Podiatry at Kenilworth Clinic is being phased out

Current patients are now being asked by South Warwickshire NHS Trust to receive their treatment at clinics in Warwick and Leamington instead.

However, some of the patients that use the podiatry service find it difficult to get to Warwick and Leamington easily.

One of those patients, George Sawbridge, voiced his dismay at the trust’s decision to phase out treatment.

He said: “There are many elderly and disabled people in Kenilworth including myself who have found this clinic to be of great benefit, we use it because we have difficulty walking and suffer pain when walking.

“Now we are told we must go to another town to have our feet cared for, and we are not very happy about it. Two other patients that I have talked to are also going to complain.

A spokesperson for South Warwickshire Foundation Trust said: “Due to the changing demographics in Kenilworth the number of patients receiving treatment at the podiatry clinic has reduced significantly. As we offer more regular clinics in Warwick and Leamington we are asking patients from the Kenilworth clinic to continue their treatment at one of these centres. This clinic is not stopping immediately and we are moving patients to these new clinics in a phased approach.

“As a trust we constantly review the needs of our local communities and respond by making changes that ensure we can offer sustainable, safe, high quality care.

“It was identified that the current clinic in Kenilworth requires development work to ensure it meets the clinical standards we adhere to.

“As the trust does not own the building we are unable to carry out this work and are therefore offering treatment in other locations.”