PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Optical Express (16 July 2014)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the advertising of Optical Express under the services section of the NHS choices website, for what reason his Department concluded that Optical Express does not fall under the excluded advertising categories set out in the NHS Choices terms and conditions for offering cosmetic surgery and procedures including Botox and sunbeds; and what assessment he has made of whether advertising Optical Express services is an appropriate use of NHS funding used to maintain the website.

Asked by:
John McDonnell (Independent)

NHS Choices does not advertise services on their website. Optical Express is included within the service directory published on NHS Choices on the basis that it is a provider of NHS services.

NHS Choices has neither sought nor received any payment from Optical Express in return for this inclusion.

Answered by:
Dr Dan Poulter (Labour)
1 September 2014