Diabetic foot flashcards launched for healthcare professionals

New education flashcards to help healthcare professionals and people with diabetes understand more about the risks associated with diabetic foot, have been launched.

Developed by the Integrated Diabetic Footcare Faculty, the organisation said: “The aim of this training is to provide care workers, patients and their relatives with a basic understanding of the risks associated with the diabetic foot, knowledge on how to prevent problems from occurring, how to recognise potential problems and access the appropriate medical services.

“Careful foot assessments are the cornerstone for good diabetic foot care and can help to prevent amputation. It is hoped that the information and advice within this training will be a continuous point of reference to help you achieve this effectively.”

It is hoped the flashcards will enable the reader to understand good practice to support healthy living, understand better the risks associated with diabetes, learn how diabetes can affect the feet, identify the increased risks to the diabetic foot and find out the effects poor blood flow and loss of feeling can have.

Last year Diabetes UK revealed the number of diabetes-related amputations in England had reached an all-time high of 20 a day. The figures were based on Public Health England data, which showed the annual number of diabetes-related amputations in England was 7,370 a year, compared to the previous figure of 7,042. It is thought good diabetes healthcare and support could prevent many amputations as 80 per cent begin as foot ulcers in the first place.