North York General shuts chiropody clinic

[attach]1612[/attach]Toronto’s last hospital-funded chiropody service for seniors has been shut down amid budget constraints at North York General Hospital.

Clients who visited the hospital’s affiliate Seniors Health Centre to receive regular chiropody care were informed by letter in April that the service would no longer be available or funded through the hospital as of April 15.

Chiropody, a form of foot care that specializes in the treatment of wounds, ulcers and diseases, was de-listed from the Ministry of Health’s medical coverage in 2003. But clients in the community continued to receive the care free of charge at the clinic, staffed with one chiropodist.

“North York General Hospital was the only hospital continuing to provide the service,” said hospital spokesperson Courtney Sorger.

“Due to budget perspectives, we can no longer do that.”

Sorger said when chiropody was de-listed, the service wasn’t widely available in North York so the hospital dedicated extra funds toward keeping the service at the senior’s centre, located on Buchan Court. Since then, private practices specializing in chiropody have expanded in Toronto, making the specialized care more accessible.

In terms of finding a new chiropodist within the community, Sorger said patients are aware this change was coming and the hospital is doing everything it can to help them.

But accessibility to the service will now come with a cost.

North York chiropodist David Baker said since the closure was announced, he’s been receiving calls of inquiry from clients left without the service.

Baker, who runs a private chiropody practice, charges $75 for an initial appointment, and each follow-up visit is $50. Baker has decreased the initial fee to $50 for clients coming from the senior’s clinic to make the transition to paid chiropody care easier.

Leslie Wright, spokesperson from the Ontario Society of Chiropodists, said she’s disappointed with the hospital’s decision to eliminate the free service.

“Chiropodists see millions of patients each year throughout the province,” said Wright.

She said the recent closure illustrates the lack of funding for the service even though millions of people in Ontario benefit from chiropody services.

Diabetics in particular seek chiropody treatment regularly, as they more vulnerable to foot wounds due to poor circulation, deformity and a lack of sensation in the feet.