Clause 39 - Payments in respect of optical appliances
Health Bill
5:45 pm
Caroline Flint (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Health), Department of Health; Don Valley, Labour)
The amendments are alternatives, both of which seek to restrict to registered opticians or medical practitioners those who might receive payment for the supply, repair or replacement of optical appliances. Amendment No. 80 seeks to make it mandatory and amendment No. 119 would create a regulation-making power. I support the hon. Gentleman's general intention. We are committed to ensuring that payments for optical appliances are made appropriately when work has been carried out properly and legally. The law already requires that sales of optical appliances for children and most such sales to adults be made under the supervision of a registered optician or medical practitioner. Our view is that the supervision of sales of optical appliances by a registered dispensing optician, optometrist or medical practitioner offers adequate protection.
As we discussed earlier, businesses might be owned by people who are not members of one of those three clinical professions. So long as they employ qualified professionals to supervise sales, those sales are proper and optical vouchers may be used to make the purchases. I therefore suggest that amendments Nos. 80 and 119 be rejected. However, I understand the concern, which has been rightly voiced, that we should reconfirm the importance of ensuring that qualified practitioners are involved in the sale of those accessories.