Have you been treated for an eye condition in the past year? Then, you could help improve eye care services for patients in north Kent in the future.
NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) would like to hear from people living in Dartford, Gravesham, Swanley, Medway, Sittingbourne and Isle of Sheppey about their experience of using ophthalmology (eye care) services.
We want you to help us understand the patient experience and to find out what works well and where services could improve. The feedback we receive will be taken into account when we start the process later this year of securing a long-term provider for these services.
'Tell us what was good and what was not'
Caroline Selkirk, Executive Director of Health Improvement and Chief Operating Officer, said: “It’s important for us to hear real examples of what the service is like for patients. This helps us understand what could be better in future and to make sure what you say is taken into account when we make a decision on what the new service will be. I would encourage anyone who has used eye care services in the past year to tell us what was good and what was not so good.”
At the moment, ophthalmology care is provided by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. The trust also provides an interim service for patients from the Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley area, who were previously treated by Moorfields Eye Hospital. Moorfields left Darent Valley Hospital last year and interim arrangements were put in place with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, as an existing provider, to take on additional patients. The CCG now intends to bring these services together as one for the north Kent area.
How you can help
Patients who received treatment in the past year for an eye condition, such as cataracts or macular degeneration, are invited to give their feedback on their last appointment. A survey is available online at http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/eyecare/ until 6 August 2021.
If you would prefer a hard copy of the survey to be sent to you or would like to complete the survey by telephone, please call Ade Philips on 07767 004213 or email kmccg.engage@nhs.net. Hard copies can be returned via Freepost to: FAO: BWS, Freepost RUAY-JLRZ-RRSE, NHS Medway Clinical Commissioning Group, Unit A, Compass Centre, North, Pembroke Road, Kent ME4 4YG.
