Podiatrists have been able to buy a new toe pressure index device to help assess patients’ blood supply better thanks to generous supporters of Walsall Healthcare’s Well Wishers charity.

The ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) is a non-invasive method of assessing the extent of chronic peripheral arterial disease – a blood circulation disorder – in the lower limbs.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s community podiatry team uses ABPI as a proactive method to determine the quality of blood supply to the legs.

Podiatrist Alex Hadley, based at Bentley Health Centre, explained: “Early intervention for our patients can reduce the number of unnecessary referrals to the vascular department and can reduce the risk of lower limb amputation for them

“There are also cases where an ABPI result cannot be interpreted. Examples are when the lower limb arteries are too hard to compress (calcification) or when a podiatrist wants to specifically assess the microvascular circulations (toe blood vessels). This new toe pressure index device, provided by money raised through Well Wishers, means we can now assess the blood supply to the lower limbs where previous ABPI results were inconclusive.

“This further enhances our assessment of  patients by more accurately determining the quality of blood supply to the legs. The results will go towards our goal to reduce unnecessary referrals and reduce the risk of lower limb amputations.”

Georgie Westley, Fundraising Manager, added: “Thank you to everyone who makes donations to Well Wishers through the Purple Hub in the hospital – this shows another example of how your generosity helps us to buy items above and beyond what the NHS can provide.

“Through our daily sales of books, jigsaws, bric-a-brac, knitted items, cards and DVD we managed to raise £1671.60 to purchase this device and improve patient assessments.”