Making a self-referral for yourself or another person
Livewell Southwest’s Podiatry Services accepts self-referrals from members of the public who are registered with a doctor (GP) in our area (further information below), for a variety of foot and related lower-limb health problems. You may refer yourself or others.
In the information on these pages when we use the term “you” it can be taken to mean you yourself, or the person you are making a referral for.
Once we have your submitted form, we will review the content and decide in what way we can help you. You may be offered either:
- health education materials and advice to self-care for your problem
- advice on other sources of foot healthcare you can access for help
- a face-to-face appointment which may include a number of appointments after which you may be offered up to 12 months open access to the service for certain conditions so you can access the service again with a further self-referral or a referral from a health professional
Below are some common questions about our service with answers. You can find more information about the service and self-referral in the next section of the self-referral process linked at the bottom of this page.
Who can make a self referral?
Provided you, or the person you are submitting a self-referral for, is registered with a doctor’s surgery (GP Practice), which is in either Plymouth, South Hams or the West Devon areas, any member of the public may submit a self-referral.
You may submit this on behalf of yourself (provided you are at least 16 years old), a relative or someone you care for, but you should have their consent when doing this for another adult.
You may also submit a form for a child or young person (aged under 16) you have parental responsibility for.
For which problems can I be offered appointments to see a Podiatrist?
We can provide appointments with a Podiatrist for people who have:
- foot wounds – also called ulcers or sores
- very significant foot problems associated with severe health conditions
- need of surgery to remove a toenail – usually for an ingrowing toenail
- foot, ankle or related leg problems due to injury or a muscle, tendon or joint problem:
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- need of insoles/foot orthoses or specific exercise therapy
- conditions such as tendon pain and inflammation, ligament strains and arthritis
- See “Have you been told you have a musculoskeletal (MSK) condition or think you might have one”
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For which problems will I NOT be offered an appointment with a Podiatrist?
We are not able to accept self-referrals (or referrals from a health professional) for the following:
- Personal foot care or simple nail care because you cannot reach your feet or cannot otherwise care for yourself
- Fungal toenails
- Verrucae and all other skin conditions including fungal infections (also called “athlete’s” foot)
- Regular foot checks or monitoring of your foot health if you have diabetes, which is done at least annually by your doctor’s surgery
If you have any of these needs please refer to our foot health education materials and alternative sources of Podiatry care on our website here.
How to make a self-referral
Follow the four steps in our process which will guide you through making a self-referral or to refer another person such as a child or someone you care for.
Quick Tips Before You Start!
- Frequently Asked Questions: Most of the questions you might have about self-referral are covered in Step One which will open when you click the link below. If you don’t have any questions or already know the information you need, skip Step One and move onto Step Two HERE.
- Important: Read the questions in Step Two before you complete your self-referral as you may need urgent care from other health professionals in addition to referring yourself to Podiatry Services.
- Answering Our Questions: If any of the questions do not apply to you in Step Two or in the referral form in Step Four, simply leave them blank or click “no” where there is the option to do so.