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FAQs

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What does a Podiatrist do?

A Podiatrist is an allied health professional who has completed either a Bachelors or Masters Degree at University and is registered with AHPRA. The training doesn’t stop there as AHPRA requires a minimum of 20 hours continuing professional development and CPR/first aid annually. We treat a wide range of conditions with a high level of empathy and skill, using the most up-to-date information. We ensure this by completing a minimum of 20 hours of continued professional development (learning) each year. The main areas we see include; 

  • Ingrown Nail Surgery
  • Fungal Nail Infections
  • Bacterial Nail Infections
  • General Foot Care (I.e. Cutting Toenails) 
  • Warts
  • Callouses 
  • Corns  
  • Diabetic Foot Care
  • Wound care
  • Sporting Injuries/Pain and Rehabilitation
  • Any Foot or Leg Pains 
  • Orthotics
Who can use our services?

Home visiting podiatry makes the services very accessible to almost anyone in the community especially those with time or transport constraints, but we are particularly useful for the elderly or disabled. We accept DVA Gold card holders, Home-care package recipients, aged-care homes, Medicare patients and private patients

How long will it take to get an appointment? 

In most cases, you can expect an appointment the same week, and sometimes sooner! We pride ourselves on offering prompt services to get you back on your feet. Visit the Contact page to find out when the next Spring Podiatry appointment is available

What should I bring to my podiatry appointment?

Depending on the nature of your presenting complaint, you may need to bring along some items to the consultation. For example, if you have had past history of foot and ankle pain and have had imaging, been fitted with orthotic devices previously or have medical reports that describe your condition, these will be of benefit to your treating podiatrist. If you have a referral from your General Practitioner, Medical Specialist or Allied Health Practitioner then you need to bring this along. Finally, please bring along your most commonly worn footwear

How long can I expect my consult to take? 

You can expect to see your podiatrist for around 30-45 minutes on average. Depending on your individual needs, this time may vary. Your podiatrist will thoroughly examine and understand your foot health and concerns to develop a plan for alleviating any problems. We will be able to immediately relieve some painful conditions such as corns or ingrown nails within minutes

Do I need a referral?

You can attend a private podiatrist such as Spring Podiatry with no referral. If you do have a referral from a GP, which may be titled CDMP (previously known as EPC), this may be used to claim Medicare rebates on up to 5 services/visits across the allied health board for each eligible person per calendar year. The referral must be addressed to our business by your GP for us to be able to use it

What does it cost to see a podiatrist from Spring Podiatry?

See our full list of services and prices here

Do you offer Medicare Bulk Billing?

Generally, podiatry services are not covered by Medicare. However, if you have a chronic medical condition, like diabetes or osteoarthritis, you may be eligible for subsidised podiatry services under a Medicare enhanced primary care plan (EPC) or chronic disease management plan (CDMP). Medicare benefits are only available for services provided by eligible allied health professionals to patients with chronic or terminal conditions and complex care needs who are being managed by a GP.

We pride ourselves in offering extremely high-quality, experienced and professional podiatry care, and our consultation fees are inclusive of transportation costs. Consequently, we are unable to offer bulk-billed services. However, if you have a valid referral (as above), you can claim a Medicare rebate of $60.35 (as of 1 July 2024)

How often should I visit the podiatrist?

Getting to a problem early can improve the prognosis, leading to better outcomes. Preventative care is much easier, cheaper and better for your health. Most people go to the dentist once or twice a year for check-ups as they have been around for a very long time and it is considered “normal” to do so. The same should be a minimum for foot health check-ups. If your feet have issues, the frequency of visits would then increase as per recommendation. Many people will have a lot that can be “tidied up” even if they have minimal discomfort; such as small corns, callouses and nail thickening

How do I know if I need Ingrown nail surgery? 

Our expert Podiatrists will assess your ingrown nail, considering factors such as family history, chronicity of current ingrown nail, previous ingrown nails, medical history as well as current medications. Ingrown nail surgery isn’t always the first-line treatment for an ingrown nail, but often it is the most long-term effective way to rid the problem for good. A permanent nail surgery is called a partial (or total if needed) nail avulsion with matrix phenolisation. This means that a chemical is used during the procedure to cause the cells to stop producing nail in the areas where nail is not wanted, i.e. the corners. The procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic so the digit is completely numb to pain. Post-operative pain is minimal, and can usually be managed with paracetamol. The podiatrists at Spring Podiatry are extremely experienced in nail surgery, having had years of mentoring from a trained podiatric surgeon, and presenting on an international stage to other podiatrists about nail surgery success

What will happen in my home-visit podiatry appointment?

The visit typically begins with an assessment of your general health and your concerns being thoroughly understood. You will then have the condition of your feet, nails and skin evaluated carefully and findings explained to you. The consultation will then be directed based on findings, and treatment will be carried out to alleviate any problems detected. The level of care is the same as an in-clinic appointment, and a nail drill will be available for use by our podiatrists within your home should it be required

Am I safe inviting a Podiatrist from Spring Podiatry into my house? 

You are always safe with Spring Podiatry. Our Podiatrists have current Working with Children Checks (WWCC), registration with AHPRA, National Police checks, NDIS Screening Checks and are all Vaccinated. If you have special requests including prior RAT testing, masks on for entry, aprons/gloves on before arriving or anything else please contact us as our podiatrists are very accommodating

Do I need to clean my feet before a Podiatrist comes to my house? 

No you do not need to clean your feet! You are very welcome to wash your feet in anything you like (i.e water, Dettol etc) beforehand but this is not necessary. Our Podiatrists will ensure your feet are cleaned thoroughly before leaving

What is your cancellation policy?

We appreciate as much notice as possible for cancellations. We understand the unexpected can happen, and appreciate a courtesy call so we can reschedule you without incurring a fee. An appointment which is cancelled/rescheduled with less than 24-hours-notice, may incur a fee of 50% of the consult rate. If you miss an appointment, without giving notice, then the full rate of the appointment may be charged