What we want

• Cutbacks – NHS cutbacks and new stringent eligibility criteria are making it harder for older people to get the basic foot care they need.
• False economy – By refusing to pay for older people’s foot care now, the Government is paying more in the long run when it has to pick up the pieces.
• New guidance – Health officials should develop guidelines that will open up access to free, quality foot care services.

Cutbacks

On a tight budget, the NHS is having to cut back on its non mainstream services. Quality foot care for older people has been one of the victims. It’s now much harder for older people to qualify for basic NHS foot care services like check-ups, toenail cutting, and medication for bunions and blisters.

That means hundreds of thousands of older people are living a daily life of pain and discomfort. Foot pain can stop older people from going out, effectively cutting them off from friends, shopping and services.

For the price of a £3.50 toenail cut, older people’s lives are being made a misery. With over half of all older people needing some kind of foot care, we believe basic services should be free for older people. Older people should be able to refer themselves and not have to wait until the problem is so serious they have to go to the doctor.

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False economy

If the Government wants to save NHS funds, cutting back on preventative health services like good foot care for older people is not the way. Give older people regular free foot check-ups and problems can be prevented before they’ve started. With healthy feet, older people are less susceptible to falls or to having to seek emergency treatment. Their mental health and their quality of life is better, because they can get out more.

Our research shows the number of NHS staff dealing with foot care would need to double to meet the needs of older people, but this will lead to a much greater saving in the long term.

New guidance

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) provides guidance to the NHS on providing better services. We’re calling for NICE to introduce guidance that prioritises good quality free preventative foot care for older people. Help the Aged would like to see a Parliamentary enquiry into why so few older people are eligible for NHS podiatry services.

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What you can do

Tell us your stories – We’d like to hear your experiences of NHS podiatry. Have you been able to get the foot care you need? What effect has poor foot health had on your quality of life?

Your experiences help us to make a stronger case in our campaigning work for better foot care services.

Get in touch with us at:
Campaigns team
Help the Aged
207-221 Pentonville Road
London, N1 9UZ
020 7278 1114
Email us.

Frequently asked questions

How many people are affected?

According to a University of Nottingham study, around one quarter of over-65s with foot problems are not receiving the foot care they need. Over half of older people have minor foot care needs. But free access to NHS podiatry services is not based on age. Patients with only minor foot problems can’t get check-ups or low level care for free. They have to wait until they have a serious problem before being eligible.

It is outrageous that older people have to be in excruciating pain before they can get free help.

What kind of foot problems do older people face?

After a lifetime on their feet, older people are bound to be most susceptible to foot problems. Age-related decreases in joint flexibility, bad backs (preventing older people from bending to clean feet, or cut toenails) and cheap or poor quality shoes all contribute to the problem. The major, and most painful conditions include bunions, blisters and sores, ingrown toenails, cracks and fungus. Most problems are entirely preventable with regular check-ups.

Where can I get more information?

Read ‘Best Foot Forward: Older people and foot care’, published by Help the Aged, March 2005. Copies are available from our Publications section.