The Optical Charges and Payments (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Optical Charges and Payments (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018 and shall come into operation on 3rd January 2019.

(2) In these Regulations “the principal Regulations” means the Health and Personal Social Services (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997(1).

Amendment of regulation 19 of the principal Regulations

2.—(1) In regulation 19 of the principal Regulations (redemption value of voucher for replacement or repair)—

(a) in paragraph (1)(b) for “£57.00” substitute “£57.60”; and

(b) in paragraph (3) for “£14.80” substitute “£14.90”.

Amendments of the Schedules to the principal Regulations

3.—(1) In Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations (voucher letter codes and face values – supply and replacement)(2), in column 3 (face value of voucher), for each amount specified in column 1 of the Table below (old amount) substitute the amount specified in relation to it in column 2 of that Table (new amount).

Table

Column 1 Old Amount	Column 2 New Amount
£39.10	£39.50
£59.30	£59.90
£86.90	£87.80
£196.00	£198.00
£67.50	£68.20
£85.60	£86.50
£111.20	£112.30
£215.50	£217.70
£200.80	£202.80

(2) In Schedule 2(3) to the principal Regulations (prisms, tints, photochromic lenses, small and special glasses and complex appliances)—

(a) in paragraph 1(1)(a) (prism – single vision lens) for “£12.60” substitute “£12.70”;

(b) in paragraph 1(1)(b) (prism – other lens) for “£15.40” substitute “£15.60”;

(c) in paragraph 1(1)(c) (single vision tinted lens) for “£4.40” substitute “£4.50”;

(d) in paragraph 1(1)(d) (other tinted lens) for “£4.90” substitute “£5.00”;

(e) in paragraph 1(1)(e) (small glasses)—

(i) in sub-head (i) for “£64.20” substitute “£64.80”;

(ii) in sub-head (ii) for “£57.00” substitute “£57.60”;

(iii) in sub-head (iii) for “£30.80” substitute “£31.10”;

(f) for paragraph 1(1)(g) (specially manufactured frames) substitute —

“(g) where the voucher is issued by an ophthalmic medical practitioner, optician or a HSC Trust, the frame of which is certified by the ophthalmic medical practitioner, optician or a HSC Trust as being required to be specifically manufactured on account of the patient’s facial characteristics;

(i) by £64.85 in the case of the supply or replacement of the glasses or repair of the whole frame;

(ii) by £57.55 in the case of repair of the front of the frame; and

(iii) by £31.10 in the case of repair of a side frame.;”

(g) in paragraph 2(a) (minimum complex appliance payment — single vision lenses) for “£14.60” substitute “£14.70”; and

(h) in paragraph 2(b) (minimum complex appliance payment — other cases) for “£37.40” substitute “£37.80”.

(3) For Schedule 3 to the principal Regulations (voucher value repair)(4), substitute the Schedule 3 as set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

Application of Regulations 2 and 3

4.  The amendments made in regulations 2 and 3 apply only in relation to a voucher accepted or used pursuant to regulation 12 or regulation 17 of the principal Regulations on or after xxth January 2019.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health on 13th December 2018

Kiera Lloyd

A senior officer of the Department of Health

The Department of Finance hereby approves the foregoing Regulations.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 13th December 2018

Emer Morelli

A senior officer of the Department of Finance