The National Health Service (Miscellaneous Dental Charges Amendments) Regulations 2002

• Citation: S.I. 2002/2353
• Sections: 16

Section 1 Citation, commencement, interpretation and application

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Miscellaneous Dental Charges Amendments) Regulations 2002 and shall come into force on 1 October 2002.

(2) In these Regulations—

“the Travelling Expenses Regulations ” means the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations 1988 ; and

“the Dental Charges Regulations ” means the National Health Service (Dental Charges) Regulations 1989 .

(3) These Regulations apply to England only.

Section 2 Amendment of regulation 2 of the Travelling Expenses Regulations

In regulation 2 of the Travelling Expenses Regulations (interpretation), in paragraph (1), in the definition of “appropriate office”, for “of Social Security” there is substituted “for Work and Pensions”.

Section 3 Amendment of regulation 3 of the Travelling Expenses Regulations

In regulation 3 of the Travelling Expenses Regulations (entitlement to full remission and payment), in paragraph (3)(b), for “health authority” there is substituted “Primary Care Trust”.

Section 4 Amendment of regulation 8 of the Travelling Expenses Regulations

In regulation 8 of the Travelling Expenses Regulations (repayment), after paragraph (5) there is added—

(6) The Dental Practice Board constituted under section 37 of the Act is authorised to carry out any activity of the Secretary of State under the preceding paragraphs of this regulation relating to the repayment of charges for dental appliances and dental treatment described in regulation 3(2)(b).

Section 5 Amendment of regulation 8A of the Travelling Expenses Regulations

In regulation 8A of the Travelling Expenses Regulations (reimbursement of payments made in respect of relevant travelling expenses)—

(a) “a District Health Authority,” , is omitted; and

(b) for “District Health Authority or the Primary Care Trust, as the case may be,” there is substituted “Primary Care Trust”.

Section 6 Amendment of Schedule 1 to the Travelling Expenses Regulations

In Table A of Part I of Schedule 1 to the Travelling Expenses Regulations (calculation of resources), in the entry in column (2) relating to “regulation 62”—

(a) there is inserted after the first paragraph of that entry—

As if in paragraph (3), in sub-paragraph (a), for “in the period beginning with the benefit week, the first day of which coincides with, or immediately follows, the first day of the period of study and ending with the benefit week, the last day of which coincides with, or immediately precedes, the last day of the period of study” there were substituted “in that period”.

As if in paragraph (3), in sub-paragraph (b), for “beginning with the benefit week, the first day of which coincides with, or immediately follows, the first day of the period for which it is payable and ending with the benefit week, the last day of which coincides with, or immediately precedes, the last day of the period for which it is payable” there were substituted “in respect of which it is payable”.

(b) there is added at the end—

As if in paragraph (4), for “the weeks in the period beginning with the benefit week, the first day of which immediately follows the last day of the period of experience and ending with the benefit week, the last day of which coincides with, or immediately precedes, the last day of the period of study” there were substituted “the remaining weeks in that period”.

Section 7 Amendment of regulation 1 of the Dental Charges Regulations

In regulation 1 of the Dental Charges Regulations (citation, commencement and interpretation)—

(a) in paragraph (2)(a)—

(i) after the definition of “pilot scheme” there is inserted—

“registered midwife” means a midwife who is registered as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Council under the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001;

(ii) for the definition of “relevant Health Authority”, there is substituted—

“relevant Primary Care Trust” means the Primary Care Trust with whom the arrangements for providing the dental services in question are made;

(b) in paragraph (2)(b), for “health authority” there is substituted “Primary Care Trust”.

Section 8 Amendment of regulation 4 of the Dental Charges Regulations

In regulation 4 of the Dental Charges Regulations (calculation of charges), in paragraph (4), for “health authority” in both places where it occurs, there is substituted “Primary Care Trust”.

Section 9 Amendment of regulation 6 of the Dental Charges Regulations

In regulation 6 of the Dental Charges Regulations (making and recovery of charges)—

(a) in paragraph (1) for “health authority” there is substituted “Primary Care Trust”;

(b) in paragraph (2)(d), for “Health Authority” there is substituted “Primary Care Trust”; and

(c) in paragraph (3), for “relevant Health Authority” there is substituted “Board”.

Section 10 New regulation 7A inserted into Dental Charges Regulations

In the Dental Charges Regulations, after regulation 7 (remission and repayment), there is inserted—

(7A) Repayments

(1) This regulation applies to any person who:

(a) pays any charge for dental appliances and dental treatment payable pursuant to section 78(1A) or 79 of the Act or to section 20(1) of the Primary Care Act; and

(b) would, but for regulation 5, be exempt from the charge, under paragraph 2(4) or 3(4) of Schedule 12 to the Act, or section 20(6) of the Primary Care Act.

(2) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, any person to whom this regulation applies is entitled to have such a charge repaid.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), it is a condition of the entitlement to a repayment under this regulation that the person makes a claim to the Secretary of State for the repayment—

(a) within—

(i) three months after payment of the charge; or

(ii) such further period as the Secretary of State may for good cause allow; and

(b) in a manner approved by or on behalf of the Secretary of State for that purpose; and

(c) supported by such evidence as the Secretary of State may reasonably require.

(4) Subject to paragraph (5), where the person is unable for the time being to act, another person may make a claim on that person’s behalf.

(5) The Secretary of State may refuse to accept a claim made by one person on behalf of another where, in the Secretary of State’s opinion—

(a) the person on whose behalf the claim is made is able to act; or

(b) the person making the claim is not a suitable person to act on behalf of that other person.

(6) If satisfied that a person is entitled to repayment under this regulation, the Secretary of State shall cause a repayment to be made to that person in such manner as appears to the Secretary of State to be appropriate in the circumstances of the particular case.

(7) The Board is authorised to carry out any activity of the Secretary of State under the preceding paragraphs of this regulation relating to the repayment of charges.

Section 11 Amendment of regulation 9 of the Dental Charges Regulations

In regulation 9 of the Dental Charges Regulations (charges for replacement—general dental services), in paragraph (3), for “Health Authority” there is substituted “Primary Care Trust or the Board”.

Section 12 Amendment of regulation 10 of the Dental Charges Regulations

In regulation 10 of the Dental Charges Regulations (discontinuation of treatment—general dental services), for “Health Authority” there is substituted “Primary Care Trust”.

Section 13 Amendment of regulation 11 of the Dental Charges Regulations

In regulation 11 of the Dental Charges Regulations (reduction of remuneration and accounting for charges—general dental services), in paragraph (3), for “Health Authority” there is substituted “Primary Care Trust or NHS Trust”.

Section 14 Amendment of regulation 11A of the Dental Charges Regulations

In regulation 11A of the Dental Charges Regulations (functions of the Dental Practice Board in relation to pilot schemes), in paragraph (c), for “Health Authority” there is substituted “Primary Care Trust”.

Section 15 Amendment of Schedule 2 to the Dental Charges Regulations

In Schedule 2 to the Dental Charges Regulations (exemptions—categories and evidence), in column (2), in paragraph 3, after “registered medical practitioner” there is inserted “or a registered midwife”.

Section 16 Amendment of Schedule 4 to the Dental Charges Regulations

In Schedule 4 to the Dental Charges Regulations (manner of determining charge for replacement), for “Health Authority”, wherever those words occur, there is substituted “Primary Care Trust”.