The National Health Service (Wheelchair Charges) Regulations 1996

• Citation: S.I. 1996/1503
• Sections: 3

Section 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Wheelchair Charges) Regulations 1996 and shall come into force on 1st July 1996.

(2) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

“agent” means a person who is authorised or who is appointed to act on behalf of a user, including a user who is under the age of 16 years;

“standard wheelchair” means a wheelchair which is no more expensive than that which is, in the opinion of the NHS trust, clinically necessary for the user;

“user” means a person who, in the opinion of an NHS trust, having regard to his physical, or physical and mental, condition, requires the use of a wheelchair.

Section 2 Charge, and calculation of charge, for the supply of a wheelchair

(1) Where an NHS trust supplies at the request of a user, or at the request of his agent, a wheelchair of a more expensive type than a standard wheelchair, the NHS trust may make and recover from the user, or his agent, a charge in relation to that supply.

(2) The amount of any charge to be made and recovered under paragraph (1) above shall be the difference in cost to the health service between—

(a) the wheelchair supplied for the user; and

(b) the standard wheelchair.

Section 3 Application of Regulations

These Regulations shall apply only to England.