# The National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) (Amendment) Regulations 1999

S.I. 1999/693 · made 9 March 1999 · revised to 1 April 1999

These Regulations further amend the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986 which provide for the arrangements under which ophthalmic medical practitioners and ophthalmic opticians provide general ophthalmic services under the National Health Service.

Made under: National Health Service Act 1977 (Section 38, Section 39, Section 40, Section 126)

PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/national-health-service-general-ophthalmic-services-amendment-regulations-1999-uksi-1999-693/pdf/uksi_19990693_en.pdf

## Introductory text

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE, ENGLAND AND WALES
Made 9th March 1999
Laid before Parliament 10th March 1999
Coming into force 1st April 1999
The Secretary of State for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 38, 39, 40 and 126(4) of the National Health Service Act 1977, and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:–

## 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 and shall come into force on 1st April 1999.
(2) In these Regulations, “the 1986 Regulations” means the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986.

## 2 Amendment of regulation 3 of the 1986 Regulations

In regulation 3 of the 1986 Regulations (qualifications of ophthalmic medical practitioners)–
(a) in paragraph (b)(iii), for “the Diploma in Ophthalmology awarded conjointly by the Royal College of Physicians of London and the Royal College of Surgeons of England,” substitute “the Membership of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, ”; and
(b) omit paragraph (c) and the word “or” preceding it.

## 3 Amendment of regulation 13 of the 1986 Regulations

In regulation 13 of the 1986 Regulations (sight tests eligibility)–
(a) after paragraph (1)(b) insert–
“(bb) a person who is aged 60 years or more;”;
(b) at the end of paragraph (1)(f) insert “, or has been advised by an ophthalmologist that he is predisposed to the development of glaucoma;”; and
(c) after paragraph (2) insert–
“(2A) In paragraph (1)(f) “ophthalmologist” means a doctor whose name is included in the register of specialists kept by the General Medical Council under article 8 of the European Specialist Medical Qualifications Order 1995 and in respect of whom that register indicates his speciality to be ophthalmology.”.

## Signature

Frank Dobson
One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State,
Department of Health
9th March 1999

## Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations further amend the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986 which provide for the arrangements under which ophthalmic medical practitioners and ophthalmic opticians provide general ophthalmic services under the National Health Service.
In these Regulations, regulation 3 is updated to take account of changes in the qualifications required by ophthalmic medical practitioners. Regulation 13, which sets out who is eligible for free sight tests, has a new category added for persons aged 60 or more. It also extends the category relating to glaucoma to include those who are advised by ophthalmologists (as defined in the new paragraph (2A)) that they are predisposed to developing glaucoma.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/693 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/national-health-service-general-ophthalmic-services-amendment-regulations-1999-uksi-1999-693
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.