Podiatrist at Brookside Medical Centre, Wanneroo
Podiatrist at Brookside Medical Centre, Wanneroo
Brookside Medical Centre is home to Nicola Rothera, a qualified podiatrist who works alongside our GPs to treat foot, ankle, and lower-limb conditions for patients across Perth’s northern suburbs. Whether you have been living with heel pain, you have a diabetic foot review due, or you need orthotic support, Nicola provides assessment and ongoing care under the same roof as the doctor who knows your medical history.
Treating feet well matters. Painful or unstable feet change the way you walk, the way you stand at work, and how willing you are to keep moving — which in turn affects weight, blood pressure, joint pain, and mood. Having a podiatrist on-site means joined-up care between your GP and podiatrist, with referrals managed within the same practice.
Conditions Our Podiatrist Treats
Nicola consults across the full breadth of musculoskeletal and medical podiatry. Common reasons people are referred to her include:
- Heel pain, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendinopathy
- Bunions, hammertoes, and other forefoot deformities
- Ingrown toenails, including conservative and minor-procedure management
- Corns, calluses, and persistent verrucae (plantar warts)
- Flat feet, fallen arches, and leg-length discrepancies
- Diabetic foot assessments, neurovascular checks, and ulcer prevention
- Sports injuries — sprains, strains, stress fractures, and overuse syndromes
- Children’s foot development, in-toeing, out-toeing, and gait concerns
- Custom and prefabricated orthotic prescription and review
- Footwear advice for work, sport, pregnancy, and post-surgery recovery
- Arthritic foot pain in older adults
- Pre and post-operative care for foot or ankle surgery
If you are not sure whether your concern fits, please call reception on (08) 6500 1550 and our team can help triage.
Medicare-Rebated Podiatry Visits
Many of our patients see Nicola under a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan, previously known as an Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) plan. If you live with a chronic medical condition that has been present (or is likely to be present) for at least six months — diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, severe arthritis, or similar — your GP at Brookside can prepare a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangement (Medicare items 721 and 723). This referral entitles you to a Medicare rebate of approximately $59.55 per podiatry consultation.
Medicare allows up to five allied health sessions per calendar year in total, shared across providers such as podiatrists, physiotherapists, dietitians, and exercise physiologists. Eligibility is determined by your GP based on your medical history, not by self-referral.
We also support:
- DVA Gold and White Card holders (where the condition is accepted), with no out-of-pocket cost for clinically appropriate podiatry visits
- NDIS participants who are self-managed or plan-managed
- Private health fund members with extras cover that includes podiatry — most major funds rebate a portion of the consultation fee
If you would like to know whether you qualify for a CDM plan, book a long GP appointment first and your doctor will assess this with you.
What to Expect at Your First Podiatry Appointment
Your initial consultation with Nicola runs for approximately 45 to 60 minutes. This allows time to talk through your concern, examine the foot or ankle in detail, and discuss assessment and management options. Nicola will take a full history, ask about your footwear, activity, pain pattern, and any underlying conditions, and assess your gait, joint range, skin and nail condition, and circulation.
If you have been referred for diabetic foot screening, expect a neurovascular assessment including monofilament testing and pulse checks. If you have been referred for biomechanical pain, expect a movement assessment and a clear conversation about whether orthotics, footwear changes, exercises, or onward imaging are most likely to help. Bring the shoes you wear most often — they tell the podiatrist a lot.
You will leave with a written plan and clear next steps. Follow-up reviews are typically 30 minutes.
Serving Wanneroo and Perth’s Northern Corridor
Brookside Medical Centre is located at 1/981 Wanneroo Road, Wanneroo WA 6065, with off-street parking and easy access from Wanneroo Road. Nicola sees patients from across Perth’s northern growth corridor, including Banksia Grove, Two Rocks, Yanchep, Pearsall, Tapping, Joondalup, Mariginiup, Sinagra, Madeley, and Landsdale.
Patients tell us they appreciate not having to travel into central Perth for podiatry care. Having a podiatrist working alongside the GPs and nurses at Brookside also means your management plan stays joined-up — your podiatrist, doctor, and care team are quite literally in the same building.
Book a Podiatry Appointment
To book with Nicola, call reception on (08) 6500 1550 or use online booking via our book now page. We are open Monday to Friday 8:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday 9:00am to 1:00pm.
If you do not yet have a CDM referral and you think you may be eligible, we recommend booking a long GP appointment first so your doctor can assess this and prepare the plan. Reception is happy to arrange both visits in sequence where possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a GP referral to see the podiatrist?
No, you can book directly with Nicola as a private patient. However, you do need a GP referral under a Chronic Disease Management plan (items 721/723) if you want to claim the Medicare rebate.
Will I get a Medicare rebate?
Only if you have an active CDM plan from your GP. The rebate is approximately $59.55 per consultation, and Medicare permits a maximum of five allied health sessions per calendar year across all providers.
Do you treat children’s feet?
Yes. Nicola sees children for in-toeing, out-toeing, flat feet, growing pains, sports-related foot pain, and footwear advice. If a child is too young or anxious to tolerate a full assessment, we work at their pace across more than one visit.
Can I claim with private health insurance?
Yes, most major Australian health funds rebate podiatry under their extras cover. The amount depends on your fund, level of cover, and remaining annual limit — please check directly with your insurer. You cannot claim both Medicare and private health for the same consultation.
Do you provide orthotics?
Yes. Nicola can prescribe both off-the-shelf and custom-made orthotics where clinically appropriate. The decision is based on a biomechanical assessment. Where the assessment does not support orthotics, Nicola will say so and discuss other options.
