Podiatry

Townsville Hospital and Health Service (HHS) delivers evidenced-based, best-practice clinical podiatry services for people with an acute or high-risk foot status. For people with qualifying criteria, services we offer (but are not limited to) are:

• Foot wound debridement and dressings
• Charcot Neuroarthropathy management
• Pre and Post-ulcerative callous debridement and management
• Offloading
• Diabetic foot assessment and education
• Referral assistance for medical grade and/or custom-made footwear

Our team of podiatrists aim to:

• Reduce hospital admissions and lengths of stay associated with foot and lower-limb disease
• Reduce the number of amputations
• Support and promote good foot-health practices

Foot-risk classification

Acute – people with:

• Current foot ulcer +/- infection
• Acute Charcot Neuroarthropathy or unexplained painful/swollen foot; or
• Acute foot disease e.g. Osteomyelitis, necrosis, acute ischemia

High risk – people with:

• Previous history of foot ulceration or amputation; or
• Two or more risk factors: peripheral neuropathy, peripheral arterial disease, significant foot deformity; or
• Infected ingrown toe nail(s) requiring surgery

Categorisation and Eligibility

Category 1 – Acute (seen within 48 hoursmonths of referral)

Townsville HHS prioritises podiatry services for people classed as having an acute foot status. We aim to see new acute referrals within 48 hours of receipt of referral receipt.

At risk and low-risk people are not eligible for Townsville HHS podiatry services and referrals will not be accepted.

The performing of routine nail care for patients who meet the qualifying foot risk status criteria will only be undertaken if there is a clear medical reason for doing so. Providing this type of care is always at the discretion of the treatment podiatrist.

Alternative Podiatry Services

For people who are not eligible for Townsville HHS podiatry services (e.g. low-risk foot status or biomechanical referrals), podiatry care may be available through private podiatry services, aged care packages, TAIHS, NWRHS and GP clinics.

Footwear

Please note that all medical grade and custom-made footwear referrals are not serviced by the podiatry team, they are serviced by the Prosthetics and Orthotics Services team.

Referrals

Outpatients

Outpatient podiatry services are available for any person with an acute or high-risk foot status who reside in the Townsville HHS catchment area. External referral letters can be faxed to Allied Health and are accepted from all GPs, nurses, private allied health partners, and any other health care professionals.

Contact us

Allied Health Podiatry, Allied Health reception
Opening hours: Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm
Ph: (07) 4433 2370
Referral Fax: (07) 4433 2371

Community Health Podiatry
Opening hours: Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm
Ph: (07) 4433 9500
Bookings officer: (07) 4433 9934
Referral fax: (07) 4433 9501

Contact Us

Community Health Podiatry
Ph: (07) 4433 9500
Bookings officer: (07) 4433 9934
Referral fax: 07 4433 9501

Kirwan Health Campus
138 Thuringowa Drive
QLD, 4817

IMB92
PO Box 670
Townsville QLD 4810

Opening hours
Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm

Allied Health Podiatry
Allied Health reception
Ph: (07) 4433 2370

Inpatient inquiries:
Ph: (07) 4433 5244

Outpatient inquiries
Ph: (07) 4433 7514

Opening hours
Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm