£4million programme to tackle chronic eye disease UK

Main Category: Eye Health / Blindness
Article Date: 11 May 2004 - 0:00 PDT


New ways of treating patients with the chronic eye diseases glaucoma, age related macular degeneration and low vision are to be tested in eight pilot sites around the country, UK Health Minister Rosie Winterton announced today.

As part of a new £4m programme, the eight chronic eye disease pilot sites are based in Greater Peterborough Primary Care Partnership, North Birmingham PCT, East Devon PCT, Havering PCT, Barking and Dagenham PCT, Sutton & Merton PCT and Wandsworth PCT, and Gateshead PCT, Brighton & Hove PCT, Waltham Forest PCT (some PCTs share responsibilites).

The pilot sites will help to improve chronic eye disease services and treatment for patients by:

-- providing a seamless NHS service for glaucoma patients by joining up high street and hospital eye care;

-- investing in cutting edge technology to provide the very best patient care;

-- setting up a mobile eye care unit in East Devon to help patients who are unable to travel for physical, mental, social, or financial reasons; and

-- providing further training for optometrists so they can diagnose patients earlier, freeing up doctors to work on specialist areas.

Speaking at the Chronic Eye Disease Management in Community Settings conference, London, Minister of State Rosie Winterton said:

"This new £4million programme, developed by patients and professionals, is a significant step forward for people with chronic eye disease. It will improve patient choice and help to eliminate avoidable blindness through early diagnosis. These eight pilots will deliver our NHS Plan commitment to provide services based on the needs and preferences of individual patients, their families and their carers by making better use of the skills of high street optometrists to improve patients' access to eye care services.

RNIB's Head of Eye Health, Anita Lightstone, said:

"We are delighted that the Department of Health has acknowledged the importance of integrated patient-centred services and is improving access, choice, waiting times and quality for people using eye care services. We are particularly pleased with the publication of the first report of the National Eyecare Steering Group and the emphasis within this report on low vision. We also welcome the government's funding for the piloting of these new patient pathways and look forward to these services becoming readily available throughout the country."

Related links

National eye care services steering group - First report
http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4080998&chk=0cdaYD

Notes to editor

1. Funding of this programme was announced in May 2003.

The pilots and their funding are as follows:

Chronic Eye Disease Pilot Programme

Glaucoma Funding

Peterborough 422,000
Media contact: Communications & Website Officer, Pam McNicol - Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - Tel: 01733 875201, pam.mcnicol@pbh-tr.nhs.uk

Birmingham 445,000
Media contact:Dawn Rayson, Communications Manager, North Birmingham PCT 0121 332 1907 or 07976 642973. Dawn.Rayson@northbirminghampct.nhs.uk

East Devon 574,060
Media contact:Media Relations Officer, Claire Wright - tel: 01392 207414, or Claire.Wright@MidDevon-PCT.nhs.uk

Low vision

Barking, Dagenham & Havering 239,854
Media contacts: Havering Primary Care Trust, Anne Corfield, Communications Manager, tel: 01708 465493/464996 or e-mail ann.corfield@haveringpct.nhs.uk

Barking and Dagenham PCT Rachel Sheriff Communications Manager tel: 020 8532 6220, Rachel.Sheriff@bdpct.nhs.uk

Sutton, Merton & Wandsworth 245,900
Media contact: Jo Ritchie - Senior Communications Manager, Tel: 020 8296 2406/020 8251 0512, jo.ritchie@smpct.nhs.uk

Gateshead PCT 222,850
Media contact: Sue Taylor,contactus@sightservice.co.uk 0191 273 9009

Age Related Macular Degeneration

Brighton & Hove City PCT 267,000
Media contact: Richard Forshaw tel 01273 296452richard.forshaw@bhcpct.nhs.uk

All 3 pathways

Waltham Forest PCT 463,750
Media contact: Sarah Empey tel 020 8928 2405
sarah.empey@wf-pct.nhs.uk

Associate Sites

Designated to support associate sites 705,586

2. The NHS Modernisation Agency will manage the programme on behalf of the Department of Health. An evaluation process will ensure that good practice is shared throughout the NHS.

3. A small number of low vision 'associate sites' will be used to ensure the spread of good practice resulting from the pilot sites. Further information on the application process for associate sites will be made available shortly on the Department of Health website or by contacting Andrew Kent, Programme Director, NHS Modernisation Agency, Eyecare Services Improvement Programme, akent@nhsma.fsnet.co.uk.

4. The first report of the National Eye Care Services Steering Group can be downloaded from the Department of Health website via the above link. The report can also be ordered from the Department of Health, PO Box 777 London SE1 6XH, tel: 08701 555455 fax: 01623 724524. The group, whose members include professional and patient stakeholders, was set up by Ministers in December 2002 to develop proposals for the modernisation of NHS eye care services, maintaining and developing an integrated, patient-centred service and improving access, choice, waiting times and quality for all sectors of the community.

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