With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting healthcare in unprecedented ways, we wanted to make contact to update you on what we are doing as a clinic during this time.

As we are an ‘essential service’ we are still open for face to face consultations for any patients that require it. We are well aware we have many elderly patients, some with complex medical needs, so please be comforted that we have implemented a range of measures to protect our staff, your patients and the wider community. Besides our normal infection control procedures, we are:

– Providing extra hand sanitisers for staff and visitors to use;

– Regularly wiping down door handles, waiting room chairs and high traffic areas;

– Screening patients when booking appointments;

– Maintaining safe distances between staff and visitors to the clinic; if closer contact is required then face masks are available for staff and patients to use.

Despite these measures, we are aware that it is not appropriate for some of our patients to attend their appointments, but we don’t want their care to suffer as a result. For this reason, we are now offering Telehealth appointments.

Telehealth is a great initiative that can be utilised by Podiatrists to:

– Assess, diagnose and provide treatment options for nail and skin conditions, such as ingrown toenails, corns/callouses and warts;

– Assess, diagnose and provide treatment options for musculoskeletal conditions, such as plantar heel pain, achilles tendinopathy and forefoot pain;

– Enable triage to determine whether a patient requires a face to face appointment for wound management.

Telehealth appointments can be bulk billed for those who have a current and valid Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDMP). If you are a current patient and have unused visits you do not need to do anything different; we can use your unused visits for your Telehealth appointment. From April 14th, those patients that don’t qualify for a CDMP but have private health insurance, with Podiatry extras, will be eligible for rebatable Telehealth consults.

For further information regarding how we can best care for you during this time, and whether Telehealth would be appropriate in your situation, please contact the clinic on 9480 5522 or email us at info@northernpodiatry.com.au.

To book an appointment online, visit: www.northernpodiatry.com.au

Mark Whiteside and Chris Petropoulos
Directors/Podiatrists

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