New Community Foot Care Service in Wyre Forest

Thanks to funding from Wyre Forest District Council's Innovation Fund, Age UK BRWF is pleased to announce that it is piloting a new Community Foot Care service, based at the Tulip Tree Centre (Castle Road, Kidderminster). The new Foot Care Clinic will initially be held fortnightly, at the Centre, on a Wednesday (from 10am-2pm), but it is hoped that there will be opportunities to grow and extend the service over the coming months.

We often take them for granted, but our feet are so important for our mobility and general wellbeing. By taking routine care of our feet, serious problems can usually be avoided (as well as reducing the risk of trips and falls) however, activities such as simple nail cutting can often become more challenging as we age. It is important, therefore, that older people have access to affordable foot care services locally that meet their individual needs which is why Age UK BRWF is keen to develop a Community Foot Care service in Wyre Forest to provide a basic toe nail cutting service for people who can no longer do it for themselves.

To support the development of the Wyre Forest service, Foot Care Health Practitioner, Nigel Hunt, has joined the Age UK BRWF Team. Talking about his experiences and involvement with Age UK BRWF’s pilot Nigel said;

“People don’t often realise how their health is affected by their feet. Having worked in health care for over fifteen years, I have seen so many people struggling because they are unable to access affordable, quality Foot Care – this is why I wanted to get involved with Age UK BRWF’s new service. But this service is not just about feet, it is also about people. I understand the importance of a friendly face, not being rushed and being listened too, and I hope that when people leave our clinic not only will they have comfortable feet but also a smile on their face!”

Speaking about the service, Age UK BRWF’s At Home Manager, Sam Jones said;
“To access the service is simple. All you need to do is to obtain a referral form, which you can obtain by calling our office or by downloading a copy from our website, and have the form signed by your doctor or nurse to ensure the service is suitable for you. Once the form is returned to us, we will contact you to arrange your first appointment. Your initial appointment will last approximately 30 minutes and there will be a one-off charge of £21 (which includes a Personal Foot Care Kit), after this, appointments cost £10 per session, with appointments typically being arranged for every 8 weeks”

For more information about Age UK BRWF’s Foot Care and other local services please contact the team on Tel 01527 570490, Email enquiries@ageukbrwf.org.uk or visit www.ageuk.org.uk/brwf/