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work to be done in it and also about the equipment. Those in whose
name the premises are licensed have to comply with the bye-laws relating
to the conduct of these premises. Licences are renewed annually. It is the
premises which are licensed and anyone who carries on similar treatment
not at any premises but at the homes of patients does not need to be
licensed.
Prior to April 1965, an authority could refuse a licence if it was
considered the person administering the treatment did not possess treatment
qualifications as may be reasonably necessary. Unfortunately this
was very difficult to act on as no minimum standards were laid down and
when the Borough Council applied some years ago to be allowed to make
a bye-law prescribing minimum standards, the request was not granted.
Furthermore, in April 1965, the Middlesex County Council Act 1944
was amended by the Local Law (North West London Boroughs) Order
1965, whereby an applicant for a licence no longer requires "technical
qualifications" but merely "qualifications" or "experience" and that Byelaws
made under the Act may no longer prescribe technical qualifications
to be possessed by any person at a Licensed Establishment.
The Health Committee were concerned with this lessening of the powers
of control over qualifications required of applicants and sought the views
of the Minister of Health.
The reply from the Minister stated that the policy adopted in the
Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960 was that state registration
should set uniform standards for chiropody, physiotherapy, etc., in
the National Health Service, but that unregistered persons should not be
de-barred from practising privately. The same principle applies to massage
and special treatment, and sections 356, 357 and 358 of the Act of 1944
were amended by the Local Law (North West London Boroughs) Order
1965, in pursuance of this policy. The reply went on to say that the relevant
licensing powers of Local Authorities were introduced primarily to ensure
that establishments were used for their avowed purposes and, in view of this
it was not the Ministry's function to give guidance on the exercise of these
powers, it being left to the Local Authority to decide whether their powers
enable them to refuse a licence.
The vast majority of chiropodists practice their profession after undertaking
a three-year course of instruction at a recognised school of chiropody.
On the other hand, some people practice chiropody and offer by
way of qualifications a variety of diplomas granted after taking courses of
instruction of varying duration and content—in some the theoretical part
is by means of correspondence courses, with a short practical course at
the end. There is obviously no comparison between these two courses and
one is naturally suspicious that the latter can be classified as "suitably
qualified". No doubt some of these practitioners by dint of many years of
practical experience become very skilled in their work, but basically I
think it is wrong that persons, whose qualifications are not sufficient to
enable them to get employment in the National Health Service, should be
able to treat the public in their own private establishments.