The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) and (General Ophthalmic Services) Amendment Regulations 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997 (“the Optical 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. In regulation 2 they also amend the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986 so as to provide that prisoners are eligible for free sight tests and are included in the categories of persons who are entitled to vouchers for the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances. This change is a result of the transfer of responsibility for prison health care from the Home Office to Primary Care Trusts.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 8 of the Optical Regulations to increase the amount used as the basis for calculating the remission of charges under those regulations and extends the eligibility to such remission to families claiming working tax credit with a severe disability element. It also amends regulation 19 of the Optical Regulations to increase the redemption value of a voucher issued towards the cost of replacement of a single contact lens and to increase the maximum contribution by way of a voucher to the cost of repair of a frame.

Regulation 4 and the Schedule amend the Schedules to the Optical Regulations. Firstly, the value of vouchers issued towards the costs of the supply and replacement of glasses and contact lenses is increased; secondly, the additional values for vouchers for prisms, tints, photochromic lenses and special categories of appliances are increased; and thirdly, the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of the repair and replacement of optical appliances is increased.

The rate of increase is approximately 2.5% except that the value of vouchers for certain people with high prescription lenses is increased by approximately 10%.