The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2005

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 1998 (“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 sight tests and the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances.

Regulation 2(2) amends the definition of “NHS sight test fee” to reflect the values of the two levels of fees for the National Health Service sight tests payable to ophthalmic medical practitioners and opticians. This fee is set at two levels depending on whether or not the sight test was carried out at the patient’s home and the appropriate figure is used to calculate the value of assistance towards the cost of a sight test.

The fee for a test at home is increased from £49.19 to £50.77 and for tests elsewhere from £17.82 to £18.39.

Regulation 2(3) amends the principal Regulations to raise the relevant income level of a person or persons (determined at the time an award of a tax credit is made under section 14 of the Tax Credits Act 2002) for the purpose of providing which persons, who are members of a family where one member is in receipt of certain tax credits, are eligible for a payment to meet or contribute towards the cost for the supply of an optical appliance. The relevant income level is increased from £14,600 to £15,050.

Regulation 2(4) amends the principal 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 2(5) amends the principal Regulations to increase the value of vouchers towards the cost of the supply and replacement of optical appliances.

Regulation 2(6) amends the principal Regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of the repair and replacement of optical appliances.

Regulation 2(7) amends the principal Regulations to increase the additional values for vouchers for prisms, tints or photochromic lenses and special categories of appliances.

The increases contained in regulation 2(4) to (7) and the Schedule come into force on 1st April 2005. Regulation 3 provides however that those increases only apply in relation to vouchers accepted or used on or after 1st April 2005.

The amendment made by regulation 2(3) comes into force on 6th April 2005.