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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners in the Selby constituency have had free eye tests since they were introduced. [198788] Miss Melanie Johnson: Figures for the number of sight tests by constituency or by pensioners are not collected centrally. The following table shows the number of national health service sight tests paid by North Yorkshire health authority (HA) for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2003 and the four primary care trusts (PCTs) covering the old North Yorkshire HA for the year ending 31 March 2004. General ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid by North Yorkshire HA for patients aged 60 and over for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2004 (thousand) _________________________________________________________________________________________________. HA name/PCT name Number of sight tests for aged 60 and over 1999-2000 North Yorkshire HA 52.1 2000-01 North Yorkshire HA 61.8 2001-02 North Yorkshire HA 68.9 2002-03 North Yorkshire HA 70.3 2003-04 21.4 Hambleton and Richmondshire PCT 10.2 Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale PCT 17.5 Selby And York PCT 26.3 Total North Yorkshire HA 75.4 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1. Eligibility for NHS sight tests was extended to patients aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999. 2. PCTs took over responsibilities from HAs in October 2002. Sight tests can not be equated to the numbers of patients. Although most people do not come back for a sight test within the year, some patients suffering from medical conditions are advised to have re-examinations sooner. However, some patients aged 60 and over will be eligible for sight tests for other reasons as well, for example, on income grounds. The classification for such patients will depend on the patient and the practitioner.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

198788; 426 c1673W;426 c1676W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Fees and charges Exemptions Eyesight Pensioners Testing Selby

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk