Marie Stirling, a Diabetic Podiatrist working in Dr Grays, an acute NHS hospital clinic within NHS Grampian, has won this year’s Cosyfeet Podiatry Award. She will use the money to help fund a trial to compare traditional ‘total contact casting’ (TCC) with a new roll-on method (the TCC-EZ device) used to offload pressure from diabetic foot ulcers.

As many podiatrists know, TCC is the gold standard for offloading pressure from ulcers in suitable diabetic patients, but whether this treatment is offered may be a bit of a ‘postcode lottery’ due to a variety of factors, including access to training and the time-consuming application method. The new roll-on TCC-EZ device, although more expensive, is thought to be quicker and easier to apply, and could prove more cost-effective for the NHS to administer to appropriate patients.

In this trial, the first of its type, Marie will head up a small team to directly compare the costs, usage and patient outcomes of both methods of offloading, using a small number of suitable candidates. The trial will take place over a 20-week period with the results presented as a ‘Health Economics Review’. This will be used to inform policy decisions regarding offloading techniques in the Grampian region and beyond.

“Identifying the pros and cons of these two offloading methods is crucial to understanding how we can best treat patients who require offloading in order to heal,” says Marie. “Saving someone’s limb is one of the most important things a podiatrist can do, and I’m delighted that this funding will help us learn how to do this more effectively.”

The Cosyfeet Podiatry Award assists podiatrists and podiatry students to develop their professional knowledge and skills while benefitting others. The award is open to those who are planning voluntary work, a work placement or research, whether in the UK or abroad.
“We’re delighted to be able to help with such vital research, which will inform best practice as regards offloading to heal ulcers in certain diabetic patients”, says Managing Director Andrew Peirce. “The knowledge gained can be used to advise NHS policy geared to reducing numbers of amputations due to non-healing wounds.”

Written by Marianne Wilson.
For more information about the Cosyfeet Podiatry Award see www.cosyfeet.com/professionals.

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