The National Health Service (Ophthalmic Services) (Wales) Regulations 2023

Testing of sight

23.—(1) Where a contractor has accepted an application for the testing of sight under these Regulations, the contractor must—

(a) test the sight of the patient to determine whether the patient needs to wear or use an optical appliance,

(b) in doing so, must fulfil any duty imposed on the contractor by, or in regulations made under, section 26 of the Opticians Act 1989(1) (duties to be performed on sight testing), and

(c) provide relevant eye health advice to the patient.

(2) A prescription for glasses issued following a testing of sight under general ophthalmic services must—

(a) be completed by the method recommended in guidance published by the British Standards Institution, and

(b) comply with any requirements as to its form specified in the Statement for the purposes of payment in respect of the sight test.

(3) Where a contractor provides a sight test as part of mobile services, the contractor must record the reason given by the patient, or on their behalf, for requiring mobile services on the primary ophthalmic services form.

(4) A contractor must keep a record of the eye health advice provided to a patient under this paragraph.

(5) For the purposes of this paragraph, “relevant eye health advice”, in relation to a patient, means—

(a) advice about any risks to eye health or vision that appear to the contractor to be relevant to that patient,

(b) advice about how to mitigate any identified risks to their eye health or vision,

(c) recommendations for managing the patient’s eye condition or eye health or vision, and

(d) such other advice, for the purpose of increasing the patient’s knowledge and understanding of any health issues connected to the patient’s eye condition, eye health or vision, which appears to the contractor to be relevant to the patient’s personal circumstances.

(1)

Section 26 was amended by S.I. 2005/848, article 19.