NHS Borders have Practice Placement Agreements with the following Scottish Universities to take multiple Podiatry students:

For more information on Podiatry Practice Placements in the Borders, please contact: Podiatry Student Placements via Podiatry admin

The Scottish Borders region covers a wide geographical area, this allows for a variation of settings throughout your placement.

-       Melrose:           The Borders General Hospital (BGH)

-       Peebles:            Haylodge Health Centre

-       Hawick:             Hawick Health Centre

-       Galashiels:        Galashiels Health Centre

-       Kelso:               Kelso Hospital

Community Podiatrists are based in various hospitals and health centres. They see new patients and high risk review patients. This can vary from wounds that are shared care between the hospital and community, to MSK.  They also do nail surgery in community clinics and, as Podiatry students, you can also be involved in Nail Surgery and Local Anesthetics. 

NHS Borders only see New and high risk patients. They encourage and promote personal footcare and independence.  New patients are assessed, treated and often discharged after one or 2 appointments with advice and foot education.

NHS Borders Podiatry has specialist Podiatrists in Diabetes, MSK and Podopeds. These are based at the Borders General Hospital in Melrose and Galashiels Health Centre.  There are opportunities to shadow within these clinics, for those who are interested. 

 

Getting around

The Borders General Hospital: Chiefswood Road, Melrose, TD6 9BS 

Train:         Closest train station is Tweedbank, with a 21 minute walk to the hospital, or a  bus ride

Bus:             bus stop is Darnick Vale, Darnick, 6 minutes walk; Waverley Castle, Darnick is 14 minutes walk. 

Car:              Parking available

Haylodge Health Centre: Neidpath Road, Peebles, EH45 8JG

By train:          No close stop.  You can take the Borders rail line to Galashiels, then take the bus up to Peebles

By bus:           Bus from St Andrews square to Peebles – peak times only

By car:            Parking available

Hawick Health Centre/ Teviot Medical Practice: Teviot Road, Hawick, TD9 9DT

By train-       Take the train to Galashiels, then the bus to Hawick.

By bus-         Gala to Hawick bus

By car-          Parking available

Galashiels Health Centre: Currie Road, Town Centre, Galashiels, TD1 2UA

By train:            Borders rail direct from Waverley. takes 1hr. 

By bus:             From St Andrew Bus station to Galashiels 

By car:              Parking available

Kelso Hospital: Inch Road, Kelso, TD5 7JP

By train:          Not a viable option

By bus:           Morning and eveing bus runs to and from Kelso

By car:           Parking available

 

Will I go to every healthcare setting throughout my placement?

It is likely that you will visit more than one of these locations, however this is not mandatory and will depend upon the duration of your placement as well as your mode of travel. 

Places to stay:

There are a multitude of Air BnB’s located centrally in each town.

There are multiple hotels and Bed and Breakfasts in the Borders. 

 

A 3rd year Podiatry student’s experience of Practice Placement in the Scottish Borders:

For my third-year end of year external placement I was given the opportunity to go to NHS Borders. My previous placement experience had been in Glasgow at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, so I knew this was going to be quite different.

I was allocated to four different locations throughout my two weeks: The Borders General Hospital (BGH) in Melrose, Haylodge Health centre in Peebles, Hawick Health Centre and Galashiels Health Centre. Each of these are placed in pleasing locations, allowing for stunning lunchtime walks, when the weather permitted. The variety initially made me feel nervous as I would be meeting new people each day and moving to different locations, however, there was no need to worry as the Podiatry team in the Borders consists of a very friendly group of twelve Podiatrists.

 This small team meant that each Podiatrist is a ‘generalised specialist’, dealing with any and all Podiatry related complications, leading to a diverse group of patients. The exception is the Diabetic Wound clinic that takes place at the Borders General Hospital which deals with, you guessed it, diabetic wounds. I also spent a day in nail surgery which allowed me to get into the swing of the procedure, and a day with an orthotist.

I stayed in a different Air B&B each week, dependent on the locations I had placement on each given week, the Podiatry Team Lead Kathryn was flexible when discussing and allocating my locations. ‘Everywhere in the Borders is always only 30 minutes away’; a phrase I heard multiple times and very soon I realised it to be true. Whilst this rule made it easy for myself as I was driving, I do feel that without a car I may have struggled. I have enjoyed my two weeks immensely; I feel I have learnt a lot and I would recommend this location to other students.

For more information on Podiatry Practice Placements in the Borders, please contact:

Podiatry Student Placements via Podiatry admin