Liz McManus
Question:426 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health if he will undertake to recognise chiropody bodies, other than the society of chiropody, to allow them to get on the health board panel.
Written Answers. - Recognition of Chiropody Bodies.
An Assessment and Advisory Committee was established in 1975, with the approval of the Minister for Health, to assess the qualifications of chiropodists who wished to provide services on behalf of health boards or who might apply for full-time employment as officers of health boards.
The committee operates independently of the Department of Health. Under its own terms of reference, it seeks to maintian standards in chiropody services provided to public patients. The committee assesses persons by reference to their qualifications or experience. The criteria for admission to the committee's list of approved chiropodist are: (1) the possession of a formal qualification in chiropody gained after a course of at least three years duration from a recognised School of Chiropody or; (2) completion of a number of years in full-time practice in chiropody prior to June, 1963, subject to assessment.
These are the same as the criteria required by the statutory Chiropodists' Registration Board in the United Kingdom and for employment under the British National Health Service. A longstanding reciprocity of standards with the United Kingdom has thus been maintained.
There is no recognised School of Chiropody in the Republic of Ireland. The possibility of establishing such a facility is under active examination.