Ophthalmology Services Review

Consultation findings

The consultation has now ended. Thank you to all those who took part. The full consultation report is now available at the bottom of this page detailing the findings. We will shortly be sharing an easy read and BSL film version of the report.

What people told us

Overall, there were mixed views and experiences of Ophthalmology services in Greater Manchester. The majority of people we spoke to were accessing Ophthalmology services for cataracts, followed then by people who had diabetes. The most common themes raised by respondents accessing ophthalmology services were waiting times and access; many respondents highlighted long waiting times for appointments, particularly for follow-up care and surgery.

Key findings

80% of respondents received communications about their appointments and 40% received communications about their treatment. No respondents reported receiving no communication, which is positive. 

Just over half of people engaged in this project were not offered a choice of hospital or provider, even when the patient challenged or questioned this.

The importance of location and transport links was frequently mentioned in focus groups. For many people in the focus groups, distance from home was “the most important” factor in choosing care.

People’s experiences of the quality of care and staff varied widely; many praised the professionalism and friendliness of staff, especially in NHS hospitals and some private providers. However, others reported poor communication skills or even a brusque manner from consultants, feeling like “just a number” or feeling like they had a lack of continuity in care.

There were feelings of concern expressed about the increasing use of private providers for routine NHS-funded cataract surgery. A minority of respondents felt private clinics were more efficient and provided quicker access, while others raised issues about lack of follow-up care for complications and questioned the value for money for the NHS.

The report explores the key themes in more detail.

Key points for commissioners to consider

Based on this engagement the following key areas should be considered:

• Ensure GPs and optometrists consistently explain patient choice of provider and hospital for their Ophthalmology treatments in Greater Manchester. A suggestion could be to include provider choice information in referral letters

• To include more detailed information in patient communications about typical pathways, what they can expect, what is involved in surgeries and advice on aftercare (including limitations such as driving) • Require providers to produce accessible communications for patients with sight loss and provide translations or easy-read versions for patients with additional needs or limited English.

• Ensure follow up appointments are scheduled in a timelier manner especially for glaucoma and complex conditions, to allow patients to address any concerns they may have or finalise their care

• Monitor equity of access to ensure patients with complex needs are not deprioritised compared to straightforward cataract cases

• Improve transparency and explain more clearly the role of private providers in NHS funded ophthalmology care

• Commissioners should consider the concerns raised in this engagement regarding travel to and treatment at providers and what the appropriate next steps may be

The next steps for this Ophthalmology review are for the program board to:

• Analyse the findings to identify any key areas of focus.

• Discuss the identified areas of focus at the October Clinical Reference Group meeting and explore opportunities to work at scale across GM to address them.

• Update the CRG workplan to align with the focus areas outlined in the patient engagement.

• Build the outputs of the engagement into the GM Ophthalmology Strategy and present this to the November Health and Care Service Review Programme Board.