Podiatry Department
The Podiatry Department is based in the Lerwick Health Centre. If you have an appointment please have a seat in the waiting area.
What We Do
The Podiatry Department covers the whole of Shetland, including outer isles.
The department undertakes clinics in the following locations:
- Lerwick Health Centre - Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs and Friday
- Bixter Health Centre - Monday
- Yell Health Centre - Tuesday
- Unst Health Centre - Wednesday
- Levenwick Health Centre - Wednesday
- Brae Health Centre - Thursday or Friday
- Whalsay Health Centre - Friday
- Skerries
- Fair Isle
- Foula
There are currently no clinics held at Scalloway Health Centre, Hillswick Health Centre or the Walls Health Centre
Frequency of clinics depends upon clinical caseload.
Hours of Work:
Mondays - Fridays: 08:30 - 13:00 / 14:00 - 17:00
The department also provides treatment to patients in:
- Care Centres
- Eventide Homes
- Gilbert Bain Hospital
- Patients own homes (housebound patients only)
The department provides the following:
- Routine Podiatry
- Management of pathological nail conditions
- Diabetic assessment
- Vascular assessment
- Neurological assessment
- Biomechanical assessment
- Orthoses manufacture
- Nail surgery
- Foot health education
- Patient information
- Podopaediatrics
- Footwear advice
- Information leaflets
The Podiatry Department treats patients from the following categories:
- Males 65+
- Women 65+
- Expectant and nursing Mothers (up to 12 months)
- Physically and mentally disabled
- Diabetics
- School Children
- Certain at risk groups (e.g. patients with severe peripheral vascular disease)
- Patients requiring nail surgery
- Patients requiring Biomechanical intervention
Any other patient falling outwith the above categories is NOT eligible for NHS podiatry treatment.
To receive NHS Podiatry treatment patients must be within the above categories and must be referred to the Department by a healthcare professional, e.g. GP, Hospital/Community Nurse, Health Visitor, Physiotherapist etc. NO self-referrals will be accepted.
To gain access to treatment, the referral source e.g. a GP, will assess the patient's medical and podiatric needs against a detailed podiatry assessment referral matrix. Any patient requesting NHS podiatry treatment must attain a certain clinical need based criteria. The department offers treatment on a clinical needs priority system.
There is an independent Shetland Voluntary Nail Cutting Service which operates Shetland-wide. Volunteers have received coaching from podiatry staff.
The Voluntary Nail Cutting Service can be accessed by telephoning 07766 588241 between 4 - 6pm Monday - Friday.
