National Health Service Charges Debate
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Simon Burns
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National Health Service Charges
Simon Burns Excerpts(13 years, 9 months ago)
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The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Simon Burns)
Regulations have been laid before Parliament to increase certain national health service charges in England from 1 April 2011.
There will be an increase in the prescription charge of 20p from £7.20 to £7.40 for each quantity of a drug or appliance dispensed.
The cost of a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) will rise to £29.10 for a three-month certificate. The cost of the annual certificate will remain at £104. PPCs offer savings for those needing four or more items in three months or more than 14 items in one year.
Regulations have also been laid to increase NHS dental charges from 1 April 2011. The dental charge payable for a band 1 course of treatment will increase by 50p from £16.50 to £17. The dental charge for a band 2 course of treatment will increase by £1.40 from £45.60 to £47. The charge for a band 3 course of treatment will increase by £6 from £198 to £204.
Dental charges represent an important contribution to the overall cost of dental services. The exact amount raised will be dependent upon the level and type of primary dental care services commissioned by primary care trusts and the proportion of charge-paying patients who attend dentists and the level of treatment they require.
Charges for elastic stockings and tights, wigs and fabric supports supplied by hospitals will be also be increased.
The range of NHS optical vouchers available to children, people on low incomes and individuals with complex sight problems to help with the purchase of glasses remains unchanged in 2011-12.
Details of the revised charges are as follows:
New Charge (£) | |
|---|---|
Prescription charges | |
Single item | 7.40 |
3-month PPC | 29.10 |
12-month PPC | 104.00 |
Wigs and Fabric Supports | |
Surgical brassiere | 25.10 |
Abdominal or spinal support | 37.90 |
Stock modacrylic wig | 61.85 |
Partial human hair wig | 163.80 |
Full bespoke human hair wig | 239.65 |
Dental Charges | |
Band 1 course of treatment | 17.00 |
Band 2 course of treatment | 47.00 |
Band 3 course of treatment | 204.00 |
Voucher values continue at the rates effective since 1 April 2009, which are:
Type of optical appliance | Value |
|---|---|
A. Glasses with single vision lenses: spherical power of ≤ 6 dioptres, cylindrical power of ≤ 2 dioptres. | £36.20 |
B. Glasses with single vision lenses: spherical power of > 6 dioptres but < 10 dioptres, cylindrical power of ≤ 6 dioptres; spherical power of < 10 dioptres, cylindrical power of > 2 dioptres but ≤ 6 dioptres. | £55.10 |
C. Glasses with single vision lenses: spherical power of ≥ 10 dioptres but ≤ 14 dioptres, cylindrical power of ≤ 6 dioptres. | £80.60 |
D. Glasses with single vision lenses: spherical power of > 14 dioptres with any cylindrical power; cylindrical power of > 6 dioptres with any spherical power. | £182.00 |
E. Glasses with bifocal lenses: spherical power of ≤ 6 dioptres, cylindrical power of ≤ 2 dioptres. | £62.70 |
F. Glasses with bifocal lenses: spherical power of > 6 dioptres but < 10 dioptres, cylindrical power of < 6 dioptres; spherical power of < 10 dioptres, cylindrical power of > 2 dioptres but ≤ 6 dioptres. | £79.70 |
G. Glasses with bifocal lenses: spherical power of ≥ 10 dioptres but ≤ 14 dioptres, cylindrical power of ≤ 6 dioptres. | £103.30 |
H. Glasses with prism-controlled bifocal lenses of any power or with bifocal lenses: spherical power of > 14 dioptres with any cylindrical power; cylindrical power of > 6 dioptres with any spherical power. | £200.10 |
I. (HES) Glasses not falling within any of paragraphs A to H above for which a prescription is given in consequence of a testing of sight by an NHS Trust. | £186.40 |