Citation, commencement and interpretation1

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) 19973.

Amendment of regulation 19 of the principal Regulations2

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 Regulations3

1

In Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations (voucher letter codes and face values – supply and replacement)4, 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 25 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)6, substitute the Schedule 3 as set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

Application of Regulations 2 and 34

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

seal_r00001Kiera LloydA 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

seal_r00001Emer MorelliA senior officer of the Department of Finance