Skye man waits nearly two years for eye appointment

NHS Highland has apologised to a Skye man following his 23-month wait for a follow-up eye appointment.

Grahame Fish, 73, wrote to Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant when he realised he hadn’t been called for his regular check-up since July 2016.

Mr Fish, from Glenhinnisdal, near Portree, has been diagnosed with ocular hypertension, for which he uses eye drops, but in the past eight years had operations for a retinal detachment and a retinal tear so gains reassurance from regular check-ups at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness.

After Mr Fish contacted the health authority in March this year to point out the error and Mrs Grant took up the case, it arranged an appointment for him and he was due to be seen on Tuesday May 29 by an orthoptist and then reviewed by a glaucoma specialist.

NHS Highland’s chief executive's Elaine Mead admitted there was ‘some discrepancy’ in Mr Fish’s electronic appointments which did say follow-ups should have been every six or 12 months.

She said delays were caused by ‘a reduced staff level’ due to ‘recruiting difficulties across our ophthalmology services’.

‘When I asked the reason for the huge backlog of appointments on this latest occasion, I was told it was down to the large number of patients needing attention,’ said Mr Fish, a retired librarian who formerly worked part-time as a school cleaner in Uig, Staffin and other primary schools.

‘That is another way of saying there are not enough staff to deal with the caseload. While I’m glad I have an appointment at last, I am worried there are a lot of patients in a similar position but who do not complain. There will quite possibly be patients with undiagnosed problems that are gradually getting worse while they are on the waiting list.’

NHS Highland told Mr Fish it had just appointed a consultant in ophthalmology services with another due to start in August.

A representative from NHS Highland added: ‘Despite a national shortage of consultant ophthalmologists and a number of vacant posts across Scotland, NHS Highland has just successfully recruited to a post vacant since 2015. The incoming consultant has a special interest in glaucoma and will start on August 1.

‘In addition, an oculoplastic consultant ophthalmologist was recently recruited on May 21, replacing a consultant who retired in December 2017. These appointments, along with a review of how services are delivered, will see a continued improvement in waiting times for new and return appointments.’