Cataract patients to benefit from new one-stop clinic

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s clinic at Ashfield Health Village in Kirkby-in-Ashfield will also help to reduce overall waiting times for surgery.

At the clinic, patients will see their consultant, have all the tests they need and, if all is well, they will be given a date for both their pre-op appointment and their operation. There are likely to be fewer cancellations because appointments are made to suit patients.

Previously, patients had to make multiple visits to hospital before they got a date for their surgery. The location at the health village has free parking and good access for patients, especially those with mobility problems, and its small size provides a calm and quiet environment.

Patients can be referred to the service via their optometrist or GP. Operations will continue to take place at either King’s Mill Hospital or Newark Hospital.

The cataract clinic joins the ophthalmology community diagnostic centre already at Ashfield Health Village, which assesses patients who have conditions such as glaucoma, macular degenerative disease and diabetes.

The official opening of the clinic on Monday 30 September was attended by Trustees from the League of Friends (Mansfield and Sutton) who generously donated £58,844 to buy specialist equipment for the clinic.

This includes a state-of-the-art instrument that accurately measures the eye in a non-invasive way, an ultrasound scanner, and a special microscope with a bright light attached to it that is used to look at different parts of the eye.

Chloe Ward, Operations Manager for Ophthalmology, said: “The one-stop cataract clinic will be a huge benefit to patients who will experience a quicker, smoother process, and means we can potentially see more patients.

“We’re very grateful to the League of Friends for providing equipment that will ensure patients receive gold standard care and a date for their surgery on the first visit for cataract referral. Moving all cataract appointments to Ashfield Health Village creates more space at the main Trust for complex clinical cases, meaning we can maximise our resources and ultimately treat more patients.”

Chairman of League of Friends John Allin said: “It is the League’s pleasure to be able to fund this specialist equipment which not many hospitals have.”

The League of Friends’ funding also provided equipment for the Trust’s paediatric orthoptist service, which diagnoses and treats vision and eye movement conditions in children.

The independent charity, which was established more than 70 years ago, raises funds for King’s Mill Hospital, Mansfield Community Hospital, and Blossomwood (formerly Millbrook Mental Health Unit) through its three charity shops and the work of dedicated fundraising volunteers.

The League have donated funds towards many projects at the Trust over the years and each year donate funds to purchase a Christmas gift for all inpatients who are in hospital on Christmas Day.