§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent changes in the level of podiatric care there have been in the Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Health Authority area. [31853]
§ Ms BlearsI apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
763WIncreasing demand for podiatry care has placed intense pressure on the local chiropody service. As a result service provision was reviewed in order to ensure that care was provided safely and within available resources. Clearer admissions criteria have been introduced, designed to address the needs of those patients with high and medium clinical need across the current caseload of approximately 35,000 patients.