Additional Services

Additional services - the only additional service that has been prescribed in regulations is mobile services i.e. provision of NHS funded sight tests at day centres, residential care homes and individuals’ own homes (see definitions above and the regulations). However, whilst some providers of additional services may also be providers of mandatory services, this is not a requirement. It is entirely in order to be a provider of additional services without being a provider of mandatory services (and vice versa). ­

Under the NHS, eligible patients who cannot leave their home unaccompanied on account of a physical or mental disability 

AND

Fall into one of the categories for a free NHS sight test listed below:

• Aged 60 or over
• Under 16, or under 19 and in full-time education
• Registered blind or partially sighted
• Diagnosed as having diabetes or glaucoma
• 40 or over with a direct relative with glaucoma, or have been advised by an ophthalmologist that you are at risk of glaucoma
• Prescribed a complex lens

You (or your partner) are receiving the following benefits or credits:

• Income Support or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance (not contribution based)
• Working Tax Credit and are named on a Tax Credit NHS Exemption Certificate
• Child Tax Credit and are named on a Tax Credit NHS Exemption Certificate
• You are named on a NHS certificate for full or partial help with health costs (HC2/3)
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit

............are eligible for an NHS test at home:

• Practitioners can only attend patients in a day centre if the patients are normally unable to attend a community optometrist unaccompanied e.g. if can only attend day centre because ambulance transport is provided.

Those who are not eligible to have an NHS home visit must pay privately for the service. If a patient is able to go out and would normally have an NHS sight test they would have to visit a community optometrist to receive the service or pay privately for both the visit and the eye examination. Practitioners are not allowed to provide an NHS sight test at home if the patient is able to visit a community practice

Click here to see a list of local practices that provide domiciliary/mobile services.