The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Amendment Regulations 1999

Amendment of regulation 20 of the principal Regulations

9.  In regulation 20 of the principal Regulations (payments to patients in respect of the supply, replacement or repair of optical appliances)–

(a) in paragraph (1), for “(15)(1)” substitute “15(1)”;

(b) in paragraph (3)–

(i) before the words “Any such claim” insert the words “Subject to paragraph (3A),”;

(ii) after the words “after the date of” insert the words “payment for”;

(c) after paragraph (3), insert the following paragraph–

“(3A) Where a patient pays by instalments for the supply, replacement or repair of an optical appliance, any claim he makes under paragraph (2)(a) or (b) must be made within three months after the date of payment of the first instalment.”.

(d) in paragraph (5), before the words “Where the Secretary of State” insert the words “Subject to paragraph (7),”;

(e) in paragraph (6), before the words “Where the responsible authority” insert the words “Subject to paragraph (7),”;

(f) after paragraph (6), add the following paragraph–

“(7) Where the responsible authority makes a payment under paragraph (5) or (6) to a patient who pays by instalments for the supply, replacement or repair of an optical appliance, that payment shall be made as soon as reasonably practicable after the date on which the total value of the instalments paid becomes equal to or greater than the redemption value of the voucher which could have been completed under regulation 9, 10 or 16 if the patient had satisfied the requirements of regulation 9(1), 10(1) or 16(4) as the case may be.”.