
1999  No. 112
HEALTH AND PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES
General Ophthalmic Services (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999
Made 11th March 1999
Coming into operation 1st April 1999
The Department of Health and Social Services, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Articles 62, 106 and 107(6) of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972, and of all other powers enabling it in that behalf, and in conjunction with the Department of Finance and Personnel and after consultation with such organisations as appeared to the Department to be representative of medical practitioners practising as ophthalmic medical practitioners, and ophthalmic opticians, as required by Article 62(3) of the said Order, hereby makes the following Regulations:
Citation, commencement and interpretation
1 

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the General Ophthalmic Services (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 and shall come into operation on 1st April 1999.
(2) In these Regulations, the “principal Regulations” means the General Ophthalmic Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1986.
Amendment of regulation 5 of the principal Regulations
2 
In regulation 5 of the principal Regulations (qualifications of ophthalmic medical practitioners)—
(a) in paragraph (1)(b)(iii), for “the Diploma in Ophthalmology awarded conjointly by the Royal College of Physicians of London and the Royal College of Surgeons of England,” substitute “the Membership of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists,”;
(b) omit paragraph (c) and the word “or” preceding it.
Amendment of regulation 15 of the principal Regulations
3 
In regulation 15 of the principal Regulations (sight tests - eligibility)—
(a) after paragraph (1)(b) insert—“
(bb) a person who is aged 60 years or more;”; and
(b) at the end of paragraph (1)(f) insert “or has been advised by an ophthalmologist that he is predisposed to the development of glaucoma;”;
(c) after paragraph (2) insert—“
(2A) In paragraph (1)(f) “ophthalmologist” means a doctor whose name is included in the register of specialists kept by the General Medical Council under Article 8 of the European Specialist Medical Qualifications Order 1995 and in respect of whom that register indicates his speciality to be ophthalmology.”.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health and Social Services on
Joan Dixon
Assistant Secretary
11th March 1999.Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance and Personnel on
J. G. Sullivan
Assistant Secretary
11th March 1999.