Chiropody Services (Hansard, 22 November 1954)

23. Mrs. Slater
asked the Minister of Health the circumstances which preclude a local authority from providing chiropody treatment, especially for old people, while a voluntary body may do this from funds provided for meals for old people and get a grant from the local authority to make up their funds.

§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Miss Patricia Hornsby-Smith)
A local authority requires my right hon. Friend's approval to provide a chiropody service under the National Health Service Act as part of its arrangements for the prevention of illness, care and after care; for financial reasons it has not been possible ao approve extensions of this service.

Mrs. Slater
Is the hon. Lady aware that between 25 and 70 per cent. of old people need chiropody treatment and that most of these should have the treatment in their own homes in order to keep them on their feet and relieve the strain of ill-health on the other medical services; and as the provision of meals is really a service which touches only a very small proportion of the people in the large industrial areas, will she not ask her right hon. Friend to look at this matter again?

§ Miss Hornsby-Smith
My right hon. Friend fully appreciates the help to old people which this service would be, but there are other priorities confronting the National Health Service at the present time and it has not been found possible to enable other authorities to provide this treatment.

§ Mr. Marquand
In Scotland, apparently, there is plenty of money available, because local authorities there are providing this treatment. Is the hon. Lady satisfied that England and Wales should lag behind Scotland in this matter?

§ Miss Hornsby-Smith
Certainly not.

§ 45. Dr. Stross
asked the Minister of Health how many local health authorities have made representations to him with a view to the provision by him of chiropody services, particularly for old people: and whether he will give an estimate of the cost of such provision to the whole of the country.

§ Miss Hornsby-Smith
Sixteen authorities have approached my right hon. Friend. The national cost would be about a £1 million annually.

§ Dr. Stross
In view of the fact that perhaps much more money might be spent than this £1 million if people who are thereby unable to get about have to use the hospital service for long stays in hospital beds, does not the hon. Lady and her right hon. Friend think that this might have sufficient priority to be given immediate consideration?

§ Miss Hornsby-Smith
I am afraid I cannot add any more to the comment I made to the hon. Lady the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Mrs. Slater), who asked me a similar question. Whilst we realise the value of this service, we feel there are higher and more urgent priorities at the present time, and we are not able to provide this further £1 million.

§ Mr. Marquand
Would not the cost of this service represent £500,000 to the local authorities and only £500,000 to the Exchequer?

§ Dr. Stross
Owing to the fact that the answer is not satisfactory, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.