§ 31. Mr. Brintonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reconsider his decision that only State registered chiropodists may work for the National Health Service.
§ Sir George YoungState registration remains the only recognised national standard against which the training and competence of chiropodists can be measured. Health Ministers hope shortly to issue a consultative document on possible amendment of the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960 so as to restrict the use of professional titles under the Act in spheres such as chiropody to State registered practitioners. Any proposals must, of course, be generally acceptable to the chiropody profession, health authorities and Parliament. Such proposals might admit to the State register under transitional arrangements many experienced but currently unregistered chiropodists: the conditions of eligibility would be matters to be decided in due course through detailed consultations with the professions concerned and other interests. NHS chiropodists may already be supported in their work by foot care assistants to undertake simple foot care of the kind which a healthy adult would be able to undertake for himself, leaving the chiropodist free to concentrate on treatments requiring his or her professional skills.