All patients seeking injection therapy are seen for a 30 minute assessment appointment.
During the consultation we will take your medical history, in addition to the physical examination. It helps us greatly if you complete a medical history form and bring it with you, copies can be downloaded here. We record details including your: name, address, telephone number, email address, date of birth, GP name and address, past and current medical history, allergies, medication, and any previous Podiatry treatment.
This is known as your minimum data set and recording it is a legal requirement. If you refuse to give us this information we will not be able to offer you treatment at our practice. We keep all the information you give us confidentially, in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the College of Podiatry, the Health & Care Care Professions Council and the GDPR (we are data users registered with the Information Commission)
In some cases injections will be administered at your assessment appointment, however, if your assessment takes longer to complete, you are required to undergo further tests (such as blood tests or diagnostic ultrasound scans) or the Podiatrist requires you to consider your treatment options prior to giving consent then you will be invited back for another appointment. Sometimes we need to use specialist equipment such as ultrasound or a fluoroscope (portable x-ray) to enable us to see if needles are placed correctly into joints. This is generally used for midfoot injections and may require the use of local anaesthetic to anaesthetise the whole foot.
If you have any underlying medical problems or are considered to be a high risk patient then injection therapy may not be appropriate and you may be refused treatment and/or referred to an appropriate colleague.
We normally write to your GP, after your first appointment, to inform them that you are registered with our practice and give brief details of any treatment plan. Please tell us if you do not wish us to communicate any information to your GP.