HEALTH professionals have teamed up with the aim to “ease the burden on the NHS”.

Podiatrist Jenny Foley – who launched her practice amid the Covid pandemic – has relocated and joined chiropractor Simon Hurley at St Woolos Complete Care on Clifton Road in Newport.

Podiatrists Jenny Foley and Lucy Curtis can help with feet ailments, while Mr Hurley helps people struggling with their back or spine and plans to get another chiropractor on board.

There’s also an audiologist based in the building with physiotherapy operating from the site on weekends and a biomech specialist attending on Tuesday evenings.

South Wales Argus:

“We’re taking a risk,” said Ms Foley.

“It’s scary owning a business with everything going on right now, but you just have to do it.

“Our aim is to get people sorted and to not have to come back; we want to be a focal point for people with problems.

“A patient with multiple issues can be treated all in one place.”

St Woolos Complete Care has free parking, is based near the Royal Gwent Hospital and St Woolos Hospital. The team can liase with one another and resolve multiple issues.

For example, a patient came in with an ingrown nail; they mentioned an earache while they were there and South Wales Hearing Health sorted it (with Ms Foley sorting the foot issue) within an hour.

Staff can refer people to the NHS or give them private treatment if desired.

The practice is the vision of Mr Hurley, who was previously based across the road and hopes to create a centre of excellence.

“I’ve worked as a chiropractor for 21 years and I was treating a lot of patients who fell outside the scope of my practice,” explained Mr Hurley.

“I asked myself ‘how can I bring a clinic together to treat the person as a whole?’

“My vision was to start with the bottom – feet and lower limbs – and I will manage the spine. Physiotherapy helps with the mechanics.

“The NHS is the lifeblood of the UK; I understand the pressure on the NHS and the need for us [and others] to help ease the burden.”

South Wales Argus:

The private care means patients can avoid NHS waiting lists and gives staff more time to learn about patients; a new patient will spend an hour there compared to around seven minutes for a GP appointment.

“Getting to know our patients and their families is fantastic and helps them as a whole,” added Ms Foley.

She added that private healthcare doesn’t have to cost a fortune; despite moving to a bigger space she has kept her prices the same with her aim to make it “affordable, accessible, and comfortable”.

A new patient (for podiatry) will pay £51 for a full diabetes assessment allowing Ms Foley or Ms Curtis to know their full foot health; this can be repeated annually. It’s cheaper for those who have to come back with Ms Foley checking prices regularly to ensure it’s affordable.