Northern Grampians Foot Care Project
The Northern Grampians Shire (NGS) Foot Care Program has been developed in collaboration between Northern Grampians Shire Council (NGSC) Aged and Disability Services, Stawell Regional Health (SRH), East Wimmera Health Service (EWHS) and the Grampians Region HACC Project Officer.
The development of the program was facilitated by the Grampians Pyrenees Allied Health Assistant (AHA) Implementation Project Cluster Coordinator and supported by Grampians Pyrenees Primary Care Partnerships (GPPCP).
The primary goal of the program was to educate Direct Care Workers (or Community Care Workers) to support personal care clients to care for their own feet and be able to recognise when a client should see a podiatrist.
A secondary goal was to train selected Direct Care Workers (DCWs) to provide basic foot care to low-risk clients who were unable to perform basic foot care tasks independently.
This program has three main components:
- Education
- Communication and referral processes, and
- Tools & resources
Direct Care Worker Education
The education component was developed in collaboration with Northern Grampians Shire Council (NGSC) Aged and Disability Services and local podiatrists. The education was delivered by the podiatrists to DCWs that provided personal care support.
Podiatry Presentation power-point – to be provided
Footcare – Supporting client’s to maintain healthy feet
Podiatry Presentation Evaluation (pre & post)
Northern Grampians Shire Communication & Referral Pathway
The Communication & Referral Pathway maps the referral and communication processes from the identification of a change in the condition of the client’s feet to the feedback and/or instructions provided by the podiatrist to the Assessment and Care Coordinators at NGSC.
Two new forms: Checklist for the identification of foot problems and Request for Personal Care: Foot Care Support were developed to support these process.
Foot Care Communication and Referral Pathway
Checklist for the identification of foot problems
Northern Grampians Shire Council Incident/Concern Form
Request for Personal Care: Foot Care Support
Northern Grampians Shire Footcare Program Evaluation
In the tradition of action research, the working group evaluated the program to ensure that tools and processes were effective. The findings were used by working group to ensure that DCWs were using the tools effectively and modify some aspects of the program.
These resources were developed and used by the working group.
NGS Footcare Program Training Tool: Monitoring clients feet
NGS Footcare Program Training Tool: Attachment
NGS Footcare Program Survey: DCW role in foot care
Direct Care Worker Competencies
DCWs who were interested in providing basic foot care (cutting & filing nails) were required to successfully complete the unit Provide foot, skin & nail care (CHCIS306A).
The DCWs were then required to complete a practical training session with a local podiatrist who determined that they were competent in basic nail care and familiar with the NGSC protocol for providing basic nail care.
When a client is identified by the podiatrist as low-risk, the DCW allocated to that client is required to do Client Specific Training in the presence of the podiatrist at a handover appointment before they start providing basic nail care.
Providing Basic Foot Care: Cutting and filing client’s toenails
Developing a foot care program: A resource
The NGS Foot Care Program has attracted attention from other areas in the Grampians Region. A guide for the development of a foot care program including the resources, tools and learnings from the NGS program will soon be available.
NGS Footcare Program Resource (Oct 2014)
Presentations
A poster presentation for the NGS Footcare Program was made to the Australian Disease Management Association (ADMA) 10th Annual National Conference in Melbourne in September 2014
The Poster was also displayed at the 2014 LGPro Aged & Disability Services Awards Dinner
NGS Footcare Program Poster (Sept 2014)