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NHS management in North Central London is proposing changes to how eye surgery is provided in the five boroughs that it is responsible for. Residents can respond to a survey which runs until mid-October and also attend a focus group meeting in Edmonton on Monday 25th September.

eye surgery proposalsNorth Central London Integrated Care Service (NCL ICS) say that their proposals will enable them to carry out an estimated additional 3,000 eye surgery procedures a year and reduce waits for sight saving surgery for some patients by up to four weeks.

The main change would be the creation of an eye surgery hub at Edgware Community Hospital to carry out less complex procedures, such as cataract operations. All eye surgery currently carried out at Whittington Hospital would move to Edgware, as would some of the work currently done at Chase Farm Hospital and Royal Free Hospital. However, a small number of complex eye surgeries and procedures that need to co-locate with other specialties will remain at both Chase Farm and the Royal Free.

Download a leaflet explaining the proposals

Mobile-phone friendly version of leaflet text

You can provide feedback on the proposals by responding to an online survey that remains open until 16th October.

Eye surgery proposals survey

For Enfield residents, Healthwatch Enfield will be holding an (aptly named) Eye Focus Group meeting on Monday 25th September at 12 noon.

Eye Focus Group meeting: information
and registration

Eye surgery proposals: Information leaflet text

The local NHS is proposing changes to where some patients have planned eye surgery in North Central London (NCL) so we can carry out an estimated additional 3,000 eye surgery procedures a year and reduce waits for sight saving surgery for some patients by up to four weeks

Where can patients currently have planned eye surgery in NCL?

  1. The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust which delivers services at Edgware Community Hospital, Royal Free Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, or Whittington Hospital
  2. North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust
  3. Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust at Moorfields Eye Hospital (City Road Campus), Moorfields Eye Unit at St Ann’s Hospital or Moorfields Eye Unit at Potters Bar Community Hospital
  4. Independent sector providers contracted to provide services for the NHS.

What are the proposed changes?

Two changes are proposed which should improve surgical efficiency and help us to carry out additional eye surgery procedures and reduce wait times:

  1. To create a hub for eye (ophthalmology) surgery at Edgware Community Hospital which provides surgery for adults for common, usually straightforward (low complexity) conditions like cataracts. This would bring together all eye surgery currently provided at Whittington Hospital and some activity from Royal Free Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital into one site at Edgware Community Hospital where a higher number of surgical procedures can be done.
  2. A small number of complex eye surgeries and procedures that need to co-locate with other specialties will remain at both Chase Farm Hospital and Royal Free Hospital.

Patients would continue to attend their local or preferred hospital for tests and outpatient appointments and could continue to choose which NHS provider they are referred to for care.

Existing planned eye surgery services would continue at North Middlesex University Hospital, Moorfields sites (City Road Campus, St Ann’s Hospital and Potters Bar Community Hospital) and independent sector providers contracted to provide services for the NHS.

How will patients potentially benefit?

We have reviewed existing relevant patient engagement to understand what matters most to patients and a regular theme is that patients are willing to travel further if they can be seen quicker. By increasing the number of surgical procedures we can do, this should reduce wait times for some patients by up to four weeks.

How can I share my views on the proposal?

To share your views:

Please contact us if you require information in a different format or support to provide feedback, using the details above.

The opportunity to give feedback runs from 21 August to 16 October 2023

Where can I find more information?

Visit nclhealthandcare.org.uk/eyesurgery.  Please contact us if you have any questions

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