The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1999

Amendment of regulation 9

5.  In regulation 9 (issue of vouchers by ophthalmic medical practitioners and opticians)–

(a) after paragraph (1) there is inserted–

“(1A) Where–

(a) a patient has been supplied with an optical appliance following a testing of sight under the Ophthalmic Services Regulations or otherwise;

(b) the patient has indicated that he is an eligible person; and

(c) the ophthalmic medical practitioner or optician, having consulted any records which he has relating to the patient and having made such enquiry of the patient as he considers relevant, is satisfied that–

(i) the prescription relating to the patient’s existing optical appliance is unchanged; and

(ii) the patient requires a new optical appliance because his existing appliance has been rendered unserviceable by fair wear and tear,

the ophthalmic medical practitioner or optician may issue to the patient, in accordance with paragraph (2), a voucher relating to the optical appliance prescribed by the prescription.

(1B) Where–

(a) a patient has been issued with a prescription following a testing of sight under the Ophthalmic Services Regulations or otherwise;

(b) the patient has indicated that, following the issue of the prescription, he has become an eligible person; and

(c) an ophthalmic medical practitioner or optician, having consulted any records which he has relating to the patient and having made such enquiry of the patient as he considers relevant, is satisfied that–

(i) no voucher has been issued in respect of the prescription; and

(ii) the prescription is unchanged,

the ophthalmic medical practitioner or optician may issue to the patient a voucher relating to the optical appliance prescribed by the prescription.”;

(b) in paragraph (4) for the words “Health Board responsible for the arrangements for the sight test,” there is substituted “Agency”;

(c) in paragraph (5) after the word “Unless” there is inserted “paragraph (1A) or”.