Vince Cable

Elderly residents are becoming concerned at the long waiting times before they can obtain local chiropody services. Patients are finding that they can wait two months for an appointment and sessions have been gradually reduced from 6 to 3 a year. The Primary Care Trust, in a letter to Vincent Cable MP, has acknowledged that there is a problem but explains it in terms of growing numbers of complex cases and teething difficulties with a new computer-based booking system. It denies that there has been any reduction in the staff.

Vincent Cable said: "One of the inevitable difficulties with having an increasing number of very elderly and frail people in the community is that many are dependent on NHS podiatrists for basic foot care like nail cutting as well as specialist foot care. So far the services have lagged behind and there are worrying waiting lists.

"The potentially good news is that the health service is trying to recruit trained foot care assistants to work in day centres so as to take the pressure off specialist NHS services. In the meantime elderly people are wondering who will look after their feet."