§ 45. Mr. Freethasked the Minister of Health if he will consider introducing during the present Parliament a Measure to extend the National Health Service to cover the services of chiropodists to those whose occupations require lengthy standing and to the aged.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Miss Patricia Hornsby-Smith)Legislation is not necessary. The services of chiropodists are already available in hospitals in the National Health Service for the purpose of treating or preventing a disability. Financial reasons have so far prevented my right hon. Friend approving any extension of this service by local health authorities.
§ Mr. FreethWould my hon. Friend please remember the very large amount of pain and discomfort felt on this account, particularly in the rural areas, and remember, too, the number of working days there are lost in the rural areas, and will she realise that here is possibly the largest gap in the National Health Service?
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithMy right hon. Friend has considered the matter. It is a question of priorities, and we have felt that the overriding claim so far on the finances of the Service has lain with other items in that Service.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopWould the hon. Lady consider it from the point of view of economy? It may be a help to make old people ambulant and so save a number of hospitalisation cases later.