Commentary on Sections Ophthalmic Services Section 39 Persons performing primary ophthalmic services
213.Section 39 amends section 28X of the 1977 Act, so that, in common with primary medical services and primary dental services, only a person on the performers list of a Primary Care Trust may perform primary ophthalmic services. It also allows the Secretary of State to prescribe the qualifications and experience which a medical practitioner who applies for inclusion in a primary ophthalmic services list must have. The testing of sight (which is the only primary ophthalmic service required by these provisions) is reserved to registered optometrists and medical practitioners so only such registered practitioners may be on a performers list.