26.—(1) Where a contractor, or qualified practitioner assisting the contractor in the provision of primary ophthalmic services, is of the opinion that a patient who has received a sight test pursuant to paragraph 23 or an eye examination pursuant to paragraph 24 of this Schedule—
(a)shows on examination signs of injury, disease or abnormality in the eye or elsewhere which may require medical treatment, or
(b)is not likely to attain a satisfactory standard of vision notwithstanding the application of corrective lenses,
the contractor must, if appropriate, and with the consent of the patient, take the steps set out in sub-paragraph (2).
(2) The steps referred to in sub-paragraph (1) are—
(a)in the first instance, a referral to an optometrist with qualifications appropriate to the needs of the patient;
(b)if the contractor considers that a referral of the kind specified in paragraph (a) would not meet the patient’s needs, a referral to an ophthalmic hospital.
(3) Where a contractor makes a referral in accordance with this paragraph, the contractor must immediately—
(a)inform the patient’s general practitioner of the referral and provide details of the reason for the referral, and
(b)give the patient a written statement confirming the referral has been made with details of the referral.
(4) In this paragraph, “general practitioner” means a medical practitioner registered as a general practitioner.
(5) A referral made by a contractor in accordance with this paragraph must be made electronically where the means of making electronic referrals are available to the contractor.