2023 No. 125

National Health Service

The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023

Made

Laid before the Scottish Parliament

Coming into force

The Scottish Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 70(1), 73(a), 74(a) and 105(7) and paragraphs 2(2) and 2A of schedule 11 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 19781 and all other powers enabling them to do so.

Citation, commencement and interpretation1

1

These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 and come into force on 1 June 2023.

2

In these Regulations, “the 1998 Regulations” means the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 19982.

Amendment of the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 1998

2

The 1998 Regulations are amended in accordance with regulations 3 to 6.

3

In regulation 19 (redemption value of voucher for replacement or repair)—

a

in paragraph (1)(b) for “£58.15” substitute “£60.75”,

b

in paragraph (3)(a) for “£15.10” substitute “£15.80”,

c

in paragraph (3)(b) for “£65.50” substitute “£68.45”.

4

In schedule 1 (voucher letter codes and face values supply and replacement) 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 (new amount).

Column 1

Column 2

Old amount

New amount

£39.90

£41.70

£60.50

£63.20

£88.60

£92.60

£199.90

£208.90

£68.80

£71.90

£87.30

£91.20

£113.40

£118.50

£219.80

£229.70

£204.80

£214.00

£58.15

£60.75

5

For schedule 2 (voucher values – repair) substitute the schedule 2 set out in the schedule of these Regulations.

6

In schedule 3 (prisms, tints, photochromic lenses, small glasses and special frames and complex appliances)—

a

in paragraph 1(1)(a) for “£12.85” substitute “£13.45”,

b

in paragraph 1(1)(b) for “15.70” substitute “£16.40”,

c

in paragraph 1(1)(c) for “£4.50” substitute “£4.70”,

d

in paragraph 1(1)(d) for “£5.00” substitute “£5.20”,

e

in paragraph 1(1)(e)—

i

in sub-head (i) for “£65.50” substitute “£68.45”,

ii

in sub-head (ii) for “£58.15” substitute “£60.75”,

iii

in sub-head (iii) for “£31.40” substitute “£32.80”,

f

in paragraph 1(1)(g) for “£65.50”, “£58.15” and “£31.40” substitute “£68.45”, “£60.75” and “£32.80” respectively,

g

in paragraph 2(a) for “£14.90” substitute “£15.55”,

h

in paragraph 2(b) for “£38.15” substitute “£39.90”.

Application of regulations 3 to 67

The amendments made by regulations 3 to 6 apply only in relation to a voucher accepted pursuant to regulation 12 of the 1998 Regulations or used pursuant to regulation 17 of the 1998 Regulations after these Regulations come into force.

JENNI MINTOAuthorised to sign by the Scottish MinistersSt Andrew’s House,Edinburgh

SCHEDULE

Regulation 5

SCHEDULE 2VOUCHER VALUES – REPAIR

Regulation 19(2) and (3)

Column 1

Column 2

Nature of Repair to Appliance

Letter Codes-Values

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

Repair or replacement of one lens

12.95

23.70

38.40

96.55

28.05

37.70

51.35

106.95

99.10

Repair or replacement of two lenses

25.90

47.40

76.80

193.10

56.10

75.40

102.70

213.90

198.20

Repair or replacement of the front of a frame

13.25

13.25

13.25

13.25

13.25

13.25

13.25

13.25

13.25

Repair or replacement of a side of a frame

7.85

7.85

7.85

7.85

7.85

7.85

7.85

7.85

7.85

Repair or replacement of the whole frame

15.80

15.80

15.80

15.80

15.80

15.80

15.80

15.80

15.80

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, increase the maximum contribution by way of a voucher to the cost of repairing a frame and increase 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 the increases to the voucher values in the 1998 Regulations apply only in relation to vouchers accepted or used after these Regulations come into force.