HC Deb 28 April 1988 vol 132 c254W
Mr. Atkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement on the future of the chiropody service;

(2) if he will make a statement on the future of the chiropody profession;

(3) if he will make a statement on the future of the chiropody profession;

(4) when he intends to reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East on the future of chiropody services in January and Februrary; and if he will give the reasons for the delay.

Mrs. Currie

[pursuant to her reply, 22 April 1988, c. 596]: The Cartwright report, "More Trouble with Feet", pointed to the need to improve chiropody services for the elderly. We have concluded that a number of recommendations in the report should be implemented and we propose discussing with the chiropody profession and other interested bodies how this might be achieved.

These discussions are likely to cover the wider use of foot care assistants, encouraging more contractual and sessional arrangements with private chiropodists, and the place which chiropodists might play in primary care teams in the future, as suggested in the White Paper "Promoting Better Health".