New community hub for eye checks gets ready for kick off

A new community hub will help people keep on the ball with their eye health when it opens at the Beacon of Light later this month.

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust has teamed up with the Beacon of Light to launch a new NHS Eye Imaging Hub.

This will welcome low-risk patients who have glaucoma or retinal conditions such as diabetes and macular degeneration, a common eye condition that can affect vision as people get older.

It will offer them their regular eye scans and photos. These are used to check on the health of the eyes. They can then be called in for further appointments and treatment if needed.

The imaging service, currently running at Sunderland Eye Infirmary, has seen around 8,000 patients in its first year. The move to a new dedicated Eye Imaging Hub in a community location now means the NHS will be able to see more patients, meaning people will get faster access to care.

Jill O’Brien is the Acting Head of Ophthalmic Photography for the Trust and is part of the team setting up the hub.

She said: “The Beacon of Light is a fantastic building and great location for this community service. Patients will be able to join in other activities while they are there, catch a cuppa at its café and take advantage of two hours of free parking or use the nearby transport links.

“The team is really excited. We know it’ll make it a much better experience for the people we see. We’re looking forward to having our own dedicated space. We can’t wait to be able to welcome people to the hub.

“Our Trust and the Beacon of Light both want to help people be healthier, so it’s been so great to work together to set this up.”

The Eye Imaging Hub will have its own welcome desk and be staffed by a team of four ophthalmic imaging technicians.

When glaucoma patients visit, they get three scans of their eyes which look at their structure and for any loss of vision. They will also have a field test to check their peripheral vision. They fill out a questionnaire on how well they can see and any drops they use.

Those with retinal conditions have a scan on their eyes and a colour photograph is also taken. These patients often need eye drops to dilate their pupils and this means they cannot drive afterwards. The new location will make it easier for them to use public transport or be dropped off.

All scans and images are reviewed by a consultant, and patients will get an update within around four weeks of their appointment. If the eye team spot any immediate issues of concern during imaging, they will make sure patients are seen quickly by colleagues at Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital.

Work is ongoing to kit out the new space, which is on the ground floor and set to open later this month. Patients should check their appointment letters, for details of where to go.

The move to the Beacon supports the NHS’s drive to be fit for the future and base more services in the community, prevent illness rather than just treat it and use digital tools. These are all part of its 10 Year Health Plan. Today is the one year anniversary of its launch.

The new NHS Eye Imaging Hub will also play a pivotal role in helping to identify ill health by working closely with The Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation (NORI) Institute.

Hosted by the University of Sunderland, NORI is a pioneering new research programme that will securely link routine eye images with other community and NHS data, to help spot early signs of other health conditions such as diabetes, dementia, heart disease and stroke.

Ajay Kotagiri is the Clinical Director of Ophthalmology for the Trust and shared his thanks with the Beacon of Light team for their work to turn the plan into a reality.

He said: “When our new Eye Imaging Hub opens, it will be a pivotal moment in way we deliver eye care and, most importantly, prevent eye ill health.

“For so many eye conditions it is important that we monitor them closely so that we keep peoples’ 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 new Eye Imaging Hub comes at an exciting time for eye services in the city with the new Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital also set to open later this month. For more details visit: Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital

The Beacon of Light is run by Foundation of Light, which is the official charity of Sunderland AFC.

Jamie Wright, Chief Operating Officer at Foundation of Light, added: "The Beacon of Light was created to bring together services that help people live healthier, happier lives, so we're delighted to welcome the new NHS Eye Screening Hub as part of our growing health hub offer.

“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 and partnership working."