§ Mr. PickthallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to enable the NHS to utilise the services of non-state registered chiropodists. [12439]
§ Mr. HuttonNon-state registered chiropodists, also known as unregulated practitioners, are not allowed to practise in the national health service. However, we recognise that non-state registered chiropodists do have important skills to offer.
This is one of the reasons we are proposing to modernise the regulation of professional healthcare staff. From April 2002 a new Health Professions Council will be established and all those wishing to be able to practise in the NHS will be able to seek registration. The Council 286W will require all practitioners to meet accepted standards of safe practice, and apply consistent, fair and appropriate measures to deal with practitioners whose practice falls short of those standards.