Explanatory note

These regulations amend the National Health Service (Payments for Optical Appliances) Regulations 1986, which provide for payments to be made, by means of a voucher system, in respect of the cost incurred by certain categories of persons for the supply of optical appliances prescribed following a sight test under the national health service in England and Wales.

The values of the vouchers for glasses (which bear a letter code varying according to the type of lenses prescribed) are increased (regulation 2(4) and Schedule 1) as are additions to the values for prisms (by 50 pence) and tints (by 50 pence per pair) and the special minimum payment for a complex optical appliance (from £2 to £3 where it has single vision lenses only and from £14 to £17 where it has any other lenses). There is also new provision for additions of £30 for glasses with small frames and of £1.75 or £2.25 for a photochromic lens and of £30 for glasses with specially manufactured frames. These last two additions apply only where a health authority issues the voucher.

Other amendments provide for voucher values of glasses with bifocal lenses to be determined according to the distance segment (regulation 2(1)(b)), for vouchers issued following a sight test under general ophthalmic services to be issued with the prescription (regulation 2(2)) and for vouchers to be used for contact lenses (regulation 2(3)).