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NewsShopper are reporting: Gran ‘waiting to die’ over toenail dispute
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HEALTH chiefs have apologised for making a pensioner wait six months to have her toenails cut.
Marjorie Hawkins has been sitting at home "waiting to die" because Bromley Primary Care Trust (PCT) stopped sending a chiropodist to treat her feet.
She had a weekly visit until last August when she was photographed on her disabled scooter after coming back from a shop, which is a few minutes away.
The chiropodist said Mrs Hawkins, of Saltwood Close, Orpington, was mobile so the service stopped.
She says her toenails have now grown so long she says she cannot put her shoes on anymore.
The retired waitress was told to use the dial-a-ride minibus service to go to the Saxon Centre, Lychgate Road, Orpington.
advertisementBut this is several miles from her home and would involve pick-ups on the way.
Eighty-two-year-old Mrs Hawkins has problems with her lungs and can only breathe on her own for a few minutes before having to use an oxygen tank.
The great-grandmother-of five said: "I'm waiting to die now and I think it is disgusting. If my husband was alive he would be so upset to see me like this."
Her doctor wrote four letters to the PCT about the situation. But she did not get a response so Mrs Hawkins contacted News Shopper to ask for our help.
She will now have her toenails cut this week.
A trust spokesman said: "We prefer to provide podiatry care in our clinics wherever possible.
"We are sorry there has been gap in the service received by Mrs Hawkins, and an appointment has been arranged at a clinic later this week.
"We will be writing to her with a response to her complaint very shortly."
AFTER 16 years of receiving treatment on their feet, two blind pensioners have had their podiatry treatment mysteriously halted by Wiltshire Primary Care Trust.
Michael and Jennifer Chester, of Wellington Way, Salisbury, have been having their feet looked after and their nails cut by podiatrists at the Central Health Clinic, in Avon Approach, since 1990.
Both Mr Chester, 64, and Mrs Chester, 60, are registered blind and are not capable of looking after their own feet.
advertisementMr Chester said: "It is only a matter of getting our nails cut and making sure there are no problems with our feet, but the clinic has told us we cannot go anymore because our case is not severe enough.
"Neither my wife nor I have major problems with our feet, but that is primarily because we have regular check-ups and any small problems have been dealt with before they get out of hand. There is simply no way we can look after our own feet because of our lack of eyesight, and I don't know what we are going to do."
The clinic argues Mr and Mrs Chester are unlikely to develop serious problems because of the lack of regular check-ups, but Mr Chester believes the clinic's decision has more to do with economics.
He added: "Nothing has changed from my point of view, my eyesight and the condition of my feet is no better or worse than 16 years ago so I don't know how they have come to this decision.
"My guess would be they are trying to save money and they think they can do this by getting rid of all but the most serious cases."
The decision has left Mr and Mrs Chester in a desperate state.
He explained: "The clinic advised us to continue treatment with a private chiropodist but we have asked around and cannot find one which charges less than £25 per person, per session.
"Each of us has to go four times a year, which is going to come to £200 and since my wife collects a pension and I am on disability benefits, that is simply too much for us to pay out."
For their part, the clinic has said finance is not an issue and they deal with each case on its merits.
A spokeswoman for Wiltshire PCT said: "The PCT has not withdrawn funding, however the eligibility criteria for podiatry treatment changed in June 2005 to try and focus and target treatment for those people at greater risk of amputation.
"Should patients' needs change they can be re-referred at any time, but the changes do mean, unfortunately, the service is unable to provide routine foot care services such as nail cutting."
Marjorie Hawkins has been sitting at home "waiting to die" because Bromley Primary Care Trust (PCT) stopped sending a chiropodist to treat her feet.
An interesting ethical question raised fairly regularly when these cases come up here.
Are we responsible for getting the patients' treated or simply for offering a service?
If it is the former we have to do whatever is necessary to get the chiropodist and the patient in the same room. If the latter then they have a degree of responsibility.
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She had a weekly visit until last August when she was photographed on her disabled scooter after coming back from a shop, which is a few minutes away
How did she use the scooter if it was disabled
Private chiropody every 3 months costs less than buying two lottery tickets every week. Funny how she is sitting "waiting to die" rather than pay that. I wonder if she is "waiting to die" with her hair done, feeding her cat, smoking, playing the lottery or doing anything else that costs £2 per week?
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Eighty-two-year-old Mrs Hawkins has problems with her lungs and can only breathe on her own for a few minutes before having to use an oxygen tank.
Very brave to go out on her scooter then! What if she'd had a flat tyre?
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A trust spokesman said: "We prefer to provide podiatry care in our clinics wherever possible.
"We are sorry there has been gap in the service received by Mrs Hawkins, and an appointment has been arranged at a clinic later this week.
This REALLY ticks me off! The trust limits funding and demands we only see certain patient groups then when you apply a policy you hate and it causes embarrassment they go fawning to the patient and the press apologising on your behalf and making it look like it's your fault! It's happened here and you see it elsewhere. Nice to know you have the trust behind you! You might as well just paint a damn great target with a "your knife here" label. They have all the inherent morality of a puff adder!
Sorry for my late entry into this. I don't know what these patients are complaining about.
Here in the states, the doctor is not obligated to go the house. If a patient is house bound, then it is their responsibility to find someone. The they would have to meet the criteria from Medicare to get their toe nails cut: Poor circulation due to a systemic disease which is being monitiored by an MD every 3 months, OR mycotic nails that are painful.
Neither the gran waiting to die, nor the blid couple would qualify according to Medicare guidelines, and they would have to call a podiatrist that does house calls and pay cash for the service.
stats Re: Gran ‘waiting to die’ over toenail dispute
Hi folks, happy Thursday!
I'm holding a seminar on Podiatry for Orthopods next month and I need some stats on Podiatry NHS waiting times for them, how/when Orthopods refer, paricularly relating to musculoskeletal Podiatry. Does anyone know where I can find this information? I work in the private sector and have done for years so I'm a bit behind on the info. Thanks
Gran ‘waiting to die’ over toenail dispute
stats Re: Gran ‘waiting to die’ over toenail dispute
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