03 June 2019
Manchester Royal Eye Hospital’s specialist sight-saving NHS community eye clinics have provided over 10,000 additional treatment appointments to patients in their first year.
The clinics were brought to the High Street in May 2018 in order to deliver high quality hospital expertise closer to patients’ homes.
The service now delivers a total of 1800 treatment appointments for macular services per month across the hospital and community sites.
Chief executive at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, John Ashcroft, said: “Expanding our services has proved invaluable for our patients and our community eye clinics still remain among the first in the country to offer this level of treatment, in the heart of the community.”
“We hope that the prominence and availability of these treatments will continue to raise awareness of this condition and will encourage patients to seek timely treatment. This model of care has raised interest in other cities around the UK that hope to emulate the community centres,” he added.
The clinics have provided the capacity required to meet treatment needs on time, with more than 90% of patients reviewed on or within a week of their required appointment.
A new purpose-built area is currently being developed at Trafford General Hospital to meet demand for services, adding to the existing eye clinics in Cheetham Hill shopping centre in north Manchester and Wythenshawe Civic Centre in south Manchester.
The clinic teams include optometrists, ophthalmologists and specialist nurses.
Pictured is the north Manchester community eye clinic.
The clinics were brought to the High Street in May 2018 in order to deliver high quality hospital expertise closer to patients’ homes.
The service now delivers a total of 1800 treatment appointments for macular services per month across the hospital and community sites.
Chief executive at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, John Ashcroft, said: “Expanding our services has proved invaluable for our patients and our community eye clinics still remain among the first in the country to offer this level of treatment, in the heart of the community.”
“We hope that the prominence and availability of these treatments will continue to raise awareness of this condition and will encourage patients to seek timely treatment. This model of care has raised interest in other cities around the UK that hope to emulate the community centres,” he added.
The clinics have provided the capacity required to meet treatment needs on time, with more than 90% of patients reviewed on or within a week of their required appointment.
A new purpose-built area is currently being developed at Trafford General Hospital to meet demand for services, adding to the existing eye clinics in Cheetham Hill shopping centre in north Manchester and Wythenshawe Civic Centre in south Manchester.
The clinic teams include optometrists, ophthalmologists and specialist nurses.
Pictured is the north Manchester community eye clinic.
Comments (2)
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Paul6707 June 2019
I think its more for wet AMD
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Nicholas Rumney06 June 2019
Oh. In Herefordshire over 10,000 appointments that would otherwise be sent in the HES are seen in community optometry practices and many have been for a number of years. No need to build new facilities just good support and communication twixt optometry and ophthalmology. MECS, low vision, pre and post cat, enhanced glaucoma referral, OHT, stable glaucoma....soon CL and HCQ. It’s a job we can do, we have infrastructure, equipment, trained staff, competence, governance and attention to detail. Good luck Manchester but what’s wrong with the optometry resources already there.
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