These Regulations further amend the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997 (“the principal Regulations”), which provide for a scheme for payments to be made by Health Authorities and National Health Service Trusts, by means of a voucher system, towards the costs incurred by certain categories of persons in connection with sight tests and the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances.

Regulation 2 amends the definition of “NHS sight test fee” in regulation 1(2) of the principal Regulations to reflect the values of the two levels of fee for National Health Service sight tests payable to ophthalmic medical practitioners and opticians at the time these regulations come into force. These amounts are relevant to the determination of eligibility for, and the redemption value of, a voucher towards the cost of a sight test.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 15 of the principal Regulations to include young people aged 16 to 18, who are receiving full-time education, in the categories of patient who may be eligible for payments for the repair or replacement of optical appliances.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 19 of the principal Regulations (redemption value of voucher for replacement or repair) to increase the value of an optical voucher issued towards the cost of replacing a single contact lens, and to increase the maximum contribution by way of a voucher to the cost of repairing a spectacle frame.

Regulation 5(1) amends Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the costs of the supply and replacement of glasses and contact lenses.

Regulation 5 (2) amends Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations to increase the additional values for vouchers for prisms, tints, photochromic lenses and special categories of appliances.

Regulation 5 (3) and the Schedule substitute a new Schedule 3 in the principal Regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of the repair and replacement of optical appliances.

The rate of increase is, on average, approximately 2.0%.