The Foot Attack: Where Are the Defence Mechanisms?
The Foot Attack: Where Are the Defence Mechanisms?
The term 'foot attack' is used to describe a foot injury to a foot, or feet, of someone with diabetes who has neuropathy or peripheral vascular disease. Patients need to be aware that there may be no pain even with a visible wound and that even a small injury or blister may lead to a major complication unless arrested early.
Diabetes UK has produced a booklet called 'How to Spot a Foot Attack' for people who have been identified as being at risk. This booklet, which was sent to every GP surgery in England and Northern Ireland at the beginning of May, informs patients that they should have been referred to a foot protection team or specialist podiatrist, describes how to spot a 'foot attack' and what to do if they are experiencing one. The booklet also includes a card, where the person can write the emergency contact numbers of their GP, MDfT team and podiatry/foot care services.
The strength of a pathway and a multidisciplinary team is that the patients are triaged rapidly to the right subspeciality within the right timeframe. All patients with diabetes should know how to access these services if they develop a 'foot attack' and be encouraged to be insistent if their referral or treatment is delayed as a 'foot attack' can progress rapidly.
Giving Patients the Tools
The term 'foot attack' is used to describe a foot injury to a foot, or feet, of someone with diabetes who has neuropathy or peripheral vascular disease. Patients need to be aware that there may be no pain even with a visible wound and that even a small injury or blister may lead to a major complication unless arrested early.
Diabetes UK has produced a booklet called 'How to Spot a Foot Attack' for people who have been identified as being at risk. This booklet, which was sent to every GP surgery in England and Northern Ireland at the beginning of May, informs patients that they should have been referred to a foot protection team or specialist podiatrist, describes how to spot a 'foot attack' and what to do if they are experiencing one. The booklet also includes a card, where the person can write the emergency contact numbers of their GP, MDfT team and podiatry/foot care services.
The strength of a pathway and a multidisciplinary team is that the patients are triaged rapidly to the right subspeciality within the right timeframe. All patients with diabetes should know how to access these services if they develop a 'foot attack' and be encouraged to be insistent if their referral or treatment is delayed as a 'foot attack' can progress rapidly.
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