The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) and (Travel Expenses and Remission of Charges) Amendment Regulations 2006

• Citation: S.I. 2006/675
• Sections: 7

Section 1 Citation, commencement, application and interpretation

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) and (Travel Expenses and Remission of Charges) Amendment Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 1st April 2006.

(2) These Regulations apply in relation to England.

(3) In these Regulations—

(a) “the Charges Regulations ” means the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2000 ;

(b) “the Travel Expenses and Remission of Charges Regulations ” means the National Health Service (Travel Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations 2003 ; and

(c) “the Income Support Regulations ” means the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 .

Section 2 Amendment of the Charges Regulations to increase charges

(1) The Charges Regulations are amended as follows.

(2) In each of the following provisions, for “£6.50” in each place that it occurs substitute “£6.65”—

(a) regulation 3(1)(a) and (b), (1A)(b)(i) and (ii) and (4) (charges for the supply of drugs and appliances by chemists);

(b) regulation 4(1)(a) and (b) and (4) (charges for the supply of drugs and appliances by doctors);

(c) regulation 4A(1)(a) and (b) (charges for the out of hours supply of drugs and appliances by providers of out of hours services);

(d) regulation 5(1)(a) and (d) and (5) (charges for the supply of drugs and appliances by NHS trusts and Primary Care Trusts);

(e) regulation 6(1)(a) and (b) and (4) (charges for the supply of drugs and appliances at Walk-in Centres); and

(f) regulation 6A(1) (charges for the supply of drugs under Patient Group Directions).

(3) In each of the following provisions, for “£13.00” in each place that it occurs substitute “£13.30”—

(a) regulation 3(1)(a) and (1A)(b)(i) (charge for the supply of a pair of elastic hosiery by chemists);

(b) regulation 4(1)(a) (charge for the supply of a pair of elastic hosiery by doctors);

(c) regulation 4A(1)(a) (charge for the out of hours supply of a pair of elastic hosiery by providers of out of hours services);

(d) regulation 5(1)(a) and (c) (charge for the supply of a pair of elastic hosiery or tights by NHS trusts or Primary Care Trusts); and

(e) regulation 6(1)(a) (charge for the supply of a pair of elastic hosiery at Walk-in Centres).

(4) In regulation 9(5) (pre-payment certificates) substitute—

(a) for “£33.90”, “£34.65”; and

(b) for “£93.20”, “£95.30”.

(5) In column (2) of Schedule 1 (charges for fabric supports and wigs) substitute—

(a) for “£21.80”, “£22.30”;

(b) for “£33.00”, “£33.75”;

(c) for “£53.90”, “£55.10”;

(d) for “£142.30”, “£145.55”; and

(e) for “£208.10”, “£212.85”.

Section 3 Amendment of regulation 2 of the Charges Regulations

In regulation 2 (interpretation) of the Charges Regulations—

(a) in the definition of “prescription form”, at the end of the definition, insert “and includes a prescription form provided and issued under equivalent arrangements having effect in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland;”; and

(b) in the definition of “supplementary prescriber” after paragraph (a)(iv) insert—

(v) the register of optometrists maintained by the General Optical Council in pursuance of section 7 (register of opticians) of the Opticians Act 1989 ; and

Section 4 Miscellaneous amendments of the Charges Regulations

In—

(a) paragraph (6) of regulation 5;

(b) paragraph (5) of regulation 6; and

(c) paragraph (5) of regulation 6A,

for “a form which” substitute “ the form provided for the purpose, which form”.

Section 5 Transitional provision relating to the Charges Regulations

Where, on or after 1st April 2006—

(a) any appliance specified in Schedule 1 to the Charges Regulations is supplied pursuant to an order given before that date; or

(b) any pre-payment certificate is granted under regulation 9 of the Charges Regulations pursuant to an application under that regulation which was received before that date,

the Charges Regulations shall have effect in relation to that supply, or as the case may be, grant, as if these Regulations had not come into force.

Section 6 Amendment of regulation 6 of the Travel Expenses and Remission of Charges Regulations

In regulation 6(1)(b)(i) after “by less than the travel expenses”, insert “incurred in any week”.

Section 7 Modifications of the Income Support Regulations in Schedule 1 of the Travel Expenses and Remission of Charges Regulations

(1) Schedule 1 to the Travel Expenses and Remission of Charges Regulations (Modifications of Income Support Regulations) is amended as follows.

(2) In Table A, in the modification of regulation 45 of the Income Support Regulations, for “£8,000” substitute “£16,000”.

(3) In Table B, in paragraph 1(2) of the inserted Schedule 4A which modifies the Income Support Regulations, for “£3,000” substitute “£6,000”.