§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances health authorities (a) have a duty to provide and (b) may charge for domiciliary chiropody services for disabled persons who cannot attend clinics; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossiHealth authorities are expected to provide domiciliary chiropody treatment as required to housebound elderly and handicapped persons. They must not charge for this service.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what improvements have been made to the chiropody services for elderly and handicapped people since the reorganisation in April 1974; if he is satisfied that sufficient resources are provided to the service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe overwhelming majority of persons freated by the National Health Service community chiropody services are elderly or handicapped. The number of persons aged 65 and over in England treated by these services rose from 1,235,382 in 1974 to 1,331,072 in 1980. The number of handicapped treated378W rose from 23,734 to 37,269 between the same years. The equivalent provisional figures for 1981 are 1,368,000 and 41,000 respectively. The number of whole-time equivalent chiropodists employed in the National Health Service as a whole rose from 1,473 in 1974 to 2,068 in 1980. I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend gave him on 31 July 1980.—[Vol. 989, c. 832–3.]