EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations revoke the Charges for Drugs and Appliances Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 (“the principal Regulations”) as amended.
In revoking the principal Regulations, these Regulations abolish charges for drugs and appliances supplied by —
(i)chemists and doctors providing pharmaceutical services, and
(ii)the Regional Board and HSC trusts to out-patients.
However, the Regulations do provide (regulation 3) for the continuation of certain processes in relation to the supply, replacement and repair of appliances where —
(i)an appliance supplied is, at the request of the person supplied, of a more expensive type than the standard type;
(ii)an appliance supplied requires to be replaced or repaired, and there is reason to believe that such replacement or repair is necessitated by an act or omission.
These Regulations provide for the revocation of the principal Regulations and its amending Regulations (regulation 4(1) and the Schedule).
Transitional arrangements are made in respect of pre-payment certificates (where there was an entitlement to a refund under the principal Regulations) and repayment of charges (where a charge was paid under the principal Regulations by or on behalf of a person who was at the time of payment exempt from the requirement to pay that charge) (regulation 4(2) and (3)).