This study was an attempt to confirm the results of an earlier experiment in which the benefit of an education programme was assessed in a group of people with diabetes complicated by ulceration of the foot. Foot ulcers are the source of considerable suffering and cost and carry a high risk of amputation: they are difficult to heal and approximately 40% recur in the first 12 months. The earlier experiment (published by Malone and colleagues in 1989) indicated that a single hour-long education session appeared to lead to a three-fold reduction in the numbers of ulcers which recurred after successful treatment. It was not possible to confirm these findings in the present study in which patients from three specialist clinics in Nottingham and Derby, UK, were allocated either to receive a one-to-one, individually targeted, education programme in the own home (and reinforced after one month by a telephone call), or to receive usual care. The group who received the education reported better recommended foot care behaviour (intended to minimise the risk of injury) at 12 months but despite this, there was no difference between the two groups in the percentage who suffered either a new ulcer (41% education versus 41% usual care) or amputation (10% and 11%, respectively). While the benefit of education is undeniable in general, it was not possible to show that this particular teaching session had an impact on the occurrence of new disease in this group of patients.