Reminder over 24/7 emergency number

A new 24/7 emergency line for people with urgent eye problems has allowed them to access specialist advice over the phone.

The emergency number for Sunderland Eye Infirmary – 0191 5699952 – was introduced in April in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social distancing rules.

Rather than just turning up at its emergency eye department, patients now call the number and receive a consultation over the phone with an eye specialist. If the patient then needs to be seen face-toface, an attendance time is arranged for them.

In a survey to help South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust understand and learn from their experience of using the phone line, 92% of patients rated their experience as very positive or fairly positive.

The other reason for bringing it in was to try to reduce the amount of unnecessary hospital visits.

Consultant Ophthalmologist Jean-Pierre Danjoux, the trust’s clinical director for ophthalmology, said: “We need to make sure that we are doing everything to keep our patients and staff safe and so we are asking the public to continue doing their bit by not just turning up at our emergency eye department, but instead calling our new 24/7 emergency phone number first.

“The past few months have been difficult, but our priority throughout has been to continue to provide a safe and responsive service for those who need us day and night.

"We have seen major benefits from introducing the new telephone triage system and it means patients get direct access to a specialist eye opinion without the need to travel.