Portland Leg Club

This leg clamp started July last year. In terms of what we actually provide, we've got a walking service every Thursday morning. It helps those who've got ulcers or other leg wounds and even people who perhaps are worried about their legs. We're treating patients for lower leg problems, it could be leg ulcers, adiabatous legs, anything like that. But we also treat well legs, so we encourage people to come along after we've got their ulcers healed or anything like that, just to keep an eye on them. But the main thing is, is the social side of the club. We found a lot of people, social isolation is detrimental really to their general health, So we encourage them to come along to the leg club, we treat their legs, they get the social aspect as well. Leg clubs originated back in East Anglia actually. A retired district nurse set up the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation. We work under the protocols that they set and all the data we gather from patients etc is fed back to them. We have three trained nurses from the surgery and an HTA as well, a nursing assistant, so we're here every week. Once a month now we have the chiropodists come along, there's a lot of people we find with their feet. Access to chiropody is quite difficult for them, especially living on Portland. Basically leg clubs are run by volunteers with clinical staff supplied by the local The volunteers obviously provide refreshments and comfort to clients. We spend quite a lot of time chatting to them because some are quite isolated. And the Leg Club, in fact, quite apart from relieving the practice of clients, also provides an outlet for people who are sometimes socially isolated. You knowing people individually and creating friendships and also they tell you their problems so you're helping them with their isolation I live by myself and I have no contact really much with the outside world I find it's a marvellous way because in fact I get full attention and also they get lovely cakes and things and cups of coffee you know you don't get in the main area and also they listen to me and because I've got a history of all this terribleness that I've got that I'm succeeding in living with it very contently and knowing the confidence that if I get into difficulty I can always come back here without having an appointment and that is excellent. I managed to get sorted out problems I've got and find people to speak to. It's better than coming and just having an appointment at the doctor's and sitting there not speaking to anybody and coming on. My husband passed away with a brain tumour and I looked after him at home and then all of a sudden you're on your own your own and I wanted somewhere to come. So have you come for your feet today? I've come to have my feet looked at. I love it. It just gets you out, it's something to look forward to and it's just company as well. The great thing about leg clubs, certainly from my experience with this one, is that it provides a convivial setting for people who have leg ulcers and leg wounds or are worried about their legs for some reason, they can come in, they don't have to bother about making appointments and it's just a friendly, open atmosphere.