"Please change the appointment system for this service"

I am very disappointed regarding the Biomechanics and Podiatry Services based at Central Health Clinic, Sheffield.

I need insoles in my shoes to correct knee problems I have. I cannot just purchase these types of insoles from a shop. If I do not wear insoles then I suffer with lots of pain in my knees and also this causes excessive wearing of the joint, which will result in me having to undergo knee replacement at a young age. Most of my family have had to have knee replacements because they have never been referred anywhere to deal with the knee problem.

The problems I have with this service is that from when they receive a referral the waiting list is 1 year, unless you are diabetic, which I feel is far too long.

Finally after waiting over a year I will receive an assessment appointment, and finally receive some new insoles after having to attend a few appointments and waiting for my size of insoles to be in stock.

The next problem is that I can either choose to waste more NHS money and resources by staying on as a current patient so that when my insoles start to wear I can get some without having to be referred and wait 1 year for an appointment. I don't feel happy doing this so end up being discharged and then have to wait a year from when my insoles don't really work anymore. This means I have to suffer lots of knee pain and excessive wear and tear on this joint.

I feel that they should change their system to make best use of the resources. I don't understand why instead of discharging me they can't put me on an open appointment, where I can just ring up when I need some new insoles and book an appointment without having to wait a year.

I have spoken to a few people within this organisation explaining my problem but I felt like they didn't care and didn't want to change anything.

There are lots of other problems I have experienced with this service that I feel I do not wish to go there ever again and am looking into finding somewhere else.

Some of these problems are things like having to walk in my bare feet so they can assess me, which I don't mind doing but not when the floor is covered in other people's toe nail clippings. To make me feel even better about this are posters on the wall showing toe nails and problems they can have such as fungal infections. I get scared that I may catch something.