The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2015

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations consolidate with amendments the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2000. Those Regulations provided for the making and recovery of charges for drugs and appliances supplied under the National Health Service Act 2006.

These Regulations also increase the NHS charges that are levied for certain wigs and fabric supports by approximately 1.6% and the charges for drugs and other appliances by approximately 1.9%.

Regulations 3 and 4 provide that chemists and doctors who provide pharmaceutical services to a patient must make and recover from that patient the charges set out in those regulations.

Regulation 5 provides that providers of out of hours primary medical services who supply drugs and appliances to a patient in the course of providing those services must make and recover the charges set out in that regulation.

Regulation 6 provides that where drugs and appliances are supplied by NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts, charges are to be made and recovered in the circumstances set out in that regulation.

Regulation 7 provides for charges to be made and recovered for the supply of drugs and appliances at walk-in-centres by a prescriber at a walk-in-centre.

Regulation 8 provides for charges to be made and recovered for the supply of drugs in accordance with a Patient Group Direction.

Regulation 9 provides for charges to be made and recovered from a patient for the supply of drugs or appliances by other providers of NHS services, not covered by regulations 3 to 8.

Regulations 10 to 14 set out the exemptions to any charges that may be made and recovered under the preceding regulations.

Regulation 15 sets out the mechanism for applying for an exemption certificate required in order to claim a medical or maternity related exemption, or an exemption related to service in the armed forces, by virtue of regulation 10.

Regulation 16 provides for patients to receive pre-payment certificates.

Regulation 17 provides for a system of granting repayments for amounts paid under regulation 16 for pre-payment certificates in the circumstances set out in regulation 17.

Regulation 18 provides for repayment of charges to persons who, at the time of payment, were exempt from the requirement to pay the charge.

Regulation 19 provides for a transitional provision in respect of the prescription charge to be paid for the appliances specified in Schedule 1.

Regulation 20 and Schedule 2 provide for consequential amendments to other secondary legislation to take account of this consolidation.

Regulation 21 and Schedule 3 provide for revocations of secondary legislation in relation to England to the extent specified in that Schedule.