Frequently Asked Questions
Brunswick & Sandringham

You can contact either our Brunswick or Sandringham Foot Clinics to make an appointment without a referral. However, if your treatment is covered through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), or the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP), then a doctor’s referral will be required.

The Brunswick Foot Clinic is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from 8.00am to 5.30pm. The Sandringham Foot Clinic is open Wednesdays from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm and Saturdays from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm. Many of our patients from the Brunswick area find it more convenient to attend our Sandringham clinic on Saturdays, particularly for long appointments such as nail surgeries and biomechanical assessments.

You can telephone our Brunswick or Sandringham clinics directly to make an appointment or you can book online from our website. We utilise an efficient message to email service so if you are calling after hours please leave a detailed message and one of our staff will get back to you soon. You can also call Brunswick directly to make an appointment for Sandringham. If we are fully booked on your preferred day, we suggest that you ask to be placed on our ‘waiting list’ for a cancellation or reschedule may occur on your preferred day.

You will receive a phone call, an SMS or an email reminder before your appointment. At both the Brunswick and Sandringham Foot Clinics we confirm all appointments so if we leave you a message or an email, please call us back or reply to confirm your appointment. Twenty-four hours’ notice is requested for cancellations or reschedules.

Fees vary depending on the type of consultation that is required for your needs. Fees also vary between practitioners reflecting their experience. Initial consultations always cost more than follow up consultations. It is best to contact our clinic nearest to you for more information.

Initial consultations are 40 minutes and standard consultations are 30 minutes. Please allow extra time as consultations can often take longer, particularly if you have several problems to be assessed.

For most patients, podiatry is not covered by Medicare. However, if you are eligible for and have a registered Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) plan arranged by your doctor, at the Brunswick and Sandringham Foot Clinics with our Medicare online system we can submit your claim directly to Medicare on the day of your treatment. You will then receive your Medicare rebate directly into your bank account on the next working day. The CDMP allows up to 5 visits per calendar year. Please note, we do not bulk bill.

Yes, so if you have private health cover with extras and you are covered for podiatry, we can swipe your health fund card on the same day of treatment to claim your rebate and you will only pay the gap fee. Rebates will vary according to the level of cover you have.

We accept Visa, MasterCard, AMEX and EFTPOS.

If you have recent x-rays or ultrasound results of a foot or lower leg injuries then bring these to your appointment. If you already have orthotics you should bring these with you and the shoes that you usually wear so that our podiatrist can check them.

Your feet work every day, supporting your body with every step. They are enclosed in all manner of footwear, become sweaty, sometimes callused and occasionally painful. You should look after your feet and foot hygiene as you would your teeth. You should have an annual foot assessment to make sure your feet are healthy and to identify early if a problem is developing. Our experienced podiatrists can advise you if there are problems developing and what you can do to avoid those problems.

Some diabetic patients and those with poor circulation will need to be seen every 4 weeks for foot care. Our experienced podiatrists will advise you at your initial consultation how often you should return for treatment.

No

Yes, SWIFT is used by suitably trained podiatrists, not just on the feet but also the legs up to and including the knees. SWIFT has also been approved for use on the hands and the arms, up to and including the elbows.