Referral to the High Risk Foot Service

St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney offers an interdisciplinary “one stop shop” for people with complicated foot conditions related to diabetes. Patients see a Podiatrist and Endocrinologist with involvement, as required, of an Orthopaedic Surgeon, Vascular Surgeon, Rehabilitation Specialist, Infectious Diseases Specialist, Pedorthotist, Diabetes Educator, Dietitian and/or other Allied Health. This allows patients to reduce the number of visits to the hospital and also improves coordination of their care between the different health services. 

We also accept referrals for people without diabetes. They are attended to by High Risk Foot Podiatrists in satellite clinics throughout the hospital including Vascular Surgery, Fracture Clinic & Rehabilitation. 

Referrals accepted from: General Practitioners, Specialists and Podiatrists
 
Eligibility: Patients aged 18 years and over with one or more of the following foot conditions:

• Foot ulceration (acute or chronic) and/ or
• Suspected / diagnosed foot infection (including cellulitis and osteomyelitis) and/ or
• Suspected / diagnosed acute charcot foot

How to refer:

Step 1: Please include: 

• Referral reason including duration of complication, mechanism of injury and previous treatment 
• Medical history including type of diabetes, past medical history, current medications and recent HbA1c
• Any other relevant information/investigations (e.g. inflammatory markers, culture results, radiology reports)
• Up to date contact details for the patient.
• Other relevant information including if a translator is required, if they are ambulant or require the next of kin to be present. 

Step 2: To facilitate rapid triage email referral to SVHS.HRFS@svha.org.au or fax to 8382 3327. Referrals are triaged for clinical urgency by a Senior Podiatrist.
 
Step 3: The HRFS will contact the patient to arrange an appointment.

In addition, for urgent people with diabetes referrals (including suspected osteomyelitis or acute charcot foot) please discuss with the registrar on-call:

• During office hours (8.00am- 4.30pm, Mon-Fri, excluding public holidays) call the Diabetes Centre on (02) 8382 2622, and ask to speak to the Diabetes Registrar
• Out of office hours call the hospital switchboard on (02) 8382 1111 and ask to speak to the Endocrine Registrar on-call.

For urgent people without diabetes referrals (including suspected osteomyelitis or acute charcot foot) please:

• During office hours call the Podiatry Department Manager on (02) 8382 3178 or present to the Emergency Department
• Out of office hours present to the Emergency Department