§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department issued guidance to opticians giving clarification of general ophthalmic services procedures; to what extent the measures it contains are enforceable; what estimate he has made of the regional impact of the procedures on take up of(a) eye tests and (b) free eye tests for those on benefits; and in what areas the advice differs from previous guidance issued by his Department. [20926]
§ Mr. MilburnThe guidance, issued in November 1997, is only intended to aid understanding of the National Health (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986 and the National Health Services (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997. These Regulations set out the statutory obligations which Optometrists and Ophthalmic Medical Practitioners, who contract to provide general ophthalmic services, are required to observe.
The guidance reflects advice given by the Department in response to casual inquiries over recent years and is not expected to alter the trend in the increase in the overall number of sight tests which is currently running at about 2.6 per cent. per annum.