North-east patients face long cataract care delays

Thousands of eye patients face long delays for cataract operations across Scotland, it emerged yesterday.

The Scottish Government says patients should be booked in for treatment within 12 weeks. Almost a quarter of patients have had to wait longer in the past year. One Grampian resident waited 546 days.

Only patients in Lothian, Shetland and the Borders were treated on time.

Yesterday Moray Conservative MP Douglas Ross said: “It is shocking that patients in Moray and the north-east who need eye surgery have to wait up to a year-and-a-half.

“Many cataract patients are elderly and their sight is extremely important.”

Ophthalmology figures from the NHS Information Services Division Scotland show 34,261 patients have been on the waiting list over the past year – with 8,796 waiting more than 12 weeks for an appointment.

Alasdair Pattinson, general manager at Dr Gray’s Hospital, Elgin, said: “We have experienced challenges in finding consultant staff to fill vacancies in ophthalmology at Dr Gray’s Hospital for a number of years. We are determined, however, to maintain services.”

One Grampian resident waited 546 days for treatment