The Footwear Centre is a podiatry-led specialist centre promoting optimal mobility via the provision of therapeutic and corrective footwear. All clinicians are qualified podiatrists. Podiatrists treat a range of lower limb and foot problems. The Footwear Centre also enjoys the unique clinical skills of an orthotist for custom leg appliances required in combination with special footwear.
The Footwear Centre offers a service to all age groups for assessment and provision of comprehensive footwear advice, bespoke and ready-made surgical footwear, temporary footwear and foot orthotics.
The team work within a multidisciplinary and an interdisciplinary team, across tissue viability, physiotherapy and diabetes care, and provide services to orthopaedics, rheumatology, haematology, neurology, district nursing and elderly care.
Who will benefit from our services?
The Footwear Centre is a unique specialist department providing specialist footwear and footwear advice to people with all sorts of foot conditions.
In clinic, you will receive assessment and advice from a podiatrist who has completed extra training in footwear prescription.
We use a large range of high quality suppliers to ensure that you have as much choice as possible and we aim to take into account your preferences as well as your medical needs when we prescribe footwear. We pride ourselves on our approachable, professional style and take care to listen to your views at every stage of the process.
Essential criteria for the provision of NHS footwear
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Congenital or acquired deformity of foot/ankle/leg precluding the use of normal retail footwear.
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Systemic conditions where the foot is put at risk of deterioration without the protection of special footwear.
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Correction of developmental abnormality.
Split size or oversize footwear is not supplied unless one of the above criteria is also met.
Assessment against the essential criteria will be carried out prior to footwear being issued.
Source: Footwear centre policy document 1990
Who can be referred?
Our service is for adults and children who live in Tower Hamlets. Access to the footwear centre service is via referral by a health professional. Other people can use our service when they are referred by a consultant from Barts and The London NHS Trust.
At the first appointment we will always assess your needs to see if specialist footwear is suitable for you.
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In-area patients (E1, E2, E3, E14) can be referred by a relevant local health professional.
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Accepted referrals are considered in-date as long as the patient attends an appointment at least once a year.
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The centre may contact the GP from time to time for a medical update.
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Out of area patients must be referred by a consultant at Barts and The London NHS Trust.
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An accepted out-of-area referral is valid for three years.
Who we are
Head of service: Abi Green. Clinicians: Abi Green, Ina Farrelly, Chris Spence, Dee DeRonde, Selina Begum. Administrators: Liz Wilson, Rumena Rahman, Jade Coppin.
Further infomation
We are very happy to discuss any aspect of your referral, you are always welcome to speak to one of our expert clinicians by telephone on 020 8223 8878.
