Clause 35 - General ophthalmic services contracts
Health Bill
12:15 pm
Caroline Flint (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Health), Department of Health; Don Valley, Labour)
Amendment No. 29 would ensure that eligible patients were able to choose their NHS provider of sight tests. We support the right of patients entitled to a sight test under NHS arrangements to choose which practitioner should test their sight. Nothing in the Bill takes away from the right of individuals to choose when and where they have their sight tested, so long as it is in line with existing regulations. That is why we are inserting new subsection 28WE (5) into the 1977 Act. It states:
''Regulations under subsection (1) must make provision as to the right of persons to whom services are to be provided to choose the persons from whom they are to receive them.''
I hope that I have reassured the hon. Gentleman that there is no attempt to limit the range of choice.