Whittington Health community podiatry is introducing a pilot pathway that allows podiatrists to supply (not prescribe) a limited range of oral antibiotics directly to eligible community podiatry patients.

The pilot is expected to begin in August at Holloway Health Centre and Lordship Lane Primary Care Centre, with full rollout planned by year end.

This aims to reduce requests to GPs and streamline care, in line with primary/secondary care interface principles.

Podiatrists will be able to supply one 7 day pack of amoxicillin, erythromycin, or flucloxacillin, following Royal Pharmaceutical Society and Royal College of Podiatrists guidance. This applies only to patients on the podiatry caseload who are systemically well and present with suspected or low level infections that do not require escalation.

Escalation pathways remain unchanged; patients who are moderately or severely infected, systemically unwell, or high risk will continue to be referred to acute services or the podiatry hot clinic.

A new process has been developed with Whittington pharmacy, who will issue the prescription that podiatrists then supply. This is not independent prescribing, and podiatrists do not hold prescribing rights.

GPs may still be contacted when:

• the patient cannot take any of the three antibiotics available for supply,
• there are contraindications,
• the clinical picture is unclear,
• the patient is housebound and requires antibiotics.

Whittington Health will be among the first community podiatry services in London to implement this model, supporting antimicrobial stewardship, improving patient flow, and reducing GP workload.

Any questions, please contact service manager, Sam Holden.