Welcome
Welcome to the Australasian Podiatry Council web site. The Council is a national body made up of affiliated state-based Member Associations and provides professional representation for practising podiatrists in Australia.
The Council is responsible for the preparation of national policies and clinical practice, representation of the profession to government and industry bodies, research within the discipline, and the Australasian Podiatry Conference held every second year. More..
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APodC Petition Tabled in Federal Parliament
The Hon Mrs Judi Moylan MP has tabled an APodC petition in Federal Parliament.
The petition calls for an increase in Medicare-subsidised podiatry appointments for people with diabetes related foot complications.
It also calls for subsidies for medical devices which optimize healing and help prevent hospitalization and amputation.
Mrs Moylan tabled the petition in the Federation Chamber of Parliament House on 1st March 2012. Mrs Moylan’s speech to parliament can be read here.
She thanked the hard work of podiatrists who collected thousands of signatures for the petition during Foot Health Month 2011.
Background
Diabetic foot health complications are the leading cause of amputations and diabetes-related hospitalisation.
Australia has nearly the worst diabetes amputation rate in the industrialized world. In fact 85 Australians are losing a foot every week because of diabetes or one every two hours.
Countries that have mainstreamed podiatry, multi-disciplinary foot teams and basic evidence based treatments into primary care have amputation rates 40 – 65% less than Australia.
NHMRC diabetes guidelines suggest the 206,000 Australians with a diabetic foot complications need an average 4 – 18 consults to a podiatrist each year and access to offloading devices (e.g. moonboots.)
Medicare only funds 5 allied health consults for people with chronic disease each year working out to an average of 1-2 consults to a podiatrist, and no subsidies for offloading devices.
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Community Service Announcements – Television and Radio
Australia’s podiatrists have stepped up the fight against diabetes amputations, with this television Community Service Announcement (CSA) broadcast nationwide.
The television CSA was first broadcast in October 2011, and features the President of Sports Podiatry Queensland, Rachael Bradhurst.
Radio CSAs
Radio is one of the most powerful mediums to get a message across. It reaches Australians in their cars, their homes, their sheds and their tractors.
For this reason, the Australasian Podiatry Council has created a series of radio Community Service Announcements (CSAs) that have been broadcast nationwide.
The radio CSA’s featured the President of Sports Podiatry Queensland, Rachael Bradhurst as well as members of the public – including indigenous actor Baamba.
Click here to listen to the radio CSAs.
Lobbying Canberra
In the October/November issue of Podiatry Bulletin we distributed a free practice poster. The poster called on patients to complete a petition supporting our ‘more visits’ campaign.
The collection of signatures ended October 31 and more than 6.000 signatures were collected.
The petition will be a powerful addition to our lobbying campaign.
There was also a lobbying letter and we know quite a few members around the country took the opportunity to write to their local member. There is no reason why members could not wish to continue to lobby government on this special issue so we have left the template here and the accompanying lobbying guide.
Working with your local media
You can also continue to work with your local media and there is a prepared media release here and a guide on how to approach your local media. The release is in Word® format so you can amend it to suit your needs.
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APodC DIABETIC FOOT DISEASE TOLL CALCULATOR
The APodC Diabetic Foot Disease Toll Calculator shows the impacts of current and proposed diabetic foot health management models in Australia, in terms of hospital bed days, lower extremity amputations, deaths, and costs.
The outcomes of current management strategies in this country contrast sharply with those of optimal foot care management.
The left hand side of the calculator shows the impacts of the current system of diabetic foot health management. The right hand side shows how the impacts can be reduced with optimal foot health care.
To see how the optimal use of podiatry services could reduce the toll and learn more click here.
The APodC patient information leaflet Your Podiatrist talks about Diabetes offers advice on how diabetes can affect feet and useful suggestions on how to prevent or manage problems.
The development of the calculator was a collaborative effort by expert members of the APodC Board, office and general diabetic foot community. The APodC President, Andrew Schox, generously extends an invitation to other interested organisations and individuals in the health care sector to make use of it. Users of the calculator who are external to APodC are asked to acknowledge the role of the council in the form: Thanks to the Australasian Podiatry Council for permission to embed the ApodC Diabetic Foot Disease Toll Calculator at this web site.
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MESSAGES FOR GOVERNMENT
The new diabetes foot disease toll calculator highlights some significant inefficiencies of the current foot-health system. The proposed solutions to these inefficiencies, and others, form the basis of five new government messages from APodC.
One: Patient access to increased allied health services under Medicare
Good foot health for patients with diabetes is vital for their long-term health. Several chronic foot conditions including those related to diabetes can require multiple visits to a podiatrist to reduce or prevent damage to the foot or lower limb. The five allied health visits per patient available under Medicare (with a care plan) rarely meet the needs of the individual patient and may lead to hospitalisation and of hospital-based services.
Increased access to Medicare-funded podiatry services will reduce government expenditure on hospitalisation of these patients.
Two: Access to new MBS items for Podiatrists
We are asking the Federal government to list diabetic foot medical aides such as casts, moonboots, custom footwear and custom insoles as new Medicare item numbers for prescribing or supply by podiatrists for at-risk patients.
Three: Access to existing MBS items
Patient outcomes from nail surgery can be improved if performed by a health professional trained in the procedure and who perform the procedure on a regular basis. Surgery performed by experienced health professionals can be cost effective.
Extend access to MBS items for toenail surgery to podiatrists endorsed or trained to perform nail surgery.
Improved access to suitably trained health professionals including podiatrists can help GPs manage other patient conditions.
Four: Prescribing access to PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) subsidised medicines on the National Prescribing List for Podiatrists
We are asking the Federal Government to extend prescribing rights to those PBS-subsidised S4 medicines on the National Prescribing List for Podiatrists.
Allowing podiatrists who are endorsed to prescribe scheduled medicines to prescribe certain PBS-subsidised medicines will help improve overall capacity and productivity and increase the efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness of the health workforce access to primary-care services.
Five: National Prescribing List for Podiatrists
The Federal Government needs to create uniform national prescribing rights for S4 medicines.
These messages will guide APodC’s lobbying activities over the short to medium term.
MESSAGES FOR GOVERNMENT – FOCUS ON DIABETES
In support of Diabetes Week 2011 APodC lobbied the Federal Government for changes in current policy to support podiatrists more effectively manage diabetic foot health complications. A brochure encapsulating those arguments is here.
The arguments included an analysis of the return on investment government might expect, a call for new MBS items for prescribing or supply by podiatrists, and for funded access to podiatry services.
Return on investment in foot health
Research shows that spending more money on podiatry and foot health can save the Australian taxpayer over $300 million each year.
For example, 12 Medicare-funded podiatry services for patients with diabetes costs a few hundred dollars and would allow podiatrists to assess patients’ feet frequently enough to ensure the timely prevention or treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Lower limb amputations, on the other hand, can cost the health system anywhere up to $100,000 per patient.
The savings across the health system are significant.
New MBS items for prescribing or supply by podiatrists
We are asking the Federal Government to list diabetic foot medical aides such as casts, moonboots, custom footwear and custom insoles for patients at risk of foot ulcers as new Medicare item numbers for prescribing or supply by podiatrists.
Use of these aides is evidenced to prevent foot wounds, damage and amputations in patients with diabetic foot complications.
Funded access to podiatry services
The five allied health care services per patient available under Medicare (with a care plan) rarely meet the needs of the individual patient. This lack of appropriate management may lead to hospitalisation, amputation, reduced quality of life and sometimes death.
We are asking the Federal Government to increase the number of Medicare-funded services for people with chronic disease-related foot complications, such as diabetes, to a minimum of 12 allied health care services.
Increased access to podiatry services is evidenced to considerably reduce government expenditure on hospitalisation of these patients.
Good foot health for patients with diabetes and other chronic diseases (like kidney disease) is vital for their long term health. Several chronic foot conditions require multiple visits to a podiatrist to reduce wounds, unnecessary infections and damage to the foot.
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Australasian College of Podiatric Surgeons 2011 Symposium
The 2011 Australasian College of Podiatric Surgeons Scientific Symposium on August 4-6 featured fascinating speakers from across the world.
APodC’s Communication Director Kylie Johnson was embedded in the conference and interviewed several of the speakers.
Go to this link to listen to the speakers and find out more about the very latest in podiatric surgery.
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Continuing Professional Development
When Continuing Professional Development (CPD) was made mandatory for all registered podiatrists, we developed and launched a new CPD online platform.
Register to reap the benefits of a CPD online platform developed specifically to meet Podiatry Board of Australia requirements, where you can undertake activities (most free), maintain your complete CPD record, and keep track of forthcoming member association CPD opportunities. More…
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Notice for overseas trained podiatrists accredited by the Australasian Podiatry Council (APodC) prior to the 18th August 2010.
If you are considering applying for Australian residency you may now be required to provide additional documentation detailing your APodC accreditation. In the first instance please contact Dr Judy Ann Jones on +61 3 94163111 or judyanne@apodc.com.au
