# The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) and (General Ophthalmic Services) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 2003

S.I. 2003/2381 · made 14 September 2003

These Regulations make amendments to the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997 and the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic) Regulations 1986 consequent on the introduction of pension credit guarantee credit in the State Pension Credit Act 2002. The purpose of the amendments is to ensure that those in receipt of pension credit guarantee credit and members of their families will be entitled to National Health Service vouchers to put towards the cost of spectacles and contact lenses and to General Ophthalmic Services free of charge.

Made under: National Health Service Act 1977 (Section 38, Section 78, Section 126, Schedule 12 paragraph 2, Schedule 12 paragraph 2A)

PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/national-health-service-optical-charges-and-payments-and-general-ophthalmic-services-amendment-no-2-regulations-2003/pdf/uksi_20032381_en.pdf

## Introductory text

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE, ENGLAND
Made 14th September 2003
Laid before Parliament 15th September 2003
Coming into force 6th October 2003
The Secretary of State for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections 38, 78(1) and 126(4) of, and paragraphs 2 and 2A of Schedule 12 to, the National Health Service Act 1977 and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

## 1 Citation, commencement, interpretation and application

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) and (General Ophthalmic Services) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 2003 and shall come into force on 6th October 2003.
(2) In these Regulations—
“the Optical Regulations” means the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997; and
“the Ophthalmic Regulations” means the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986.
(3) These Regulations apply to England.

## 2 Amendment of the Optical Regulations

(1) The Optical Regulations are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 1 (citation, commencement and interpretation), in paragraph (2), after the definition of “patient’s resources” there is inserted—
““pension credit guarantee credit” shall be construed in accordance with sections 1 and 2 of the State Pension Credit Act 2002;”.
(3) In regulation 8 (eligibility—supply of optical appliances)—
(a) in paragraph (3), after sub-paragraph (m), there is inserted—
“(n) he is receiving pension credit guarantee credit or is a member of the same family as a person who is receiving pension credit guarantee credit;”; and
(b) in paragraph (4), in sub-paragraph (a) (definition of family), for “sub-paragraphs (b) and (f)”, there is substituted “sub-paragraphs (b), (f) and (n)”.

## 3 Amendment of the Ophthalmic Regulations

(1) The Ophthalmic Regulations are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 2 (Interpretation), in paragraph (1), after the definition of “patient”, there is inserted—
““pension credit guarantee credit” shall be construed in accordance with sections 1 and 2 of the State Pension Credit Act 2002;”.
(3) In regulation 13 (sight tests—eligibility)—
(a) in paragraph (2) after sub-paragraph (m) there is inserted—
“(n) he is a member of the same family as a person who is receiving pension credit guarantee credit;”; and
(b) in paragraph (3), in sub-paragraph (a) (definition of family), for “sub-paragraphs (b) and (f)”, there is substituted “sub-paragraphs (b), (f) and (n)”.

## Signature

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Health
Rosie Winterton
Minister of State,
Department of Health
14th September 2003

## Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations make amendments to the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997 and the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic) Regulations 1986 consequent on the introduction of pension credit guarantee credit in the State Pension Credit Act 2002. The purpose of the amendments is to ensure that those in receipt of pension credit guarantee credit and members of their families will be entitled to National Health Service vouchers to put towards the cost of spectacles and contact lenses and to General Ophthalmic Services free of charge.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2381 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/national-health-service-optical-charges-and-payments-and-general-ophthalmic-services-amendment-no-2-regulations-2003
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.