These Regulations amend the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2000 (“the Charges Regulations”).
Regulation 2 inserts a replacement regulation 9 into the Charges Regulations to make changes to the system of pre-payment certificates (“PPCs”). Paragraphs (1) to (7) make provision about applications for, and the grant of, PPCs, the effect of PPCs, and include provisions to enable PPCs valid for 12 months to be paid for by direct debit in monthly instalments. Paragraphs (8) to (14) make provision about entitlement to refunds of sums paid for PPCs, applications for such refunds and the payment of such refunds.
Regulation 3 makes transitional provision in relation to applications for PPCs and PPC refunds which in some way straddle the PPC system prior to 1st July 2007 and the PPC system introduced by these Regulations as from 1st July 2007.