New hub a 'pivotal moment' in eye health care
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation TrustA new community hub to help improve patients' eye health is to open.
Situated at the Beacon of Light in Stadium Park, Sunderland, the facility will enable staff from the imaging service currently running at the city's eye infirmary to see more patients and give faster access to care.
Low-risk patients who have glaucoma or retinal conditions, such as diabetes and macular degeneration, will be offered regular scans and tests, and if the team spot any issues they can be referred to colleagues at the specialist hospital.
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust said when it opens later this month it will be a "pivotal moment" in the way it delivers eye care.
Glaucoma patients get three eye scans checking for loss of vision, along with a field test to check peripheral vision.
Those with retinal conditions have a scan and a photograph so often need eye drops to dilate their pupils, which means they cannot drive afterwards.
The location, next to the Stadium of Light, will make it easier for them to use public transport or be dropped off, the trust said.
Staff at the new hub will work with the Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation (NORI) Institute.
Hosted by the University of Sunderland, NORI is a new research programme that will link routine eye images with other community and NHS data, to help spot early signs of health conditions such as diabetes, dementia, heart disease and strokes.
'Peace of mind'
Ajay Kotagiri, clinical director of ophthalmology for the trust, said: "For so many eye conditions it is important that we monitor them closely so that we keep people's eyesight as good as it can be, for as long as possible.
"By opening an imaging hub in the community, we will be able to see so many more patients which means faster access to care and greater peace of mind for everyone."
The Beacon of Light is run by Foundation of Light, the official charity of Sunderland AFC.
Chief operational office, Jamie Wright, said: "By bringing specialist screening into a trusted community setting, we're making essential healthcare more accessible for local people, while strengthening our shared ambition to improve health outcomes."
