Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 1989 (“the principal Regulations”) which provide for payments to be made, by means of a voucher system, in respect of costs incurred by certain categories of persons in connection with the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances.

Regulation 2 of these Regulations amends the definition in regulation 1(2) of the principal Regulations of “NHS sight test fee” to increase by approximately 3% the amount by reference to which entitlement to assistance with the cost of a private sight test carried out at a place where the patient normally resides, and the value of a voucher towards such cost or towards the cost of the supply (in certain circumstances) of glasses or contact lenses, is calculated.