The team behind Sunshine Coast Health’s mobile diabetes clinic is celebrating having helped almost a thousand patients since hitting the road early last year.
The Footprints Walking on Country bus is equipped with a podiatry chair and staffed by a trained diabetes educator and foot care nurses, delivering a service dedicated to improving diabetes management and diabetic foot care.
These simple screenings help identify potential blood flow issues, detect undiagnosed diabetes, and ensure timely referrals to community or high-risk foot podiatrists for those who need further care.
This week is National Diabetes Week and the Footprints team are trying to spread the word about the importance and ease of getting a diabetic foot screen.
Diabetes Educator and Registered Nurse Sarah Armstrong said foot checks are crucial in identifying diabetes complications.
“Having our clinic on wheels allows people in more rural communities to easily access care at more convenient locations and times,” Ms Armstrong said.
“These simple screenings help identify potential blood flow issues, detect undiagnosed diabetes, and ensure timely referrals to community or high-risk foot podiatrists for those who need further care,” she said.
While the initiative primarily serves Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities on the Sunshine Coast, it is accessible to the wider community on a walk-in basis.
The clinic is Sunshine Coast Diabetes Nurse Navigator Service initiative led by a Registered Nurse/Diabetes Educator and an Identified Enrolled Nurse, ensuring comprehensive care that integrates both diabetes management and cultural considerations.
Ms Armstrong said foot disease is one of the most common and severe complications of diabetes, and can lead to amputations if not managed.
“High blood sugar levels can lead to nerve damage and reduced blood flow,” she said.
“This can impair circulation in the legs and feet, making them more prone to gangrene and slow wound healing, so problems with foot ulcers and infections can be common.”
“The earlier we see these patients, the less severe these issues become, so it’s important we’re out in the communities to pick up these complications before they require major care or even amputation in serious cases.”
Find out more about the Footprints – Walking on country program and view the mobile clinic calendar.