Albury resident Jane Greig says she probably would not regularly access foot care if it was not available at her local community centre.
Ms Greig said the familiar environment of the local community centre was why many residents like herself felt confident attending the Charles Sturt University (CSU) student-led outreach podiatry clinic.
"You come here, it's home to a degree, you know everyone," she said.
"We hate to tell our story over again, and Cate Melville [clinic supervisor] is here all the time, which is really important for us."
The clinic has been at the Westside Community Centre since July 2021.
CSU clinical educator and podiatrist Cate Melville said it was important for the clinic to be at Westside.
"For many within the Westside community, accessing podiatry services had been problematic due to various factors including affordability, increasing living costs, access to transport, lack of support, and isolation," she said.
"Having the clinic at Westside, where most of those factors are taken out of the equation, had enabled many people in the Westside Community to access essential podiatry services far more easily."
The clinic was initially funded by Charles Sturt University's Three Rivers Department of Rural Health and is now being funded by the Australian government's Primary Health Network.
Westside Community Centre manager Tracy Zani said Westside was a community centre and a support service that provided a broad range of services to the local community.
"That could be case management, therapeutic needs, emergency food support or social connection, cultural and support programs like our over 50's group, youth programs and homework programs."
Family and Youth coordinator Stacey Franklin said Westside was keen to have the clinic based at the community centre once a week.
"Having the opportunity to have health providers, particularly the podiatry group, come out and do this was something our community probably never accessed," she said.
"So any way we can help to extend people's health and make sure they are living a healthy, happy life is a high priority."
Best foot forward
The podiatry clinic is led by senior students, with Ms Melville supervising.
Ms Melville said good foot health was fundamental to maintaining mobility and independence.
"Which in turn help with physical and mental health, and overall wellbeing," he said.
"Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for developing chronic diseases and dying prematurely.
"Many people have diabetes, so we assess their neurovascular status — so how good feeling and blood flow is to their feet — and we do a biomechanical assessment, look at how they walk and how their joints are working, and address the issues that they have."
A model for future health services
Ms Franklin said the success of the podiatry clinic could pave the way for other outreach services to be accessed at Westside, including dentistry.
"Oral health is a huge issue," she said.
"The affordability of that is reality unrealistic for a lot of people that live in the community, so it would be good to see [an outreach dental clinic at Westside] down the track."
Ms Melville said there was huge potential for other courses and students to provide services to the Westside community.
"It is mutually beneficial," she said.
"The students learn things, and the community addresses health issues that haven't been met."
