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Explanatory note

Original text. Later amendments are not shown.

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend—

  • the Primary Ophthalmic Services Regulations 2008 (“the POS Regulations”), which make provision in England for who is entitled to primary ophthalmic services sight tests,

  • the General Ophthalmic Services Contracts Regulations 2008 (“the GOS Regulations”), which set out the framework for general ophthalmic services contracts in England, and

  • the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 2013 (“the 2013 Regulations”), which provide for a scheme for payments to be made 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.

Regulation 2 amends regulation 3 of the POS Regulations to allow the National Health Service Commissioning Board, rather than the Secretary of State, to determine what constitutes “qualifying full-time education” for the purposes of that regulation.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 16(6) of the GOS Regulations to allow for claims to be submitted electronically to the Board and amends regulation 16(7) in relation to how such claims are to be signed.

Regulation 4(2) amends the 2013 Regulations to increase the redemption value of a voucher issued towards the cost of replacement of a single contact lens and to increase the maximum contribution by way of a voucher to the cost of a repair of a frame by an overall increase of approximately 2%. Regulation 4(3) to (5) further amend the 2013 Regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the costs of the supply and replacement of glasses and contact lenses by approximately 2%, and also to increase the additional values for vouchers for prisms, tints, photochromic lenses and special categories of appliances, and the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of the repair and replacement of optical appliances, by approximately 2%.

Regulation 5 includes a transitional provision which means that the previous rates of voucher payments are to apply in relation to vouchers accepted, presented or used before 1st April 2014.