Diabetes patient faces 98-week wait for essential foot care in Central Denmark Region

A diabetic woman in Aarhus has been told she must wait 98 weeks for foot therapy, as average wait times in the Central Denmark Region climb to 29 weeks, according to a report by DR.

Lone Astrup, who has lived with diabetes for over 20 years, was placed 99th on a waiting list when she contacted her local foot therapist in Brabrand, a suburb of Aarhus. “I said, ‘What did you say? 99th on the waiting list?’ It’s completely absurd,” she told DR. Until recently, Astrup managed her own foot care, but a broken thighbone now requires professional treatment to prevent serious complications.

Diabetes often reduces sensation and circulation in the feet, making even minor wounds prone to severe infection, gangrene, and potential amputation. Regular foot care is critical for prevention, but Astrup—who works as an educator—said she is “furious” that she cannot access treatment when she needs it.

The Central Denmark Region has long faced criticism for its “ydernummer” system, which restricts publicly funded foot therapy to clinics with specific regional contracts. A spending cap further limits how many patients each clinic can treat, even if therapists have capacity. Poul Berggreen, a Liberal Party regional council member and newly elected chair of the Foot Therapy Cooperation Committee, acknowledged the system is failing patients. “We cannot accept this situation,” he said, adding that the region is now assessing the cost of expanding contracts and removing spending limits.

For Astrup, changes won’t come soon enough. The nearest clinic with shorter wait times is in central Aarhus, 10 kilometers away—an impractical distance with her mobility issues and limited parking. While some Aarhus clinics report wait times as short as one week, most exceed eight weeks. “I don’t know what to do,” she said. “I’ll have to see if I can afford a private clinic.”

She emphasized that her frustration extends beyond her own case: “I know many elderly people who can’t just take a bus downtown for ongoing treatment.” Having previously worked in healthcare, she warned of the severe consequences of untreated foot problems in diabetes patients.

Denmark currently has at least 360,000 people with diabetes—6% of the population—with projections reaching 467,000 by 2030.