Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1991 and shall come into force on 1st April 1991.

(2) In these Regulations, “the principal Regulations” means the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) (Scotland) Regulations 1989(2).

Amendments to the principal Regulations: NHS trusts

2.—(1) In the definition of “prescription form” in regulation 2(1) and in regulations 5(1) and (3) and 6(1) and (2) of the principal Regulations after the words “a Board” there shall be inserted the words “or an NHS trust”(3).

(2) In regulation 6(4) and (5) of those Regulations after the words “the Board” there shall be inserted the words “or, as the case may be, the NHS trust”.

(3) In regulation 7(2)(c)—

(a)after the words “to a Board” there shall be inserted the words “to a Board or, as the case may be, to an NHS trust”; and

(b)after the words “that Board” there shall be inserted the words “or, as the case may be, that NHS trust”.

(4) In regulation 7(4) and (5) of those Regulations for the words “or a Board” there shall be substituted the words “, a Board or, as the case may be, an NHS trust”.

Amendments to the principal Regulations: amounts specified

3.—(1) ln regulation 3(1)(b) of the principal Regulations (“Supply of drugs and appliances by chemists”), for the figure “£3.05”, there shall be substituted the figure “£3.40”.

(2) In regulation 8(5) of the principal Regulations (“Prepayment certificates”)—

(a)for the figure “£15.80” there shall be substituted the figure “£17.60”; and

(b)for the figure “£43.50” there shall be substituted the figure “£48.50”.

(3) For Schedules 1, 2 and 3 to the principal Regulations there shall be substituted those Schedules as set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

Application

4.  The principal Regulations, as amended by these Regulations, shall apply only in relation to supplies of drugs and appliances made after 31st March 1991 except that—

(a)regulation 6 (“Fabric supports and wigs”) of the principal Regulations, as so amended, shall apply only where the examination or first examination leading to the supply of the specified appliance takes place after that date; and

(b)regulation 8 (“prepayment certificates”) of the principal Regulations, as so amended, shall apply only where the application referred to in paragraph (1) of that regulation is received after that date.

Regulation 3(3)

SCHEDULE

Regulations 3, 4 and 5

“SCHEDULE 1CHARGES FOR ELASTIC HOSIERY

Regulation 5

SCHEDULE 2CHARGES FOR TIGHTS

Regulation 6

SCHEDULE 3CHARGES FOR FABRIC SUPPORTS AND WIGS

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which come into force on 1st April 1991, amend the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) (Scotland) Regulations 1989 (“the principal Regulations”) which provide for the making and recovery of charges for drugs and appliances (other than dental or optical appliances) supplied by chemists and doctors under or by virtue of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978.

Regulation 2 provides for amendments to the principal Regulations consequent upon the establishment of National Health Service trusts.

Regulation 3 provides for increases in the charges specified for the supply of drugs and appliances, elastic hosiery and fabric supports and wigs.

The charge for most items on prescription or supplied to an out-patient is increased from £3.05 to £3.40. The charge for an elastic stocking is increased from £3.05 to £3.40 and for tights from £6.10 to £6.80 per pair. The charge for surgical brassieres is increased from £13.00 to £14.50 and for fabric supports from £17.00 to £19.00. The charges for wigs are increased from £26.00 to £29.00 (modacrylic wig), from £67.00 to £74.50 (partial human hair wig) and from £97.00 to £108.00 (full bespoke human hair wig). The sums prescribed for the provision of prepayment certificates of exemption from charges are increased from £15.80 to £17.60 for a four monthly certificate and from £43.50 to £48.50 for a twelve monthly certificate.