# The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) and (General Ophthalmic Services) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2004, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations further amend the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997 (“the 1997 Regulations”) and the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986 (“the 1986 Regulations”).
The 1997 Regulations provide for a scheme of payments to be made by Health Authorities and NHS Trusts by means of a voucher system in respect of costs incurred by certain categories of persons in connection with sight tests and the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances.
The 1986 Regulations contain provision for the arrangements for general ophthalmic services under the National Health Service.
The changes made by these Regulations introduce into the categories of persons entitled to receive assistance towards the cost of supply of optical appliances (under the 1997 Regulations) and to receive a sight test under general ophthalmic services (under the 1986 Regulations) members of a family whose income falls below a specified limit and which is in receipt of working tax credit with a severe disability element.
They also make amendments consequent upon the introduction of pension credit guarantee credit in the State Pension 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 towards the cost of optical appliances and to general ophthalmic services.
Regulation 4 amends regulation 19 of the 1997 Regulations (redemption value of voucher for replacement or repair) to increase the value of an optical voucher issued towards the cost of replacing a single contact lens, and to increase the maximum contribution by way of a voucher to the cost of repairing a spectacle frame.
Regulation 5(1) amends Schedule 1 of the 1997 Regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the costs of the supply and replacement of glasses and contact lenses.
Regulation 5(2) amends Schedule 2 to the 1997 Regulations to increase the additional values for vouchers for prisms, tints, photochromic lenses and special categories of appliances.
Regulation 5(3) and the Schedule substitute a new Schedule 3 in the 1997 Regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the repair and replacement of optical appliances.
The rate of increase is approximately 2.5%, except that the value of vouchers for certain people with high prescription lenses is increased by approximately 10%.
Regulation 6 provides that the increases to the voucher values made by regulations 4 and 5 will only apply to vouchers accepted or used after 1 April 2004.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2004/1014/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/national-health-service-optical-charges-and-payments-and-general-ophthalmic-services-amendment-wales-regulations-2004/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.