Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Chiropodists/podiatrists assess, diagnose and treat conditions and abnormalities of the foot and lower limb. Podiatry services can significantly improve a person's quality of life by alleviating painful symptoms and maintaining mobility. The availability of chiropody services provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) varies across the country. Where chiropody services are provided by the HSE the following groups usually get priority:

• Medical card holders who are aged 65 and over
• People who have Health Amendment Act Cards
• People who have illnesses such as diabetes or arthritis
• People with disabilities

People can make enquiries with their GP, Public Health Nurse, or Local Health Office for information about which chiropody services are available in their area.

In County Dublin and County Wicklow primarily, there has been a long-standing chiropody treatment card scheme, where qualified podiatrists can apply to be on a register as a HSE approved chiropodist/podiatrist. Once approved, patients can request to attend the private podiatrist clinic or request a domiciliary visit from a private podiatrist. Medical Card holders over the age of 65 years or people with Diabetes who hold a medical card (or in some cases, a Long Term Illness card), are entitled to apply for a chiropody treatment card. Each person under this scheme can avail of 3-6 treatments per year. The HSE pays the private podiatrist €33.41 for a domiciliary visit and €22.88 for clinical visit. The patients then top up the payment themselves and the fee is determined by the podiatrist.

The HSE provide an extensive range of aids and appliances to individuals living with a wide variety of different medical conditions. These support individuals to continue living within their communities and to enjoy a greater quality of life than would otherwise be the case. The Community Funded Schemes is the collective name for the provision of these products and services.

The HSE established a National Service Improvement Programme for the Community Funded Schemes. The Programme has produced a national list of aids and appliances and associated prescribing criteria. This is available at:

www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/2/primarycare/community-funded-schemes/aids-and-appliances/.

The intent of this list is to improve equity of access to appropriate aids and appliances, following assessment, for all eligible persons, including those requiring care in their homes.