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Dept of Health

Answer

Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many senior citizens in Stockton, South have received (a) free eye tests and (b) assistance for glasses and contact lenses since 1997. [215313] Miss Melanie Johnson: Figures for the number of sight tests and vouchers by constituency and for senior citizens are not collected centrally. The nearest available is for patients aged 60 and over for sight tests, at former health authority (HA) or current primary care trust (PCT) levels. The table shows the number of national health service sight tests paid by Tees HA for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2003 and the four PCTs covering the Stockton South constituency for the year ending 31 March 2004. General ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid by HAs and primary care PCTs covering the Stockton South constituency for patients aged 60 and over for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2004 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. HA name/ Number of sight tests for aged 60 and over PCT name (thousand) 1999-2000 Tees HA 40.9 2000-01 Tees HA 39.8 2001-02 Tees HA 42.5 2002-03 Tees HA 42.9 2003-04 North Tees PCT 13.2 Hartlepool PCT 10.7 Middlesbrough PCT 15.3 Langbaurgh PCT 10.1 2003-04 Total 49.3 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1. Eligibility for NHS sight tests was extended to patients aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999. PCTs took over responsibilities from HAs in October 2002. 2. 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. 3. Patients aged 60 and over are not eligible for free NHS optical vouchers for help towards glasses or contact lenses on age grounds. However, some patients will be eligible under other category such as adult income support, Pension Credits guarantee credit or holders of HC2/HC3 certificates. It is not possible to break down voucher numbers by age for these categories.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

431 c159-60W;431 c161-2W; 215313

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Contact lenses Concessions Fees and charges Exemptions Eyesight Pensioners Older people Ophthalmic services Testing Spectacles Stockton on Tees

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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