The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2016

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 1998 (“the 1998 Regulations”) which provide for payments to be made by means of a voucher system in respect of costs incurred by certain categories of persons in connection with the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances.

These Regulations amend the voucher values in the 1998 Regulations to—

(a) increase the redemption value of a voucher issued towards the cost of replacing a single contact lens to increase the maximum contribution by way of a voucher to the cost of repairing a frame and the maximum supplement for small glasses and special frames (regulation 3);

(b) increase the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of supply and replacement of optical appliances (regulation 4);

(c) increase the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of repair of optical appliances (regulation 5); and

(d) increase the additional values for vouchers for prisms, tints, photochromic lenses and special categories of appliances (regulation 6).

Regulation 7 provides that these increases to the voucher values apply only in relation to vouchers accepted or used after these Regulations come into force.