§ Mr. Gordon BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether prescriptions from opticians can include the prescribing of cleaning fluids for contact lenses.
§ Mr. NewtonOpticians are not permitted by their terms of service under the general ophthalmic services to write prescriptions for cleaning fluids for contact lenses. Patients have to purchase such fluids, like the lenses, privately.
The position in the hospital eye service is different, in that where contact lenses are prescribed because they are clinically necessary the HES also supplies the cleaning fluids.