What's the difference between a Podiatrist and a Chiropodist?

The difference between both words is simply a name change from Chiropodist to Podiatrist in 1993 in order to bring the UK in line with the rest of the World, as Podiatrist is Internationally the more widely adopted term.

Do I need a referral from my GP to book an appointment?

In short 'no' - anyone can refer themselves for private podiatry treatment and where necessary we can liaise with your GP on your behalf, but there's no formal referral required or expected.

How long does an appointment take?

As a general rule of thumb our appointments for routine podiatry last around 30 minutes, but depending on your requirements or if you're booking in for more detailed services such as biomechanics, you may require up to an hour or more. Either way, we'll let you know when you make an appointment.

What should I wear for my appointment?

For a routine podiatry appointment the only requirement is that nail varnish is removed prior, we're not a beauty salon and you can't imagine the mess it makes of our equipment! We'd also advise that you attend in the shoes that you wear most often, so we can assess if they may be contributing to any specific foot problem. For a biomechanics appointment we ask that you come in (or change into) shorts so that we can assess your lower limbs properly. 

What are your payment terms?

Payment is made at the end of each treatment session either by cash, cheque or credit / debit card.

I have private medical insurance, are my appointments with you covered?

You'll find that we're covered by most major insurance companies as all of our podiatrists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and we're also actively on a number of their referral lists.

As you can imagine different insurers tend to have different processes, some may require you to pay for your treatment in advance and allow you to claim the costs back via a payment receipt, whereas others will allow us to invoice them directly. We would always advise you check with your insurer before making an appointment but if you do have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to ask.

Do you have wheelchair access and disabled facilities?

On both counts, yes. We have wheelchair access via a ramp at the front entrance of the building, our waiting room and all of our clinical rooms are based on the ground floor level and we also have disabled bathroom facilities adjacent to the waiting room.

Is there car parking available?

Yes there is unrestricted on-street parking on the main road and also on the side road of the clinic. If you do park to the side / rear of the clinic we'd just ask that you're respectful to our neighbours and not block driveways and the such.

Are you registered with the Health and Care Professions Council?

Yes, all of our podiatrists are HCPC registered which means that we meet the high standards of training, professional skills and behaviour required by the regulating body - this is a minimum requirement for all 'Podiatrists' so if you're not registered you're not strictly a Podiatrist. You can find us on the full listing of HCPC registered professionals.

Are you members of any other professional bodies?

We certainly are. Along with our HCPC registration we're also active members of The Society of Podiatrists and Chiropodists one of the key societies providing podiatrists with ongoing training and whom maintain our professional insurance. They work in partnership with the HCPC to represent podiatrists specifically.

Can you refer me for specialist treatment?

We have great links within our area with local GP’s, Podiatric surgeons and other health care professionals, so if you do need refering on for any reason we are able to do this for you quickly and effectively.

Do you offer gift certificates?

We certainly do! You can collect gift certificates in different values from our clinic, or order them directly via our online shop. Certificates are valid for 6 months and redeemable against all of our services.