The National Health Service (Charges and Payments) (Uprating, Miscellaneous Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2016

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend and uprate the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 2013 (“the 2013 Regulations”), and uprate the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2015 (“the 2015 Regulations”).

The 2013 Regulations 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.

Regulation 2(2) amends regulation 20 of the 2013 Regulations to increase the redemption value of a voucher issued towards the cost of replacement of a single contact lens and to increase the maximum contribution by way of a voucher to the cost of a repair of a frame by an overall increase of approximately 1%.

Regulation 2(3) to (5) amends the Schedules to the 2013 Regulations to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the costs of the supply and replacement of glasses and contact lenses, to increase the additional values for vouchers for prisms, tints, photochromic lenses and special categories of appliances and to increase the value of vouchers issued towards the cost of the repair and replacement of optical appliances. The rate of increase in the value of vouchers is approximately 1%.

Regulation 2(4)(f) substitutes Schedule 2 paragraph 1(1)(f) to the 2013 Regulations to make new provision for general optical services contractors to issue and certify vouchers for glasses where the frame needs to be specially manufactured.

Regulation 3 makes transitional provision. In relation to vouchers accepted or used on or before 31st March 2016, the old rates of payments will apply. For vouchers accepted on or after 1st April 2016, the new rates of payments will apply.

The 2015 Regulations provide for the making and recovery of charges for drugs and appliances supplied under the National Health Service Act 2006.

Regulation 4(2) amends regulations 3 to 9 of the 2015 Regulations to increase the prescription charge applied for the supply of drugs, appliances and elastic hosiery from £8.20 to £8.40. There are also increases to the charges for wigs and fabric supports of around 1.7%.

Regulation 5(1) makes transitional provision. In relation to fabric supports and wigs ordered on or before 31st March 2016, the old rates for charging will apply. For fabric supports and wigs ordered on or after the 1st April 2016 the new rates for charging will apply.