HC Deb 04 July 1966 vol 731 c9
22. Mr. Fowler

asked the Minister of Health how the fees now received by ophthalmic opticians under the National Health Service compare with those received by them when the Service was introduced in 1948, both in monetary and in real value.

Mr. K. Robinson

As the reply consists of a table of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Fowler

While I am grateful to the Minister for that reply, may I ask him whether he considers that the rise in remuneration has been commensurate with the rise in the cost of living and the rise in remuneration of other branches of the medical profession?

SUPPLEMENTARY OPHTHALMIC SERVICES
SIGHT-TESTING AND DISPENSING FEES OF OPHTHALMIC OPTICIANS
1948 fees Current equivalent value of Column (i)* Current fees operative from 1st September, 1964
(i) (ii) (iii)
s. d. s. d. s. d.
Sight-testing
(a) By an ophthalmic optician who does not dispense glasses at all or who does not consider it necessary to prescribe glasses following a sight-test 15 6 26 8 19 0
(b) By an ophthalmic optician in all other circumstances 17 0
National Health service frames or other reglazed frames Private frames
s. d. s. d.
Dispensirg
(a) General (single vision lenses) 25 0 20 0
(b) General (bi-focal lenses) 33 0 29 0
(c) One lens to applicant's own frame 25 0 43 0 13 0 N.A.
(d) For each additional pair of glasses where more than one pair prescribed 10 6 8 6
* i.e. Column (1) revalued to give the same purchasing power in the last quarter of 1965, on the basis of the Consumer Price Index.