The National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2001

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1986 (S.I. 1986/965) (“the principal Regulations”), which provide for arrangements under which ophthalmic medical practitioners and ophthalmic opticians provide general ophthalmic services under the National Health Service.

Regulation 2 amends regulation 2 of the principal Regulations (interpretation) by inserting definitions of “day centre”, “mobile practice” and “residential centre”.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 6 of the principal Regulations (ophthalmic list) to impose requirements that information in respect of mobile practices be included to the ophthalmic list kept pursuant to regulation 6 of the principal Regulations. Regulation 6 amends regulation 17 of the principal Regulations (service of documents on contractors) to provide that notices sent to mobile practices shall be sent to a correspondence address given for that purpose.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 14(2) of the principal Regulations (sight tests eligibility) by increasing the amounts in sub paragraphs (c), (d) and (g), by reference to which a persons eligibility for sight testing is assessed, from £70 to £71.

Regulation 5 amends regulation 14A of the principal Regulations (sight tests applications). It provides that when a patient asks for a sight test, under general ophthalmic services, a contractor must ask the patient to produce satisfactory evidence of entitlement, unless, in cases other than where the patient is eligible by virtue of his lack of resources, the contractor already has satisfactory evidence. If the patient does not produce such evidence the contractor shall record this fact on the sight test form. Additionally, where the contractor carries out a sight test at the patient’s home, he must record on the sight test form the reason for this.

Regulation 7 amends Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations (terms of service). Regulation 7(2) amends paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to enable contractors to provide general ophthalmic services to patients attending day centres or in specified circumstances to patients at the place at which they normally reside. Regulation 7(3) inserts a new paragraph 3A into Schedule 1 require mobile practices to provide information about visits to day centres or residential centres. Regulation 7(4) amends paragraph 4 of Schedule 1 by imposing requirements upon mobile practices to provide suitable equipment and to allow inspection of this and the facilities by the Ophthalmic Officer, any authorised officer of the Scottish Ministers, or member of the Health Board or appropriate NHS trust. Regulation 7(6) amends paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to provide that following a sight test information shall be given by the contractor to the patient’s doctor only if it is appropriate and with the consent of the patient.