Most people looking for a mobile Chiropodist don't know where to start. They may search the internet or look in Yellow Pages or the Thompson Local, but of course the best way to find a good one is through word of mouth. However, if you cant find a recommendation how do you know what to ask?
That why I have put together this quick guide on the top 5 questions to ask a Mobile Chiropodist.
1. Are They Qualified?
It is very important when you first make enquiries with a mobile chiropodist that they are indeed qualified as a Chiropodist or Podiatrist. The profession is a protected title in the UK and cannot be used by law by anyone not qualified and registered with the HCPC (Health Care Professions Council).
There are some training courses for Foot Health Practitioners (FHP) that allow them to cut nails and treat callous to a basic level as with a pedicure but for professional Chiropody and Podiatry you must check they are both registered with the HCPC and have the required insurance to practice.
2. How Much Do They Charge?
This can be an embarrassing question for many people but, it is essential if you are a genuine caller, to find out what kind of service they provide (visiting practice and/or surgery based) and how much they charge for it. Many mobile Chiropodist's that have a surgery will generally have a two tiered price structure where the surgery will be cheaper in general than a home visit.
Some Chiropodist's or Podiatrists will have multiple price structures depending on the service they provide. Some will have one price structure for treating corns and calluses, a different structure for treating simple or complex nails, and different prices completely for biomechanical assessments and gait analysis for orthotics. If they Are licensed for local anaesthesia they will be able to offer nail surgery again, at a different price.
Of course it is so much simpler to charge one price for a home visit and another for the surgery if it is based on time. You do not want to be charged extra if you live in a big house compared to an area of social housing or indeed one price for treating a corn and then another for cutting your nails if the practitioner is only with you for 10 min.
Do they have a cancellation charge? Most chiropodist's and Podiatrist 's will have a cancellation fee structure so it is important to find out what this is in case the need arises. Normally if you cancel within 24-hours there will not be a charge depending on the kind of treatment being provided. Some practitioners however will charge the full amount or a percentage if cancellation is made less than this.
Finally, if you are working during the day and require treatment in the evening or at the weekend, you need to find out if they provide cover during these times and if so how much more will they charge.
3. What Area Do They Cover?
Does the chiropodist you are looking for cover your particular area or location. You may find that some chiropodist's only cover a certain area on their round and they may charge an extra fee for coming out to you if you are just outside their area of business or if the expense of reaching you is higher for them i.e. if you live in the countryside.
They may also have a different fee structure for different areas they cover so it's important to ask what fee applies to where you live and not just how much do they charge generally. If they have a surgery, it may be cheaper for you to visit them.
4. Do They Sterilise Their Instruments
This is an important question to ask if only to catch out the unwary practitioner who may not be fully qualified as a chiropodist or podiatrist. This is less likely to be a problem in a surgical environment such as a chiropodist's/podiatrist surgery where you can see the equipment on show but is less obvious to a patient until the practitioner arrives on their doorstep.
There may be some unscrupulous people out there charging ridiculously low fees to obtain your business, and while you think you are grabbing a bargain you may also be picking up bugs from their previous client if they only carry a few sets of instruments.
And believe me most of us have all heard some horror stories. So just be warned, ask the right questions and a competent qualified practitioner will always be able to give you straight answers.
5. When Can They Fit You in?
This might be an important question if you have a condition that requires urgent attention. A busy mobile chiropodist will have his or her diary fully booked for many weeks ahead with regular patients and nursing homes/surgery appointments.
However, as with most things in life, circumstances can change and normally the mobile Chiropodist will have a certain number of cancellations and spaces on their books and so should be able to fit you in at short notice.
As mentioned earlier if you need an urgent appointment or work most weekdays does the mobile chiropodist offer an evening or weekend service to see you quicker.
Finally, one other thing to mention -Did They Return Your Call?
If you had to leave a message when making your initial enquiry make notes of their name and number and record whether they returned your call or not. This is a good indication of how effective and efficient they run their business.
Was there an answer service? If so was it polite and detailed enough for you to leave a message and was it in their own recorded voice or a machine version. Did it inspire confidence? Did they return your call promptly?
If they left a sloppy message or relied on a machine generated voice you may want to move on to the next mobile chiropodist on the list.
If you are looking for a Chiropodist in the UK, click here: find a chiropodist
No comments:
Post a Comment