Made | 29th August 2007 | ||
Laid before the Scottish Parliament | 3rd September 2007 | ||
Coming into force | 1st October 2007 |
1. | Citation and commencement |
2. | Interpretation |
3. | Supply of drugs and appliances by chemists |
4. | Supply of drugs and appliances by doctors |
5. | Supply of drugs and appliances to out-patients |
6. | Fabric supports and wigs |
7. | Exemptions |
8. | Pre-payment certificates |
9. | Refunds |
10. | Revocations and transitional provisions |
SCHEDULE 1 — | CHARGES FOR ELASTIC HOSIERY |
SCHEDULE 2 — | CHARGES FOR TIGHTS |
SCHEDULE 3 — | CHARGES FOR FABRIC SUPPORTS AND WIGS |
SCHEDULE 4 — | SCHEDULE OF DRUGS TO TREAT TUBERCULOSIS |
SCHEDULE 5 — | REVOCATIONS |
(ii) which contains on its reverse side a form of declaration of entitlement to exemption or a statement that a charge has been paid,
and includes a prescription form provided and issued under equivalent arrangements having effect in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; or
(b) data that are created in an electronic form for the provision of pharmaceutical services ordered by–
and signed with such person's advanced electronic signature and transmitted as an electronic communication through the ePharmacy service; or
(c) a form on which domiciliary oxygen has been ordered–
(e) the register of optometrists maintained by the General Optical Council in pursuance of section 7 of the Opticians Act 1989[18],
and against whose name is recorded in the relevant register an annotation signifying that he or she is qualified to order drugs, medicines and appliances as a supplementary prescriber or, in the case of the Nursing and Midwifery Register, a nurse independent/supplementary prescriber;
(2) For the purpose of these Regulations–
(3) For as long as there are in existence contracts entered into under article 13 of the General Medical Services (Transitional and Other Ancillary Provisions) (Scotland) Order 2004[23] ("default contracts") any reference in these Regulations to a GMS contract shall be read as including a reference to a contract entered into under that article and any reference to a term of a GMS contract shall be read as including a reference to the equivalent term of the default contract.
(4) For as long as there are in existence transitional agreements as defined in article 1(2) of the General Medical Services and Section 17C Agreements (Transitional and Other Ancillary Provisions) (Scotland) Order 2004[24], any reference in these Regulations to a section 17C agreement shall be read as including a reference to a transitional agreement and any reference to a term of a section 17C agreement shall be read as including a reference to any equivalent term in the transitional agreement.
(5) In these Regulations–
Supply of drugs and appliances by chemists
3.
—(1) A chemist who provides pharmaceutical services to a patient shall make and recover from the patient–
except where–
(2) For the purposes of this regulation, where a quantity of a drug ordered on one prescription form to be supplied by instalments during a period of not more than 14 days is supplied, only one charge shall be payable and it shall be payable upon the supply of the first instalment.
(3) A chemist shall be under no obligation to provide pharmaceutical services in respect of an order on a prescription form, or in terms of a Patient Group Direction, unless the patient has paid the chemist any charge payable under paragraph (1), or one of the exceptions set out in paragraph (1) applies.
(4) A chemist who makes and recovers a charge under paragraph (1) or (2) shall, if required by the patient, give the patient a receipt for the amount paid, on a form provided for the purpose by the Health Board, which contains forms of declaration in support of an application for a refund.
(5) Any sum which a Health Board is under a duty to pay or cause to be paid to a chemist in respect of the provision by the chemist of pharmaceutical services, other than such provision to which the exceptions set out in paragraph (1) apply, shall be reduced by the sum specified in paragraph (1)(b) in respect of each quantity of a drug supplied and by the sum specified in paragraph (1)(b), or as the case may require, the sum specified in column 2 of Schedule 1 in respect of each appliance supplied as part of such services.
Supply of drugs and appliances by doctors
4.
—(1) A doctor who provides services corresponding to pharmaceutical services under the terms of a GMS contract which gives effect to paragraph 44 of Schedule 5 to the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 2004[25] or under the terms of a section 17C agreement which gives effect to paragraph 15 of Schedule 1 to the National Health Service (Primary Medical Services Section 17C Agreements) (Scotland) Regulations 2004[26] shall make and recover from the patient–
except where the patient or a person on the patient's behalf declares that the patient is entitled to exemption.
(2) For the purposes of this regulation, where a doctor supplies a quantity of a drug by instalments during a period of not more than 14 days, only one charge shall be payable and it shall be payable upon the supply of the first instalment.
(3) A doctor shall be under no obligation to supply drugs or appliances unless the patient has paid the doctor any charge payable under paragraph (1), or the exception set out in paragraph (1) applies.
(4) After the end of each month, a GMS contractor or section 17C provider shall send the total charges recovered by a doctor during the month to the Health Board with which the GMS contractor or section 17C provider has a GMS contract or section 17C agreement.
(5) A doctor who makes and recovers a charge under paragraph (1) or (2) shall, if required by the patient, give the patient a receipt for the amount paid, on a form provided for the purpose by the Health Board, which contains forms of declaration in support of an application for a refund.
Supply of drugs and appliances to out-patients
5.
—(1) A Health Board which supplies an out-patient attending hospital with appliances or drugs (to be administered outwith the hospital), shall make and recover from the out-patient–
except where the out-patient or person on the out-patient's behalf, declares that the out patient is entitled to exemption.
(2) For the purposes of this regulation, where a quantity of a drug supplied by a hospital against an order on one prescription form is to be supplied by instalments during a period of not more than 14 days, only one charge shall be payable and it shall be payable upon the supply of the first instalment.
(3) A Health Board which makes and recovers a charge under paragraph (1) or (2) shall, if required by the patient, give the patient a receipt for the amount paid, on a form provided for the purpose by the Health Board, which contains forms of declaration in support of an application for a refund.
Fabric supports and wigs
6.
—(1) A Health Board which, otherwise than under Part II of the Act, supplies a patient with an appliance specified in column 1 of Schedule 3, shall make and recover from the patient the charge specified in column 2 of Schedule 3 in respect of that appliance.
(2) A Health Board which makes and recovers a charge under paragraph (1) shall, if required by the patient, give the patient a receipt for the amount paid, on a form provided for the purpose by the Health Board, which contains forms of declaration in support of an application for a refund.
Exemptions
7.
—(1) Subject to the provisions of paragraphs 1(1) and 4 of Schedule 11 to the Act and to the following provisions of this regulation, no charge shall be payable under these Regulations by–
(f) a person to whom the Secretary of State has issued a valid exemption certificate in respect of the supply of drugs and appliances for the treatment of accepted disablement but only in respect of those supplies to which the certificate relates;
(g) a person in respect of the supply to that person of the drugs or preparations specified in Schedule 4; or
(h) a person to whom a pre-payment certificate has been granted pursuant to regulation 8.
(2) No exemption from a charge payable under these Regulations shall be granted unless–
(b) in the case of a charge payable to a doctor, a declaration of entitlement to exemption, which shall be in writing if the doctor so requires, is made to that doctor by the patient or the patient's representative; or
(c) in the case of a charge payable to a Health Board under regulation 5, the person claiming exemption provides such evidence as the Health Board may reasonably require that the person is entitled to such exemption.
(3) A person who wishes to claim exemption under paragraph (1)(d) or (1)(e) shall apply to the Health Board for an exemption certificate on a form provided by the Health Board for that purpose.
(4) If the Health Board is satisfied that an applicant is entitled to exemption from charges under paragraph (1)(d), it shall issue an exemption certificate which shall have effect in the case of an expectant mother until the end of her pregnancy, and–
(5) If a Health Board is satisfied that an applicant is entitled to exemption under paragraph (1)(e), it shall issue an exemption certificate to the applicant which shall have effect for such period as it may determine.
(6) Where a claim for exemption has been made but is not substantiated and in consequence of that claim a chemist, a doctor or a Health Board has not recovered a charge in respect of the supply of any drugs or appliances, the Health Board shall recover such charge from the person concerned.
(7) Any claim for exemption by reference to patient's age or the validity of an exemption certificate shall be determined by reference to the age or validity on the date on which any order for drugs or appliances is presented for dispensing or drugs or appliances are supplied by a doctor or a Health Board.
(8) The charges which may be made and recovered by virtue of these Regulations are subject to the provisions of the Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges Regulations.
Pre-payment certificates
8.
—(1) Any person may apply for a pre-payment certificate by completing and sending a form provided for that purpose by the Health Board to the address specified in the form.
(2) A pre-payment certificate shall be valid for a period of either 4 months or 12 months and an application under paragraph (1) shall state the period for which it is required to be valid.
(3) A pre-payment certificate shall be valid–
(b) from a date after the application under paragraph 1 is made, where that date–
(c) if the applicant does not specify the date under sub paragraphs (a)(i) or (b)(i), from the date upon which the application is received at the address referred to in paragraph 1.
(4) A pre payment certificate shall be granted either–
payment of the sum of £35.85 for a certificate valid for 4 months or £98.70 for a certificate valid for 12 months.
(5) The payment of a sum prescribed under this regulation shall not be deemed to be the payment of a charge under these Regulations.
(6) Where not more than one month after the date on which a person's pre payment certificate became valid the person–
and for the purposes of these calculations a complete month is a month beginning on the date of death and ending on the date immediately preceding that date in the following month.
(9) Where, during the period of 3 months following the month in respect of which a claim for a refund may be made under paragraph (6), a person with a pre-payment certificate valid for 12 months–
an application for a refund may be made by or on behalf of that person in accordance with paragraphs (11) to (13).
(10) The refund referred to in paragraph (9) shall be the amount which is the difference between the amount paid in respect of the pre-payment certificate valid for 12 months and the amount payable for a certificate valid for 4 months on the date that the sum prescribed was paid.
(11) Applications under this regulation for refunds shall be made to the Health Board which either received the amount paid in respect of the pre-payment certificate or approved the pharmacist or doctor to grant pre payment certificates and shall be accompanied by the certificate (where granted) and a declaration in support of the application and any refund shall be made in such manner and subject to such conditions as the Scottish Ministers may determine.
(12) Subject to paragraph (13) an application for a refund shall be made where the person–
within 4 months of the date of expiry of the pre payment certificate;
(c) has a pre-payment certificate valid for 12 months and becomes a person–
within 7 months of the date of expiry of the pre payment certificate; or
(d) becomes resident in hospital and remains there until the expiry of a pre payment certificate, within 3 months of the date of expiry.
(13) Where an application under this regulation is made outside the time limits specified in paragraph (12) the Health Board shall accept the application if the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the delay was for good cause.
Refunds
9.
—(1) Where a charge has been paid under these Regulations by or on behalf of a person who was at the time of payment eligible for exemption from that charge, a claim for a refund may be made by or on behalf of that person.
(2) A claim under this regulation for a refund of charges shall be made on a form provided for the purpose by the Scottish Ministers and shall be accompanied by the appropriate receipt and the appropriate declaration in support of the claim.
(3) A claim under this regulation for a refund shall be made not less than one month but not more than 3 months after the date on which the charge was paid.
(4) A claim under this regulation for a refund shall be made to the Health Board which received payment of the charge, and any refund shall be made in such manner and subject to such conditions as the Scottish Ministers may determine.
Revocations and transitional provisions
10.
—(1) The Regulations specified in column 1 of Schedule 5 are hereby revoked.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) and without prejudice to the provisions of section 16 of the Interpretation Act 1978[29]–
(b) the provisions of the revoked 2007 Regulations shall continue to apply on and after 1st October 2007–
(c)
shall be valid for the purposes of these Regulations, as if such certificates had been issued under regulation 7 or regulation 8 respectively of these Regulations.
S ROBISON
Authorised to sign by the Scottish Ministers
St Andrew's House, Edinburgh
29th August 2007
Column 1 | Column 2 |
Appliance | Charge |
Anklet, legging, knee-cap, below-knee or thigh stocking. | £6.85 each (£13.70 per pair) |
Column 1 | Column 2 |
Appliance | Charge |
Tights (per pair) | £13.70 |
Column 1 | Column 2 |
Appliance | Charge |
Surgical Brassiere | £23.10 |
Abdominal or Spinal Support | £34.95 |
Stock Modacrylic Wig | £6.85 |
Partial Human Hair Wig | £150.75 |
Full Bespoke Human Hair Wig | £220.50 |
2.
Any of the following drugs or preparations containing these drugs, used for the purpose of treating drug resistant Tuberculosis or associated infections:
3.
The following drug or preparation used prophylactically, when treating Tuberculosis:
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
Regulations revoked | References | Extent of revocation |
The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) (Scotland) Regulations 2007 | S.S.I. 2007/139 | The whole Regulations |
The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2007 | S.S.I. 2007/317 | The whole Regulations |
The definition of "prescriber" has been amended to include "pharmacist independent prescriber" in anticipation of the proposed introduction of pharmacist independent prescribing in Scotland.
Regulation 3 provides that chemists who provide pharmaceutical services to patients shall make and recover charges in respect of the supply of drugs and appliances except where a declaration of entitlement to exemption is completed in respect of a patient.
Regulation 4 provides that doctors who provide certain pharmaceutical services to patients shall make and recover charges in respect of the supply of drugs and appliances and are to remit the sum recovered in charges to the relevant Health Board.
Regulation 5 provides that a Health Board which supplies hospital out-patients with drugs or appliances shall make and recover charges in respect of drugs or appliances supplied to the out-patients.
Regulation 6 provides that a Health Board shall make and recover a charge from a patient in respect of the supply of a fabric support or wig.
Regulation 7 provides for exemptions from charges for certain patients including those under the age of 16 or those who have a listed medical condition, or where the patient has an exemption certificate. An additional category of exemption has been added (paragraph (1)(g)) for persons to whom drugs specified in Schedule 4 (drugs to treat tuberculosis) are supplied.
Regulation 8 provides for pre-payment certificates in respect of charges for drugs and appliances and for the circumstances in which a claim for refund of the cost of a certificate can be made. Paragraph (1) has been amended to provide that the application form for a certificate is to be sent to the address specified in the form. Paragraph (3) has been amended to specify the permitted validity dates of the certificate. Paragraphs (6), (8) and (11) have been amended to clarify that the amount of a refund shall be calculated by reference to the amount paid for the certificate, or the appropriate specified fraction of that amount.
Regulation 9 enables a person who was eligible for exemption from charges at the time of payment to claim a refund of those charges. Such claims shall be made on a form provided for the purpose and shall be accompanied by appropriate evidence in support of the claim. The claim form is available from Community Pharmacists.
Regulation 10(1) revokes the regulations which have been consolidated by these Regulations.
Regulation 10(2) makes transitional provisions.
Schedule 1 sets out the charges for elastic hosiery.
Schedule 2 sets out the charges for tights.
Schedule 3 sets out the charges for fabric supports and wigs.
A new Schedule 4 has been added specifying the drugs used to treat tuberculosis for which exemption from charges is provided in regulation 7(1)(g).
Schedule 5 lists the regulations revoked by these Regulations.
[2] S.S.I. 2001/430, amended by S.S.I. 2002/100, 2003/130 and 295, 2004/66 and 212, S.S.I. 2005/124, 326 and 617, and 2006/149 and 246; and S.I. 2004/1771.back
[3] S.S.I. 2007/139, amended by S.S.I. 2007/317.back
[4] Section 10 was amended by the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c.19), section 66(2) and Schedule 10; the Health Act 1999 (c.8), section 65(1) and Schedule 4, paragraph 44(a); S.S.I. 1999/90, article 2 and Schedule 1; and the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 (asp 13), schedule 2, paragraph 2(4).back
[6] Section 17J was inserted by the Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 1), section 4.back
[7] Section 2 was amended by the National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp.7), Schedule 1, para 1(2)(b).back
[8] S.I. 2002/253 to which there are no relevant amending instruments.back
[9] S.I. 1997/1830. The definition of "Patient Group Direction" was inserted by S.I. 2000/1917.back
[10] 1968 c.67. Section 132 was amended by S.I. 2007/289.back
[12] S.I. 1976/1213 (N.I. 22).back
[14] This is an agreement under section 17C of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 (c.29).back
[16] S.I. 1976/1213(N.I. 22).back
[17] S.I. 2002/254 to which there are no relevant amending instruments.back
[18] 1989 c.44; section 7 was amended by S.I. 2005/848, article 7.back
[19] S.I. 1997/1830. Article 12C was inserted by S.I. 2000/1917 and amended by S.I. 2000/2899 and 2003/696.back
[20] S.I. 1995/414; relevant amending instruments are S.S.I. 2005/618, 2007/208 and 390.back
[21] S.I. 1996/177 to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.back
[22] S.S.I. 2003/460, amended by S.S.I. 2004/102 and 116, 2005/3 and 179, 2006/142, 183 and 440, 2007/225, 259 and 391.back
[25] S.S.I. 2004/115. Paragraph 44 of Schedule 5 was amended by S.S.I. 2007/206 and 392.back
[26] S.S.I. 2004/116. Paragraph 15 of Schedule 1 was amended by S.S.I. 2007/205 and 393.back
[27] Paragraph 7 of Schedule 11 was inserted by the Health Services Act 1980 (c.53), section 26(2) and Schedule 5, Part II, paragraph 8.back