she complains of pains in her feet in bed and I am having to dress some of here toes to prevent cuts. By week 11 she is reluctant to walk which is having a direct impact on not only her overall well being but her quality of life.

To date I have managed this situation by requesting an appointment at whatever future date available and thereafter, ringing frequently to pick up an earlier cancellation.

However as of yesterday when I rang to request an appointment I was told I would receive a letter in April at some point with no date advised. I was however advised I could make an appointment before my letter if there was bleeding or some other urgent necessity.

I am not inclined to lie or fabricate excuses to game the booking system in an attempt to get my mother and appointment.

I therefore feel the continuing failure of the Podiatory Management team to address longstanding issues which has resulted in the unacceptable period between appointments has to be highlighted and I look forward to hearing how North Tyneside General Hospital intend to manage this longstanding and wholly unacceptable situation.