§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what payments his Department made to optometrists in Scotland in respect of free or subsidized eye tests in 1978–79 and in the most recent year for which figures are available. [17517]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonSight tests may be carried out by ophthalmic opticians—optometrists—or ophthalmic medical practitioners. From April 1989 eligibility to NHS sight tests was restricted to certain groups of the population. The information requested is set out in the table.
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Scotland: NHS sight test fees paid to ophthalmic opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners £ thousand 1978–79 11994–95 Sight tests2 Ophthalmic medical practitioners 168 192 Ophthalmic opticians 2,500 7,792 Domiciliary visits3 Ophthalmic medical practitioners n/a 117 Ophthalmic opticians n/a 175 Total Scotland 2,668 8,276 1 Provisional figures. 2 Including NHS contributions under the NHS Low Income Scheme to the cost of private sight tests. 3 Since June 1990 practitioners may claim a visit fee when they carry out a sight test at a patient's home.