Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:964 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health and Children the provisions being made for the improvement and expansion of chi ropody treatment under the general medical services scheme. [20638/03]
Written Answers. - General Medical Services Scheme.
Health boards are not legally obliged to provide chiropody services to medical card holders. The formal position is that arrangements for the provision of services, including chiropody services, are a matter for the individual health boards, having regard to their priorities within the funding allocated. Accordingly, chiropody services provided by health boards vary somewhat throughout the country but priority is usually given to medical card holders who are aged 65 years and over, people who have contracted hepatitis C directly or indirectly from the use of human immunoglobulin anti-D or from the receipt within Ireland of any blood product or blood transfusion and who have Health (Amendment) Act, 1996, cards, and people with illnesses such as diabetes or arthritis. A person must be referred for chiropody services by their general practitioner or a public health nurse and most boards provide three chiropody treatments per annum to all medical card holders over the age of 65 when considered clinically necessary. There are no plans to change the manner of delivery of the service at present.