Eye Infirmary showing the way in national report
- the region’s specialist eye hospital and centre of excellence – is singled out as an example because of its ability to carry out 12 routine cataract operations in a fourhour theatre list - surpassing the report’s suggested target of eight.
Staff at Sunderland Eye Infirmary are praised for their “very high standard of teamwork” in understanding their role in the process, maintaining the flow of patients and providing continuity of care to patients.
Consultant Ophthalmologist Mr Jean-Pierre Danjoux, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust’s clinical director for ophthalmology, said: “For Sunderland Eye Infirmary to be singled out as an exemplar for efficient cataract surgery is a fabulous reflection of the dedication and hard work of all the staff.
“They work together as a team to deliver high quality care for the population of Sunderland, South Tyneside and surrounding areas.”
The report recommends that all Trusts perform routine cataract surgery in 30 minutes or less, allowing even more patients to have vision-restoring treatment and making the best use of hospital theatre time.
Around 400,000 cataract operations were carried out in England during 2018 – the most common surgical procedure in the NHS.
If all Trusts were able to treat eight cataract patients on a four-hour theatre list, it could create an additional 26,500 hours of theatre time – which would mean 53,000 more NHS operations being done every year.
The latest GIRFT report – the 10th from the national programme – seeks to address the widely acknowledged challenge of rising demand for ophthalmology services due to an ageing population.
Ophthalmology is already one of the busiest specialties in the NHS, carrying out 6% of all operations – over 7.5 million appointments.