Welsh Statutory Instruments
2021 No. 916 (W. 209)
National Health Service, Wales
The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2021
Made 1 August 2021
Laid before Senedd Cymru 3 August 2021
Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1(2)

The Welsh Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by sections 71, 76(9) and 203(9) and (10) of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006, make the following Regulations:
2006 c. 42; see section 206(1) for the definitions of “prescribed” and “regulations”.

Title, commencement, application and interpretation
1. (1) The title of these Regulations is the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2021.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 1 September 2021 but the amendments set out in regulation 2 have effect from 1 April 2021.
(3) These Regulations apply in relation to Wales.
(4) In these Regulations, “the Optical Regulations” means the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997.
S.I. 1997/818, amended by S.I. 2015/1600 (W. 199); there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

Amendment of regulation 1(2) of the Optical Regulations
2. In regulation 1(2) of the Optical Regulations (citation, commencement and interpretation), in the definition of “NHS sight test fee”—
(a) for “£58.87” substitute “£59.98”, and
(b) for “£21.31” substitute “£21.71”.
Eluned Morgan
Minister for Health and Social Services, one of the Welsh Ministers
1 August 2021

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 sight tests and the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances.
Regulation 2 amends regulation 1(2) of the Optical Regulations so as to make reference to an increase in the NHS sight test fee of 1.9%.
The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.