1991 No. 583
The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1991
Made
Laid before Parliament
Coming into force
The Secretary of State for Health, in exercise of powers conferred by sections 38(1), (4) and (6), 39, 78(1), 81, 82 and 126(4) of, and paragraphs 2 and 2A of Schedule 12 to, the National Health Service Act 19771 and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:
Citation, commencement and interpretation1
1
These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1991 and shall come into force on 1st April 1991.
2
In these Regulations, “the principal Regulations” means the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 19892.
Amendment of regulation 1 of the principal Regulations2
In regulation 1(2) of the principal Regulations (Interpretation)—
a
in the definition of “complex appliance”—
i
in sub-paragraph (b) for “lens;” there is substituted “lens, or”; and
ii
after sub-paragraph (b) there is added the following sub-paragraph:—
c
is a prism-controlled bifocal lens;
b
in the definition of “responsible authority”—
i
in sub-paragraph (b) after the words “health authority” there are inserted the words “or NHS trust” 3; and
ii
after sub-paragraph (c) there is inserted the following sub-paragraph:—
d
in relation to a voucher issued pursuant to regulation 11 or completed pursuant to regulation 17 by an NHS trust, the District Health Authority in whose district the patient resides;
c
in the definition of “voucher” in sub-paragraph (b) after the words “health authority” in each place where they occur there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”.
Amendment of regulation 2 of the principal Regulations3
In regulation 2(2) of the principal Regulations (charges for glasses and contact lenses) after the words “health authority” there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”.
Amendment of regulation 8 of the principal Regulations4
In regulation 8(5) of the principal Regulations (eligibility-supply of optical appliances) after the words “health authority” in both places where they occur there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”.
Amendment of regulation 11 of the principal Regulations5
In regulation 11 of the principal Regulations (issue of vouchers by health authorities) after the words “health authority” in each place where they occur there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”.
Amendment of regulation 14 of the principal Regulations6
In regulation 14(1) of the principal Regulations (payments to patients in health authority cases) after the words “health authority” there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”.
Amendment of regulation 20 of the principal Regulations7
In regulation 20 of the principal Regulations (redemption value of voucher for replacement or repair)—
a
in paragraph (1)(b) for “£28.85” there is substituted “£32.15”; and
b
in paragraph (3) for “£7.70” there is substituted “£8.20”.
Amendment of Schedules to the principal Regulations8
1
In Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations (voucher letter codes and face values-supply and replacement) in column 1 (type of optical applicance)—
a
in paragraph 3—
i
in sub-paragraph (b) for the words “exceeding 10 dioptres” there are substituted the words “of 10 or more dioptres”; and
ii
in sub-paragraph (c) for the words “not exceeding 10 dioptres” there are substituted the words “of less than 10 dioptres”; and
b
in paragraph 6—
i
for the words “prism segment bifocal lenses” there are substituted the words “prism-controlled bifocal lenses”;
ii
in sub-paragraph (b) for the words “exceeding 10 dioptres” there are substituted the words “of 10 or more dioptres”; and
iii
in sub-paragraph (c) for the words “not exceeding 10 dioptres” there are substituted the words “of less than 10 dioptres”; and
c
in paragraphs 7 and 8 after the words “health authority” there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”.
2
In Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations, in column 3 (face value of voucher) for each amount specified in column 1 of the Table below (old amount) there is substituted the amount specified in relation to it in column 2 of that Table (new amount).
Column 1 | Column 2 |
---|---|
Old amount | New amount |
£18.00 | £19.30 |
£28.75 | £30.50 |
£47.00 | £48.00 |
£34.75 | £37.00 |
£59.75 | £61.00 |
£100.00 (in both places where it appears) | £102.00 |
£28.85 | £32.15 |
3
In Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations (prisms, tints, photochromic lenses, small and special glasses and complex appliances)—
a
in paragraph 1(1)(a) (prism-single vision lens) for “£4.00” there is substituted “£4.10”;
b
in paragraph 1(1)(b) (prism-other lens) for “£5.00” there is substituted “£5.10”;
c
in paragraph 1(1)(c) (single vision tinted lens) for “£2.00” there is substituted “£2.05”;
d
in paragraph 1(1)(d) (other tinted lens) for “£2.50” there is substituted “£2.55”;
e
in paragraph 1(1)(e) (small glasses)—
i
in sub-head (i) for “£34.50” there is substituted “£35.20”,
ii
in sub-head (ii) for “£30.70” there is substituted “£31.30”, and
iii
in sub-bead (iii) for “£16.60” there is substituted “£16.90”;
f
in paragraph 1(1)(f) (photochromic lenses)—
i
after the words “health authority” there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”, and
ii
for “£2.00” there is substituted “£2.05” and for “£2.50” there is substituted “£2.55”;
g
in paragraph 1(1)(g) (specially manufactured frames)—
i
after the words “health authority” in each place where they occur there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”, and
ii
for “£34.50” there is substituted “£35.20”;
h
in paragraph 2(a) (minimum complex appliance payment-single vision lens) for “£3.50” there is substituted “£3.60”; and
i
in paragraph 2(b) (minimum conmplex appliance payment-other lenses) for “£18.75” there is substituted “£19.25”.
4
For Schedule 3 to the principal Regulations (voucher values-repair) there is substituted the Schedule 3 set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.
Amendment of the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 19869
In regulation 2(1) of the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 19864 in the definition of “complex appliance”—
a
in sub-paragraph (ii) for “lens;” there is substituted “lens, or”; and
b
after sub-paragraph (ii) there is added the following sub-paragraph:—
iii
is a prism-controlled bifocal lens;
Amendment of the National Health Service (Charges for Appliances) Regulations 197410
1
The National Health Service (Charges for Appliances) Regulations 19745 shall be amended in accordance with the following paragraphs of this regulation.
2
In regulation 5 (optical appliances) after the word “Authority” in each place where it occurs there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”.
3
In regulation 6 (investigations)—
a
in paragraph (1) after the word “Authority” in each place where it occurs there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”;
b
in paragraph (3) for the words “, it shall” there are substituted the words “or an NHS trust refers a matter for investigation under paragraph (1), the Authority or NHS trust shall”; and
c
in paragraph (4) after the word “Authority” there are inserted the words “or NHS trust”.
Application of these Regulations11
The amendments made by regulations 7 and 8(2), (3) and (4) of and the Schedule to, these Regulations apply only in relation to a voucher—
a
accepted or used on or after 1st April 1991 pursuant to regulation 12 or regulation 18 of the principal Regulations; or
b
sent to a health authority pursuant to regulation 14(2)(c) of the principal Regulations in respect of cost incurred on or after that date.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Health.
SCHEDULESCHEDULE 3 TO THE PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS AS SUBSTITUTED BY THESE REGULATIONS
SCHEDULE 3VOUCHER VALUES-REPAIR
1
2
Nature of repair to appliance
Letter codes-values
A
B
C
D
E
F and G
£
£
£
£
£
£
Repair or replacement of one lens
5.55
11.15
19.90
14.40
26.40
46.90
Repair or replacement of two lenses
11.10
22.30
39.80
28.80
52.80
93.80
Repair or replacement of—
the front of a frame
7.30
7.30
7.30
7.30
7.30
7.30
a side of a frame
4.00
4.00
4.00
4.00
4.00
4.00
the whole frame
8.20
8.20
8.20
8.20
8.20
8.20
(This note is not part of the Regulations)