Optical Charges and Payments (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These regulations further amend the Optical Charges and Payments Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989 (“the principal regulations”) which provide for payments to be made, by means of a voucher system, in respect of costs incurred by certain categories of persons in connection with the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances.

Regulation 2 provides for an increase in the charges for glasses and contact lenses supplied by a Board or an HSS trust.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 20 of the principal regulations (redemption value for replacement or repair) to increase the value of an optical voucher issued towards the cost of replacing a single contact lens, and to increase the maximum contribution by way of voucher to the cost of repairing a frame.

Regulation 4(1) amends Schedule 1 to the principal regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of the supply and replacement of glasses and contact lenses.

Regulation 4(2) increases the additional values for vouchers for prisms, tints, photochromic lenses and special categories of appliances.

Regulation 4(3) and the Schedule substitute a new Schedule 3 in the principal regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of the repair and replacement of optical appliances.

The rate of increase is, on average, approximately 1%.