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(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) and (General Ophthalmic Services) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 2003 and shall come into force on 6th October 2003.
(2) In these Regulations—
 “the Optical Regulations” means the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997; and
 “the Ophthalmic Regulations” means the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986.
(3) These Regulations apply to England.
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(1) The Optical Regulations are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 1 (citation, commencement and interpretation), in paragraph (2), after the definition of “patient’s resources” there is inserted—“
 “pension credit guarantee credit” shall be construed in accordance with sections 1 and 2 of the State Pension Credit Act 2002;”.
(3) In regulation 8 (eligibility—supply of optical appliances)—
(a) in paragraph (3), after sub-paragraph (m), there is inserted—“
(n) he is receiving pension credit guarantee credit or is a member of the same family as a person who is receiving pension credit guarantee credit;”; and
(b) in paragraph (4), in sub-paragraph (a) (definition of family), for “sub-paragraphs (b) and (f)”, there is substituted “sub-paragraphs (b), (f) and (n)”.
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(1) The Ophthalmic Regulations are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 2 (Interpretation), in paragraph (1), after the definition of “patient”, there is inserted—“
 “pension credit guarantee credit” shall be construed in accordance with sections 1 and 2 of the State Pension Credit Act 2002;”.
(3) In regulation 13 (sight tests—eligibility)—
(a) in paragraph (2) after sub-paragraph (m) there is inserted—“
(n) he is a member of the same family as a person who is receiving pension credit guarantee credit;”; and
(b) in paragraph (3), in sub-paragraph (a) (definition of family), for “sub-paragraphs (b) and (f)”, there is substituted “sub-paragraphs (b), (f) and (n)”.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Health
Rosie Winterton
Minister of State,
Department of Health
14th September 2003