2018 No. 211
The Optical Charges and Payments (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018
Made
Coming into operation
The Department of Health1 makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 62, 98, 106 and 107(6) of, and Schedule 15 to, the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 19722, with the approval of the Department of Finance.
In accordance with Article 62(3) of that Order it has consulted with such organisations as appear to it to be representative of medical practitioners practising as ophthalmic medical practitioners and ophthalmic opticians.
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).
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
The Department of Finance hereby approves the foregoing Regulations.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 13th December 2018
SCHEDULESCHEDULE 3 TO THE PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS AS SUBSTITUTED BY THESE REGULATIONS
SCHEDULE 3VOUCHER VALUE REPAIR
Letter Codes - Values
Nature of repair
A
£
B
£
C
£
D
£
E
£
F
£
G
£
H
£
I
£
Repair or replacement of one lens
12.30
22.50
36.40
91.50
26.60
35.75
48.70
101.35
93.95
Repair or replacement of two lenses
24.55
44.95
72.80
183.00
53.20
71.50
97.35
202.70
187.85
Repair or replacement of:
the front of a frame
12.60
12.60
12.60
12.60
12.60
12.60
12.60
12.60
12.60
a side of a frame
7.40
7.40
7.40
7.40
7.40
7.40
7.40
7.40
7.40
the whole frame
14.95
14.95
14.95
14.95
14.95
14.95
14.95
14.95
14.95
(This note is not part of the Regulations)