Govt 'failing' on elderly foot care

Monday, 20 August 2007 12:00 AM

A lack of chiropody services is leaving thousands of older people housebound, a report has claimed.

Age Concern's Feet for Purpose warned older people are adversely affected by long waiting lists for foot care services in the NHS, with many being forced to pay for private care or rely on charitable help.

The charity found one in three pensioners cannot cut their own toe nails, resulting in two million older people who may require NHS services.

Age Concern warns inadequate foot care can reduce mobility and increase the risk of falls among older people. A lack of chiropody services can therefore leave older people housebound and disabled, it claims.

It has found extreme cases of elderly people attempting to cut their toenails with garden shears of kicking their feet against walls to shorten their nails.

Age Concern is campaigning for chiropody to be included in the government's targets for maximum waiting times of 18 weeks.

Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern, said: "Foot care services are failing older people, and a postcode lottery is leaving those in some areas without any services at all.

"Age Concerns do their best to help bridge the gaps in services, but many people are left without adequate foot care. The Department of Health (DoH) must take a lead in resolving this problem."

A DoH spokesperson said the government recognised the importance of chiropody services and was working to reduce working times.

They said: "We expect the NHS to provide high quality chiropody services as we know healthy feet have a huge impact on the quality of life of older people. It is up to Primary Care Trusts to assess the needs of their local population and to provide services accordingly.

"While the 18 week target does not cover chiropody, it will mean faster access to treatment for many conditions affecting older people that involve consultant-led care."

The Conservatives seized on the report as proof the government is failing on its promises on dignity in care.

Shadow health minister Stephen O'Brien said: "Proper foot care is a key to dignity and freedom for so many older people, not least those with diabetes, and yet this government was happy to watch podiatry services collapse in the aftermath of the NHS deficits."

Mr O'Brien argued it was wrong for charitable services to be covering NHS services and said the government's handling of the health service was "literally paralysing" older people.

"For all their talk of dignity and care, Labour is failing our older people," he said.

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• domestic policy
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• equality
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• health
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• nhs
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• older people
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