# The Disability Discrimination (Blind and Partially Sighted Persons) Regulations 2003, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations provide for certain persons to be deemed to have a disability and hence to be disabled persons for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Under regulation 3, a person who is (i) certified as blind or partially sighted by a consultant ophthalmologist, or (ii) registered as blind or partially sighted in a register maintained by or on behalf of a local authority, is deemed to be a disabled person.
In England and Wales, certification must be by a consultant ophthalmologist in accordance with Department of Health Circular LASSL(90)1 entitled “Certification of Blind and Partially Sighted People: Revised Form BD8 and Procedures”. In Scotland, certification must be by a consultant ophthalmologist in accordance with Social Work Services Group Circular SWSG8/86 NHS 1998 (PCS) entitled “Registration of Blind and Partially Sighted People”.
Under regulation 4, conclusive evidence for the purposes of these Regulations may be provided in one of two ways: by a certificate signed by the certifying consultant ophthalmologist; or by a certificate issued by or on behalf of a local authority stating that the person is registered as blind or partially sighted with that authority. (In order to be registered with a local authority, a person must first be certified as blind or partially sighted by a consultant ophthalmologist.)
Any certificate produced for the purposes of regulation 4 is to be presumed to have been validly issued in the absence of evidence to the contrary.
These Regulations do not impose a charge on business.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/712/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/disability-discrimination-blind-and-partially-sighted-persons-regulations-2003/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.