Personal Footcare Guidance

Appendix 2

Further information on the links with the personal footcare guidance to national policy and strategy.

Carers Strategy^[9]

The important role that carers play in provision of health and social care has been recognised in The Carers Strategy for Scotland 2010-2015. This highlights the need to ensure carers have appropriate information and training; in developing this personal footcare guidance we have tried to address this need by developing a series of supporting resources to meet the needs of a variety of different carers.

Falls prevention^{[11], [12]}

Of particular relevance is the role that personal footcare plays in the prevention of falls and fractures and the resultant significant life changing problems these can go on to cause. Older people admitted to hospital after falling are more likely to be discharged to a care home than a comparative group of people admitted for any other reasons. The National Falls Prevention Programme works in partnership with key stakeholders to support Health and Social Care to adopt a co-ordinated and systematic approach to falls prevention as outlined in 'Up and About; Pathways for the Prevention and Management of Falls and Fragility Fractures'.

Healthcare Quality Strategy and 20:20 Vision^[7],[8]

The personal footcare guidance supports the overarching quality ambitions to deliver safe, effective, person centred services based on individual needs as it seeks to support individuals to self care where possible and enable them to live healthy and independently for as long as possible in their own homes.

The National Delivery Plan for the Allied Health Professions (AHPs) in Scotland^[13]

The National Delivery Plan for AHPs in Scotland provides an opportunity to align the contribution of AHPs to national priorities for health and social care. The plan calls for AHPs to lead and deliver more enabling services, shifting the focus away from dependency and towards supported self-management and resilience. Implementation of the guidance on personal footcare supports the overall aims of the plan. The document details a key action point for NHS boards in terms of implementation of the guidance on personal footcare.

Integration of Health and Social Care^[14]

The Scottish Government has committed to establishing an integrated approach to planning and delivering health and social care; this includes integration within the NHS and between primary and secondary care. New legislation will be needed to facilitate integration, including the establishment of Health and Social Care Partnerships with delegated integrated budgets. This will promote closer partnership working in planning and delivering services that will be crucial to the implementation of the personal footcare guidance.

Reshaping Care for Older People^[15]

The overall aim in Reshaping Care for Older People: a programme for change 2011-2021 is to 'optimise independence and well being of older people at home or in homely setting'. Good personal footcare clearly contributes to this work programme by helping older people to remain active, well and independent for as long as possible.

Scotland's National Dementia Strategy 2013-16^[16]

The second national dementia strategy aims to ensure that people with dementia and their families are supported in the best way possible. Personal footcare makes a clear contribution to this by supporting a holistic approach for individuals their families and carers living with dementia.