Sight loss patients being left in limbo
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A Paisley-based sight loss charity has called on the Scottish Government to tackle the spiralling ophthalmology waiting times stating that people with deteriorating eye conditions just don’t have the time to wait.
Newly-released figures from Public Health Scotland show that over 38 per cent of new ophthalmology outpatients in Greater Glasgow and Clyde had to wait over 16 weeks.
The figures show that out of 9,536 people seen, 3,612 had to wait over 16 weeks, while 3,687 had to wait over 12 weeks.
Now, Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans – which runs Sight Scotland Veterans Hawkhead Centre in the town’s Hawkhead Road – is calling for action to be taken to tackle the “spiralling” waiting lists.
Craig Spalding, chief executive of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, said: “We are calling on the Scottish Government to put a plan in place to tackle the spiralling ophthalmology waiting lists.
“These new figures show that thousands of patients with eye conditions are now waiting over 16 weeks.
“We are greatly concerned about the impact this is having mentally on people with visual impairment and the worsening of existing