Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
M1These Regulations revoke and replace, with amendments, the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 1989 as amended. They provide for the making and recovery of charges for drugs and appliances supplied under the National Health Service Act 1977. Provision for dental charges and optical charges is made separately .
Accordingly, these Regulations provide for charges for drugs and appliances supplied by doctors and chemists providing pharmaceutical services (regulations 3 and 4) and by Health Authorities, NHS trusts and Primary Care Trusts (regulation 5) and at walk-in centres (regulation 6). Provision is also made in relation to cases where a local authority acts in partnership arrangements with an NHS body (regulation 11). The Regulations also provide for exemption and remission from charges in certain cases (regulation 7), for the issue of exemption certificates (regulation 8), for the issue of pre-payment certificates (regulation 9) and for repayment of charges in certain cases (regulation 10).
The main changes made by these Regulations are to increase charges (by approximately 2%) and to include provision in relation to Primary Care Trusts established under section 16A of the National Health Services Act 1977 (as amended by the Health Act 1999).