…health matters

On the 31st January 2007 Sarah-Jane, along with other podiatrists launched the Feet Matter campaign to 100 Parliamentarians. The MP's had their feet checked out by podiatrists at the palace of Westminster's first foot health check event. The event was a huge success, with 100 MPs and Peers attending for a foot check and an opportunity to find out more about this important and hugely popular service.

The Campaign Aims are:

• Raise awareness among MP's that good foot health is an essential component to quality of life and podiatry is a key element of preventative medicine.
• Foot health enhances quality of life by ensuring people stay independent and active for longer. These foot health services have undisputed cost effective clinical benefits. Not receiving professional foot care can lead to increase levels of physical, mental and social problems for patients.
• Better managed foot health is essential, given to rises in the numbers suffering from diabetes and obesity, which leads to more complex and costly interventions on health and social services in the future.
• Primary Care Trust (PCT's) are responsilbe for ensuring that comprehensive foot health services are commissioned, whether from exisitng NHS podiatry services to local podiatry private practitioners. Yet, largely due to financial constraints, many have reduced their expenditure on foot health services. The failure to invest adequately in chiropody services runs the risk of defeating objectives to prevent illness, reduce health inequalities and promote healthy and active life among the population.

The event was supported by key campainging and representative organisations including Diabetes UK, Help the Aged, Age Concern England, UNITE - the national federation of BT and Royal Mail Pensioners, the National Pensioners Convention and emPOWER.

The picture shows Sarah-Jane with Local MP Malcolm Moss.