§ Mr. Spellerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the current scale payments or remuneration for opticians in the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe information requested is as follows:630W
1. Fees for opticians in the general ophthalmic service NHS frames or other reglazed frames New Private frames £ £ 1.1 Sight test fee—£8.60 1.2 Dispensing fee payable where following a new prescription or a change of prescription, two lenses are supplied, whether the optician or applicant supplies the frame; or where, following a change of prescription, new frame and one lens only are supplied; or where a complete pair of glasses is replaced withour change of prescription (a) single vision lenses 7.10 5.75 (b) bifocal lenses 9.05 7.25 1.3 Dispensing fee payable where following a change of prescription one lens only is supplied to the applicant's own frame 5.70 not applicable 1.4 Where two or more pairs of glasses of different powers are prescribed following sight test, the dispensing fee for each pair of any type additional to the first* shall be 4.65 3.70 1.5 Service fee for replacement of lenses (without change of prescription) fitted to existing frames per single per pair lens £ £ (a) single vision lenses 4.00 2.00 (b) bifocal lenses 5.40 2.70 1.6 Service fee for replacement of whole or part of a frame (a) New frame 4.00 (b) New front 2.70 (c) New side (each) 1.35 1.7 Service fee for solder repair to a metal frame 1.35 * Where a patient is supplied with two pairs of glasses at the same time, one with a NHS or other reglazed frame and one with a new private frame, the pair with the NHS or other reglazed frame is to be taken as the first pair.
2. Rates of pay for opticians employed by health authorities Minimum £ Maximum £ 2.1 Trainee Ophthalmic Optician 4,060 Ophthalmic Optician 6,722 8,220 Senior Ophthalmic Optician 9,155 12,212 Principal Ophthalmic Optician 12,595 16,501 Trainee Dispensing Optician 2,640 2,888 Dispensing Optician 4,905 6,754 Senior Dispensing Optician 6,123 7,359 2.2 Sessional fees Ophthalmic Optician 15.17 Senior Ophthalmic Optician 17.73 Dispensing Optician 10.55 Senior Dispensing Optician 11.63