Regulation 2 Interpretation

In these Regulations—

• “certificate signed by a consultant ophthalmologist” means a certificate completed by a consultant ophthalmologist in accordance with the criteria laid down in the relevant guidance;

• “consultant ophthalmologist” means a consultant or honorary consultant appointed in the medical specialty of ophthalmology, who is employed for the purposes of providing any service as part of the health service continued under section 1(1) of the National Health Service Act 1977^f1, section 1(1) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978^f2 or article 4(a) of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972^f3;

• “local authority” means—

  1. (a)

     in England and Wales, a council which is a local authority for the purposes of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970^f4, and

  2. (b)

     in Scotland, a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994^f5;

• “registered person” means a person who is certified as blind or partially sighted by a consultant ophthalmologist and in consequence is registered as blind or partially sighted—

  1. (a)

     in England and Wales, in a register maintained by or on behalf of a local authority under section 29(4)(g) of the National Assistance Act 1948^f6 (welfare services), or

  2. (b)

     in Scotland, in a register maintained by or on behalf of a local authority; and

• “relevant guidance” means—

  1. (a)

     in relation to a consultant ophthalmologist in England and Wales, Department of Health Circular LASSL(90)1 entitled “Certification of Blind and Partially Sighted People: Revised Form BD8 and Procedures”^f7, and

  2. (b)

     in relation to a consultant ophthalmologist in Scotland, Social Work Services Group Circular SWSG8/86, NHS 1998 (PCS) entitled “Registration of Blind and Partially Sighted People”^f8.